Vomitron_G "It Lives Again" is a very consistent sequel to the 1974 original "It's Alive". Of course it is, since both films are written, directed and produced by Larry Cohen. He picks things up after the events of the first film, by having Frank Davis (John P. Ryan) - father of the Davis monster baby which was killed at the end of the first film - visit soon-to-be parents Eugene & Jody Scott (Frederic Forest & Kathleen Lloyd). Davis suspects that their baby will be of the same mutant kind of offspring and offers his help (together with a team of doctors, operating outside the authorities' knowledge). For what they want to do, is to save the baby in order for it to live, while the authorities want to exterminate this sudden rash of mutant newborns. That in itself is an original spin on things, and one way for this sequel to differentiate itself from the original. Another thing being that there are not one but three monster babies this time. Also, this time the script expands a little further on the human drama, which wasn't a bad choice of Cohen. The concept of mutant killer babies remains as (un)convincing as it was in the first film. So does the movie's ecological/pharmaceutical message. It's just something you'll have to fly with, as both films play things with a straight face. "It Lives Again" has a slightly higher pace to the events than the original had and about the same production values, making it a worthwhile sequel that's pretty much on par with the original. At the time young SFX artist Rick Baker returned to create the killer babies (don't expect his best work here; he was only getting started). So does composer Bernard Herrmann, who delivers a tense musical score just as decent as he did on the first film. So, the outcome is simple: if you've enjoyed the first film, go ahead and enjoy this sequel. If, however, the concept of killer mutant babies doesn't appeal to you, then you shouldn't bother watching any of these three Larry Cohen films (the third one being "Island of the Alive" from 1987).

Paul Andrews It Lives Again starts is Tuscon in Arizona where Eugene (Frederic Forrest) & Jody Scott (Kethleen Lloyd) are expecting their first child, the couple is contacted by Frank Davis (John P. Ryan) who was the father of a mutant baby & warns them that they Jody is about to give birth to another mutant baby. Frank claims that the Government have set up a team to kill all the babies at conception & that he wants to protect them, the Government extermination team is lead by the ruthless Mallory (John Marley) while Frank belongs to a small group of scientists who want to protect & study the babies. Jody gives birth to her mutant baby & goes on the run from Mallory's team, in a secluded mountaintop house Jody & Eugene learn that Frank & the scientists have two other mutant babies that they are studying & caring for...Also known as It's Alive 2: It Lives Again just like it's predecessor It's Alive (1974) this was written, produced & directed by Larry Cohen who continues, elaborates & expands on the story & ideas of the original rather than just rehash & reuse them. A few character's return from the original It's Alive, most notably Frank Davis the father of the first mutant baby is now an activist helping to protect them & giving passionate speeches although the progression of the character is somewhat halted when he is unexpectedly killed off. The human villain here Mallory is joined by the cop Detective Perkins from the original It's Alive although he gets no such dramatic overhaul, the conflict between the two sides with those who want to protect the babies & those who just want to exterminate them is also elaborated on as entire networks are set-up to fool & evade the authorities. The scientific team feel that the babies are the next step in human evolution which is a bit of a stretch & I still have a hard time believing that so many people would just ignore the fact that these babies & brutally killing anyone they meet. Eugene & Jody are the unlucky couple this time & like the original their emotions & feelings go from utter disgust & hate to maternal love although it's less effective this time around & there's never any sensible reason given as to why the babies want to seek out their parents & kill them.Like the original It's Alive the killer babies are only ever seen in quick flashes or brief glimpses although once again that was down to the special effect being less than special so they were mainly kept off screen. With so many things going on in the plot from crazy scientists to arguing parents to stabs at social commentary & parenting there's not much time for horror actually, It Lives Again is noticeably tamer than It's Alive with less blood, less attacks & less scares although there are a couple of amusing visual gags including an incubator encased in a steel cage & a birthday cake with a mutant babies claw print in it. A slightly more polished production than the original things are still look a little rough at times, Bernard Hermann's score was reused even though the composer had died some three years earlier.Filmed in Tuscon & San Francisco things look a bit dated, the acting varies from John Ryan who is still good while he's alive anyway to Frederic Forrest who takes the Ryan role he played in the original who just isn't that good here.It Lives Again is a good follow up to Cohen's break though film It's Alive that tries to expand on it's ideas rather than reuse them but in trying to do too much it doesn't quite work as well. Followed by It's Alive III: Island of the Alive (1987).

moonwaffle6 for what is certainly a great premise, it's unfortunate this film is such a failure. i've never watched anything so loaded with filler. it felt like half the 90-minute run time was probably dedicated just to watching characters entering driveways and getting out of their cars. this time there's three killer babies. who cares. none of them do anything. why does Larry Cohen even bother making a movie that are this diluted. i would credit Frederic Forrest's performance as the tormented father with holding the film together .. that's if there was anything to hold together. a total waste of my time. you know what would have made the movie better? if the story took place on the titanic in an alternate universe and the babies were faster, amphibious, had spider legs, and could reproduce within seconds of being born. imagine all those stuffy aristocrats in life jackets bobbing up and down between the glaciers with spider babies attached to their necks.

gavin6942 After the Davis baby is destroyed, others begin to appear around the country. The second film follows a renegade group of people (including Frank Davis from the first film) who are trying to prevent the government from killing the mutant babies. But at what price? Along with Frank, we now have the Scott family: Eugene Scott (played by Frederic Forrest, best known to me as the Nazi Surplus Store Owner from "Falling Down") and Jody Scott (played by the lovely and undercast Kathleen Lloyd). And the Scott family doesn't like it when you try to kill their baby! Oh, and the makeup effects of Oscar-winning Rick Baker again.This film picks up pretty much where the other left off, give or take a few months. Where the first one pushed the message of chemicals affecting unborn babies, this is more of a family message: parents should love their children regardless of who or what they are. If your child is a criminal or autistic, they're still your child and you should defend and love them, not let the government exterminate them.There's also a really subtle subplot about child molestation. Although never explicitly shown, there is good reason to believe molestation is occurring between an adult and a child family member. (I won't say who, but you should notice it as hints are dropped multiple times.) This film is paced better than the first one, and the attacks are a bit more often and slightly more gruesome (though by no means graphic). Going from a PG rating to an R was a good move, though they didn't push the rating as much as I probably would have liked. And a really strange thing happens: Frank Davis becomes known as "Frank Davis". Not "Frank", not "Mr. Davis"... but "Frank Davis" every time he is mentioned. It seems unnatural, as if somehow he is a celebrity that needs to be highlighted, like TV's Patrick Duffy or something.Although I liked this movie better than the first one, it relies heavily on the first one to understand it, so you're really stuck having to watch both if you want to "get it". The recurring characters and source of the mutants won't make sense unless you see the original. But by all means if you liked the first one, watch the second... and if you liked this one, watch the third.