2014’s The Town That Dreaded Sundown is simultaneously a very soft remake and a sequel, and it lives in limbo between these two points. The story hits plenty of similar beats, borrows plot points and kills, and is aesthetically rooted in the old days of Texarkarna, all while telling a new story. As a standalone slasher, it does just fine, but by tying itself to an existing film it forces itself to fill a role that it doesn’t really live up to. It was a bold choice to do a sequel to a film based on true events, and it goes about as well as you might expect. Story aside, the shooting & editing styles vary from safe to frantic, and the performances are passable, but nothing to write home about. It’s a movie that doesn’t quite justify itself, but could make for an okay watch if you’re looking to kill some time.
