While House of 1000 Corpses didn’t blow people away when it was finally released it has grown a cult following. For the sequel Rob Zombie decided to make a more of a hard boiled western-like thriller and tone down the cheesy over the topness of the first film.

The movie picks up where the last left off but Zombie decides to omit the whole last act with Dr. Satan and just focus on the Firefly family. Sheriff John Quincey Wydell (William Forsythe), whose brother was killed in the last movie is out for revenge against the Fireflys. The cops are closing in on the family and their farmhouse. A vicious stand-off ensues and Rufus is killed and Mother Firefly (Leslie Easterbrook) is taken into custody while Otis (Bill Moseley) and Baby (Sheri Moon Zombie) escape. They decide to meet up with Baby’s father Captain Spaulding (Sid Haig).

While waiting for Captain Spaulding Otis and Baby take a music group hostage and start tormenting them and killing them. Meanwhile Sheriff Wydell has hired a couple of bounty hunters to find the Fireflys. Captain Spaulding finally shows up and he takes Otis and Baby to a hideout at a whorehouse. The bounty hunters find them and inform the sheriff and then all hell breaks loose.

While the first film was very campy the sequel is as far from campy as you can get. While playing the same characters both Otis, Baby and Spaulding are more subdued. They are still violent psychopaths but they actually have more personality rather than caricature. Leslie Easterbrook replaced Karen Black as Mother Firefly reducing the role as leader of the family. Captain Spaulding moves into the role when its revealed that he’s actually Baby’s father.

The Devil’s Rejects is a better movie than House of 1000 Corpses and Rob Zombie has just completed a third and final sequel 3 From Hell which is getting released this month.