A Forgotten Sequel to One of the Most Underrated Horror Films of the ‘90s Is Now Free to Stream

Robert Kurtzman’s supernatural horror film Wishmaster is easily one of the most underrated genre films of the ‘90s. It’s a love letter to the horror scene that gleefully showcases the immersive potential of practical effects. In fact, some have even posited that the film is downright disgusting, which is a fair assessment. But if you’re a horror fan, that’s half of the appeal. The flick delivered modest returns at the box office when it bowed in 1997, but really found its audience on home video. As such, Artisan Entertainment greenlit the direct-to-video sequel Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies with Jack Sholder (A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge) writing and directing. Like its predecessor, Wishmaster 2 is a sorely underrated effort that remains all but forgotten outside of a small but loyal fanbase.

If you enjoy the intersection of grotesque practical effects and campy humor, you will be pleased to learn that you can find this forgotten effort streaming on Tubi.

Wishmaster 2 Is a Forgotten Relic of the ‘90s Ready for Rediscovery

Seeing as Wishmaster 2 didn’t have the benefit of a theatrical release, it faded into obscurity even more quickly than its predecessor. Nonetheless, the film is likely to resonate with anyone who enjoys a nonsensical good time complete with goopy practical effects courtesy of Optical Illusions, Inc.

This underrated sequel follows Morgana (Holly Fields), a well-meaning thief who accidentally releases a powerful genie-like creature (Andrew Divoff) called a Djinn from captivity during the commission of a botched heist. Morgana flees the scene, and the creature in question assumes human form and takes the fall for the crime. He subsequently serves a stint in lockup, where he uses his supernatural abilities to collect souls in service of releasing hell on earth.

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Fields is a serviceable protagonist, for sure, but the real star of the show here is Divoff as the Djinn in human form. He plays the character with a sense of maniacal glee, appearing to take great pride and pleasure in his work. He’s always sporting a sinister grin that looks almost inhuman. That makes a certain amount of sense, considering that Divoff is playing a supernatural character who is merely posing as a human being.

Each time that the Djinn baits an unsuspecting victim into making a wish they’ll soon regret, Divoff’s eyes light up and he appears completely overcome with bliss. His performance is comical at times, often veering into camp territory; however, he’s restrained enough to avoid coming off like a caricature. In fact, Divoff’s mannerisms and vocalizations, combined with his singular focus on mass destruction, position him as an antagonist that strikes just the right balance.

Although Divoff’s Djinn might not give Freddy Krueger a run for his money, he is still likely to appeal to fans of the latter by tapping into a similar juxtaposition between menacing and hilarious. His comedic flair allows for a reprieve from the tension inherent to the narrative and gives us the chance to marvel at the utter ridiculousness of it all. Perhaps the character’s flair for subtle comedy even humanizes him on some level. After all, he’s the best thing about the first two films for most fans.

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With that in mind, it’s a shame that Divoff is absent from the third and fourth series installments. The role was recast, with John Novak taking up the mantle. That is surely one of several reasons why the third and fourth films remain even more under-seen than the first two. In addition to the fallout from recasting the titular character, the overall quality also declined with subsequent entries, marking yet another reason why the latter installments failed to resonate.

All things considered, Wishmaster 2 is an outlandish yet quite enjoyable sequel to a severely underrated ‘90s horror film. The flick benefits from a standout performance by Divoff as the sinister genie, as well as from gruesome special effects guaranteed to make you squirm. The juxtaposition of camp and graphic violence leads to a handful of great setups, making this a flick that’s worth rediscovering. If you’d like to check out Wishmaster 2 for yourself, make your way over to Tubi and give it a shot.

Have you experienced Wishmaster 2? If so, make sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.