Well, it seems Ralphus and I are in surprisingly close agreement on a number of points, although I guess I'm a bit less enthusiastic overall about Goon Squad 2: Patriot Acts. In any event, here is my take on the movie:
Title: Goon Squad 2: Patriot Acts
Starring: Lisa Kinkaid and Amber Bliss
Directed by: Rick Masters
Running time: Two hours
Think of an old rock band that gets together for one last gig. They can still play the instruments, they still know the songs, they still look kinda hip ... yet somehow it just doesn't work. The magic isn't there anymore. They ain't got no soul.
Watching that band go through the motions would pretty much capture the feeling I had watching Goon Squad 2: Patriot Acts.. Yes, it is a new ZFX movie, with lots of bondage and torture, a nice rape, and beautiful Lisa Kinkaid. Everything that used to be the perfect combo. Yet, somehow, they just couldn't pull it off.
Much as I hate to say it, Goon Squad 2: Patriot Acts is a slow, plodding movie that mostly reminds viewers of scenes that were done much better in other ZFX films. The movie is too long, unoriginal, and generally boring.
The story is about some government goons torturing two hippie chicks, Amber Bliss and Lisa. In his official Ralphus Review, Ralphus has already described the plot, so I'll skip the long descriptions of each scene (as perverts throughout the world breathe a sigh of relief) and focus on my top-level observations.
Surprisingly, the best scenes feature the average-looking Amber Bliss. The part where Amber was bound in barbed wire was an original touch (at least in American porn) and the scene where Amber is raped by Rick Masters was particularly well done. I'm no fan of Amber, but people who like her distinct look will probably enjoy her scenes in this movie.
The disappointment comes when we get to the long-awaited footage of that great American beauty, Ms. Kinkaid.
Her part in the film runs something like one hour and 15 minutes, and it feels at least that long. Although Lisa's segment runs for about the same length of time as the entire South of the Border 4 movie (not counting previous highlights), there are only about four scenes in that entire stretch in Goon Squad 2, and each scene should have been cut shorter. The part where naked Lisa (wearing a neck collar that is bound to the roof) gets beaten with a rubber hose has its moments, but it drags on forever, and is far less effective than a similar scene in SOB-4. The scene where Lisa is bound arms over head and is receiving electric shocks up her ass through an anal probe is the best part of the movie, but it also goes on far too long. Meanwhile, the part where Lisa is tied to the operating table and gets electric shocks is OK but nothing special.
Lisa looks beautiful, of course. I particularly like her with the longer hair style she sports in this movie. But her scenes can't compete with comparable moments from her past triumphs, and aren't particularly arousing.
The picture quality in this film is quite good but there are serious problems with the audio (some scenes are barely audible), and some of the acting is below par. Jesse Keddings, in particular, proves to be beyond his reach here. He basically resurrects his character from some of the South of the Border films but his routine ("Tell me what I wanna know") becomes unconvincing in some of his lengthy scenes with Lisa. As a villain, he becomes annoying, rather than menacing. Rick is much better, but it is often hard to hear what he is saying.
Heck, even the movie's political statement -- an obvious swipe at the Bush government's attacks on civil liberties -- seems stale at this point in 2009.
My grade: B-
It is a new ZFX film -- possibly the last one -- and it does star Lisa Kinkaid, so it is probably worth seeing. But just barely. For the most part, Goon Squad 2: Patriot Acts is a film that suggests the ZFX era may truly be over.