Not to give out spoilers, I won't reveal the genuinely surprising finish to "Looker 2", which solves the serial murder case dating back over 4 decades in novel fashion. But auteur Nic Cramer messes up on the way to that conclusion, relegating this forgotten follow-up to the dustbin of Adult Cinema history.

As with Part 1, which won innumerable unearned industry awards, Nic delivers the patina of a story and characters one could expect in a decent B-level film noir. The visual stylization is less exaggerated than in the first part with its smoke-filled studio-shot alleys and Venetian Blinds lighting effects, but the frequent flashbacks and arbitrarily included sex scenes wander irretrievably from the main plot and characters, harming the movie.

Randy Spears is the dogged police detective following in Vince Vouyer's footsteps from Part 1. He's out to solve a case dating back to 1954, which cost Vince's dad (played by Mickey G.) his life. The serial killings by a mysterious Femme Fatale are occurring again, so Spears seeks out Vouyer's now-retired cop partner Shanna McCullough for help in solving the mystery and catching the current killer.

Shanna, with only minor aging makeup and styling to suggest a passage of time, relates flashbacks which naturally are the springboard for a total of eight sex scenes, finally leading Spears to the out-of-left-field solution. Several cast members from Part 1 return in smaller roles, notably original Femme Fatale Lauren Montgomery and the ultimate Adult Cinema beauty Silvia Saint, certainly back by popular demand rather than due to any importance plot-wise.

Perhaps the best ingenue actress in Adult of her day, Gwen Summers is terrific in a dual role that is central to the rejiggering of the story and build-up to its shock conclusion, while original leading man Vouyer gets to hump Ilanna Moore in a scene that had me scratching my head as to its provenance. In "Looker" (1998), Moore was mysteriously credited at the end in a scenes deleted manner "Cutting Room Casualty" so perhaps her sex scene missing from the finished first film was resurrected usefully for inclusion in the sequel.

Oddest element of "Looker 2" is the unspecified time frame. There is only one hint that the story is way off in the future, when Spears whips out a small ear piece (looks like a large hearing aid) and asks it to connect him with somebody's phone -this futuristic parallel (picture was shot in 1999) to modern-day cell phones implies we're in the future, but judging by the ages of the characters one infers from the finale, the story is taking place around 2022 without any other indicators (clothing, cars, technology) to establish that fact.

The crime genre features criminal activities, investigations, law enforcement, crimes, and the pursuit of justice. Crime stories often revolve around the planning, execution, and consequences of criminal acts, as well as the efforts to solve and prevent such acts. They explore various aspects of criminal behavior, motives, and the moral dilemmas faced by both perpetrators and those seeking to uphold the law.

James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

The mystery genre features the investigation and solving of a puzzle, typically a crime or an enigmatic event. Mysteries are known for their suspenseful narratives, intricate plots, and the challenge they present to readers or viewers to piece together clues and solve the central mystery alongside the characters.

Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. in Chinatown (1974)

The thriller genre features suspense, tension, and excitement. These stories are known for keeping audiences on the edge of their seats and delivering intense emotional experiences by revolving around high-stakes situations, dangerous conflicts, and the constant anticipation of unexpected events.

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood's perfect pairs.

Hollywood Power Couples

Get a closer look at some of Hollywood&#39;s perfect pairs.

See which big screen releases you can watch from the comfort of your couch.

Theatrical Releases Coming to Streaming

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Looker 2: Femme Fatale

Top Cast18

User reviews1

Related interests

Storyline

Did you know

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed