Scanners II: The New Order (1991) (film review).
‘Scanners II: The New Order’ is a follow-up to the David Cronenberg film, although 30 years later. Police are aware of the existence of scanners, and they dispatch a unit to collect any individuals roaming the city. Once captured, those who resist or refuse to accept their powers often become addicted to drugs. Some even work for the unit, like David Kellum (actor David Hewlett), recruited by police commander John Forrester (actor Yvan Ponton) after they saw footage of him saving his new girlfriend, Alice Leonardo (actress Isabelle Majias), in a hold-up. One of the unit’s other new scanners, Peter Drak (actor Raoul Trujillo), is more of a psychopath. Things aren’t exactly smooth in this city’s police force.
Kellum runs to his foster parents when he realises Forrester is manipulating him. While out of their house, Drak and a detective shoot them. His foster father stays alive long enough to tell him he has a sister, Julie Vale (actress Deborah Rattin). She doesn’t want to help, so Kellum returns to the city and convinces Mayor Lazoni (actress Dorothée Berryman) of the threat Forrester is and what scanners are when she is assassinated, and he barely escapes himself. His rescuer turns out to be his sister, and they turn the fight back on Forester.
That’s probably enough information to share without giving anything away. Similar to the original film, it remains to be seen how humans can gain control over the more advanced scanners. True, they have their vulnerabilities when their power is nascent, but scanning anyone would give them the truth.
In many respects, ‘Scanners II’ didn’t need to explain much to fans of the original film and just get on with the story. Undoubtedly, the screen is filled with enough violence to keep you captivated and anticipating the next victim.
GF Willmetts
December 2024
(pub: Anchor Bay Entertainment, 2005. 1 DVD 100 minute film with extras. ASIN: ABD4407)
cast: David Hewlett, Yvan Ponton, Isabelle Majias, Raoul Trujillo and Deborah Rattin
