Much like the Robert Rodriguez/Quentin Tarantino original, FDTD2 suffers from a massive identity crisis.

While #1 was an enjoyable, if not particularly memorable, "family hijacked by gun-toting sociopaths" thriller that unfortunately ran into the butt-end of a Grade-D straight-to-video vampire howler, #2 has similar issues. Directed by Scott Spiegel from a Spiegel/Duane Whittaker script, the flick sets us up for a South of the Border bank heist complete with a team assembled by Buck (rhymes with "hard luck") played by Robert (T2) Patrick.

But when the heist's brainchild stops in at The Titty Twister go-go bar (reprising its role from #1) and offers the bartender (reprising his role from #1) a ride, things take a turn for the schizophrenic.

What makes this half-hearted yawner such a total disappointment is that there IS some talent at work on both sides of the camera. Spiegel worked on the original EVIL DEAD, an influence that rears its ugly head during the vampire death effects that pepper the final 30 minutes. Rodriguez and Tarantino — who only act as Exec Producers along with Lawrence Bender despite what you may have read — have resumes that speak for themselves. Bo Hopkins (THE WILD BUNCH and about 100 other flicks) co-stars as the cop on the gang's trail. And Patrick, a decent actor who doesn't deserve being in shitstorms like this and STRIPTEASE, does an admirable job as the lone non-vampire in the gang. Too bad he's asked to stand around, look confused and get tossed into the nearest wall, pole, car, etc.

FDTD2 shoots itself in the foot by being nothing more than a straight-to-video dud with little or no imagination. Luckily I wasn't expecting much more, so I guess I can't bitch. However, pity the poor Gonster who rented it on the mistaken belief that chunky '90210' vixen Tiffany Amber-Thiesen was a featured star. Instead, she and Bruce (EVIL DEAD, 'Xena') Campbell get offed in the flick's opening horror-movie-within-a-heist-flick-within-a-horror-movie.