Stepfather 2 (1989)

0% of critics liked it
(5 reviews)
31% of users liked it
(2,653 ratings)

A passable sequel to the excellent sleeper hit that preceded it, this film steers its story in a cartoonish, less horrific direction. Terry O'Quinn returns as the nameless family man who butchered one nuclear unit and was on his way to dispatching another when he was (seemingly) fatally stabbed. It… More A passable sequel to the excellent sleeper hit that preceded it, this film steers its story in a cartoonish, less horrific direction. Terry O'Quinn returns as the nameless family man who butchered one nuclear unit and was on his way to dispatching another when he was (seemingly) fatally stabbed. It turns out that he wasn't killed after all but was captured and sent to the loony bin. Now the deranged control freak has murdered his jailers and escaped from the institution. Establishing himself in a small, idyllic town as a family counselor, he thinks that he's found the perfect candidate for a family in Carol (Meg Foster), the real estate agent who lives across the street, and her son, Todd (Jonathan Brandis), who adores his mom's new boyfriend. Unfortunately, Carol's irresponsible husband shows up unexpectedly after abandoning his family -- and nosy neighbors and a variety of others stand as obstacles in the stepfather's path to perfection. The first film, The Stepfather (1987), by writer Donald E. Westlake was very loosely based on the real-life story of long-time fugitive John List, lending the film an eerie, skin-crawling air of psychological authenticity that this sequel entirely lacks. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 33 min.
Directed By: Jeff Burr
Genres: Horror

In Theaters: Nov 3, 1989 Wide
On DVD: Mar 4, 2003

Critic Reviews

Nick Schager, Lessons of Darkness
Rarely has a sequel followed its predecessor's exact template like this thoroughly imitative follow-up.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...a tiresome sequel that boasts little worth recommending aside from Terry O'Quinn's expectedly electrifying performance.
Lori Hoffman, Atlantic City Weekly
The original is great; this is lousy.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

Not as great as the first one, but it's still exciting and a good horror movie. I enjoyed it.
Lafe F

A logical and just as worthy sequel in the Stepfather series. Terry O'Quinn is back as the menacing family-killing stepfather figure. This time around, he has a stepson (Jonathan Brandis of Neverending Story 2 fame!) The wedding reception end battle is great.
Jeff "

Inferior sequel to am average slasher film, The Stepfather II fails at capturing the essence of what made the first one entertaining. Filled with lacking Suspense and thrills, The Stepfather II is a disappointment and doesn't try to terrify the audience, most of time you feel… More
Inferior sequel to am average slasher film, The Stepfather II fails at capturing the essence of what made the first one entertaining. Filled with lacking Suspense and thrills, The Stepfather II is a disappointment and doesn't try to terrify the audience, most of time you feel bored, as the plot is too predictable and cliches ridden. overall, Stepfather II is a slasher flick with not a single interesting thing about it. A below average film, even by slasher film standards.
Dean M

A misfire because it obviously tries to take advantage of its predecessor. The psychotic killer from the first film starts the same routine all over again by posing as a marriage counselor and preying on unsuspecting divorcees and widows.
Deb S

Terry O'Quinn returns in this sequel 'Stepfather 2: Make Room for Daddy.' A likable psychopath who has escaped from the mental institution he was being held in since his last attempt at getting a family and trying to kill them, it's easy to see why the lonely… More
Terry O'Quinn returns in this sequel 'Stepfather 2: Make Room for Daddy.' A likable psychopath who has escaped from the mental institution he was being held in since his last attempt at getting a family and trying to kill them, it's easy to see why the lonely ladies he encounters fail to notice that underneath his perfect family-man exterior lies a seething murderous rage. He heads to a new town where he meets a woman, with a son, who likes him. They hit it off and he once again thinks that he has the perfect family but several of the local people don't want him to get married! The Stepfather doesn't take too kindly to that, and begins getting rid of everyone who stands in his way.
Jim W

Terry O'Quinn is back as the crazy Stepfather who's in search of the perfect family. After escaping a psychiatric hospital he sets his eyes on a single mother (Meg Foster) and her son (Jonathan Brandis), But it's not going to be easy when her husband who was gone for a… More
Terry O'Quinn is back as the crazy Stepfather who's in search of the perfect family. After escaping a psychiatric hospital he sets his eyes on a single mother (Meg Foster) and her son (Jonathan Brandis), But it's not going to be easy when her husband who was gone for a year returns and when her best friend begins to suspect something is wrong with him. The film is just weak in comparison to the first film. It has a straight to video feel to it and it's just not as good as the original. But Terry O'Quinn is at least in good form even if his performance in the original was more memorable.
Anthony V

No where near as good as the first film. More a rehash. Terry O'Quinn is still good.