Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Class of Nuke 'Em High 2: Subhumanoid Meltdown Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 28, 2015

Instead of following up 1986’s “Class of Nuke ‘Em High” with a straightforward sequel, Troma Entertainment reworks the premise to fit a new generation of radiated bedlam, stomping into a new decade with 1991’s “Class of Nuke ‘Em High 2: Subhumanoid Meltdown.” It’s actually surprising to see the sequel disregard its predecessor to this degree, with director Eric Louzil determined to make the follow-up his own, doing away with high school antics to concentrate on more monster-based mayhem. Keeping the Troma sense of humor, “Subhumanoid Meltdown” also pays tribute to the company’s addiction to incoherence, with most of the feature a grab bag of ideas, gore zone visits, and topless actresses, with Louzil obviously overwhelmed by the demands of a low-budget comedic shocker. Its manic spirit is overwhelming, but there are choice moments of Z-grade insanity to feast on, with the continuation/remake abandoning storytelling to make a self-aware mess, and one that’s fun in small doses.

With Tromaville High destroyed, corporate forces at Nukamama have decided to rebuild, erecting the Tromaville Institute of Technology in its place. Home to a ragtag student body of scantily clad women and a roving gang known as The Squirrels, Tromaville Tech is subjected to daily breakouts of violence, leaving newspaper reporter Roger (Brick Bronsky) with plenty to report, feeding his journalistic ambition. Taking part in a sex experiment, Roger encounters a subhumanoid named Victoria (Leesa Rowland), falling in love with the mutant creation, who has a mouth where her navel should be. Experimenting with the creation of monsters, Professor Holt (Lisa Gaye) is perfecting the subhumanoids, but bugs remain, with the creations prone to melting. Feeling pressure from Dean Okra (Scott Resnick), who needs the subhumanoids to appease Nukamama executives, Holt tries to contain her mistakes, only to trigger anarchy on school grounds, with Roger reporting from the front lines as violence breaks out and a mutant squirrel known as Tromie threatens to wipe out Tromaville.

There is plenty of evidence scattered around “Subhumanoid Meltdown” that details Louzil’s inability to put together a movie, but nothing tops the opening ten minutes of the feature. While presenting a modest refresher on the events of “Class of Nuke ‘Em High,” the sequel quickly explodes with chaos, utilizing a flash-forward that reaches all the way to the climax as a way to lasso audience attention. Students screaming and scrambling? A Godzilla-sized squirrel destroying the school? Our hero panicking over the body of his near-dead girlfriend? No, you didn’t accidentally hit the chapter forward button. This is how “Subhumanoid Meltdown” actually commences, using a cluster of images instead of mastering introductions, trusting pandemonium will act as a genre Spanish Fly.

“Subhumanoid Meltdown” is much more interesting when trying to create a new world for the “Class of Nuke ‘Em High” franchise. The original cast and slightly more subdued tone is missed, but the screenplay is ready to reinvent, transforming Tromaville Tech into a laboratory, watching Professor Holt tour cells filled with her monstrous abominations (stop-motion animation helps to secure oddity) and deal with the deficiencies of her subhumanoid project. And Roger is a strange hero, with his jock appearance and Pulitzer heart, trying to save the day with his investigative skills, only to sink deeper into trouble after falling for Victoria, woman with a mouth on her stomach. Roger also acts as the movie’s super glue, providing copious amount of narration to help patch the holes left behind by unforgiving editing, which boldly cleaves away anything that doesn’t feature a topless woman or a bleeding victim. There’s a “Twin Peaks” reference with the newspaperman as well, watching Roger dictate ideas and confessions to “Diane” on his personal tape recorder. It’s an amusing gag for David Lynch nerds.

Louzil keeps “Subhumanoid Meltdown” on the move, employing a few porn stars in the supporting cast, bringing in a punk band to perform, and mangling a few bodies with broken glass. He’s also happy to break the fourth wall, with production on “The Toxic Avenger: Part III” crashing into the “Class of Nuke ‘Em High 2” shoot, making room for a cameo by Toxie and some Mel Brooks-style shenanigans from Troma. “Subhumanoid Meltdown” is spirited in this sense, trying anything to shake up expectations and service slapstick, which is truly the ultimate goal of the effort. It’s one thing to introduce a giant mutated squirrel, but to have him urinate on the Nukamama plant is pure Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz.

Class of Nuke 'Em High 2: Subhumanoid Meltdown Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation does reveal a few limitations, displaying harsh reel changes, scratches and speckling, and some flicker. Overall, it's a bright, refreshed viewing experience benefiting from amplified colors, showcasing bold primaries and natural skintones. Subhumanoid encounters bring out pleasing shades of nuclear green. Detail is sufficient for this style of low-budget cinematography, capturing gruesome particulars and mutant textures, keeping background activity available for study. Grain remains untouched, thick but filmic. Delineation is capable, with nothing lost to limited lighting.

Class of Nuke 'Em High 2: Subhumanoid Meltdown Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 Dolby Digital sound mix doesn't offer anything in the way of dimension, remaining a blunt instrument throughout the listening experience. Dialogue exchanges are serviceable, finding intelligibility during extended scenes of mayhem, and group activity is understandable. The upper range stays crispy, but outright distortion isn't detected. Soundtrack selections and scoring cues dominate, threatening dramatics, with this forcefulness only welcome during random attack sequences. Hiss and pops are mild at best.

Class of Nuke 'Em High 2: Subhumanoid Meltdown Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features actress Lisa Gaye.

• Music Video (3:15, SD) for "Class of Nuke 'Em High 2 Theme" offers film clips and assorted carnage.

• Interview (4:31, SD) with Lisa Gaye is captured on the roof of Troma Entertainment headquarters, with the actress sharing anecdotes about her towering wig from "Subhumanoid Meltdown," being hit on by Ron Jeremy, the bi-coastal shoot, and her reluctance to do nudity.

• "TroMoMa" (11:40, HD) follows Lloyd Kaufman into the Museum of Modern Art, celebrating the selection of "Return to Nuke 'Em High: Volume 1" as part of "The Contenders" film series. Nerves are shared along with a Q&A, and the evening is capped with a Bollywood-style dance on stage.

• "Radiation March" (:56, SD) is a short dance piece concerning the dangers of pollution.

• "The American Cinematheque Honors 40 Years of Troma" (2:03, SD) is a montage of company achievements, scored to song by Motorhead.

• "Say What You Want" (2:32, SD) is a music video from The Lunachicks.

• "Return to Nuke 'Em High (4:21, HD) is a music video from the band Mystery.

• Interview (5:42, HD) with director James Gunn is hosted by Kaufman, who brings his camera into the "Guardians of the Galaxy" helmer's trailer for a brief discussion about Troma and state of the independent film industry.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included.

Class of Nuke 'Em High 2: Subhumanoid Meltdown Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Once "Subhumanoid Meltdown" returns to the havoc that opened the picture, Louzil has lost interest in actually finding a plot to help close out the sequel. In fact, there's no ending at all, just a set-up for the next chapter in the disaster saga. As a pure distraction, "Class of Nuke 'Em High 2: Subhumanoid Meltdown" gets the job done. It's all noise and stupidity, wet with blood and bile. Sadly, it's never compelling beyond exploitation elements, making it empty moviegoing calories, wasting an enticing premise on a cinematic stampede that doesn't head in any particular direction.