Creature from the Black Lagoon was a massive success upon release, making $1.3 million at the box office. Audiences at the time were stunned by its use of 3D, which was a popular theater gimmick at the time. Given its success, it was only natural that Universal would want a sequel almost immediately that was also in 3D. Writer/producer William Alland returned for the sequel, as well as director Jack Arnold and actor Nestor Paiva. Actor Ricou Browning returned to play the creature underwater, while actor Tom Hennesy would play the creature on land. For the leads, actor John Agar, known for numerous John Wayne Westerns, and actress Lori Nelson were cast. Rather than returning to the Amazon, this sequel would find the Gill-Man being taken to civilization similar to King Kong. The following year saw the release of Revenge of the Creature in May of 1955.
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Synopsis
Joe Hayes (John Bromfield) and George Johnson (Robert Williams) venture to the Amazon alongside steamboat captain Lucas (Nestor Paiva). They’re there to find and capture the Gill-Man, who survived his bullet wounds from the last film. The Gill-Man is captured and taken to the Florida Ocean Harbor Oceanarium, where Professor Clete Ferguson (John Agar) examines him. He soon develops a relationship with ichthyology student Helen Dobson (Lori Nelson), who the Gill-Man also takes an interest in. Soon, the Gill-Man breaks free from the tank he’s being kept in and escapes from the Oceanarium to the ocean. Having escaped, the Gill-Man starts pursuing Clete and Helen, ultimately kidnapping her while at a restaurant. Clete gets together with the local police to track down the Gill-Man and rescue Helen. Will he be able to save her in time, or will Helen become the Gill-Man’s latest victim?
Review
Revenge of the Creature doesn’t quite capture the magic of the first film, but it’s still an above-average sequel. First off, the design of the Gill-Man is still impressive, and both actors get plenty of movement and expression through. Jack Arnold, once again, does a good job behind the camera, getting plenty of good underwater shots in. While many sequels to the Universal monster movies did more or less the same thing, this one tries something different. Taking the action from the Amazon to an aquarium was a nice way to change things up. John Agar makes for a good leading man, displaying plenty of charm and charisma to keep the audience engaged. Lori Nelson also makes for a solid leading lady, though she falls into the trap of a damsel in distress. Interesting side-note: this film features the on-screen debut of future acting legend Clint Eastwood.
The film’s biggest problem is that, aside from a new setting, it’s more or less the same as the original. It hits on many of the same beats, essentially revolving around the Gill-Man going after the female lead. However, the Gill-Man being taken out of his natural environment adds an element of a primitive creature versus civilized society. It’s similar to the last act of King Kong, but it’s expanded to a full feature rather than a section. Admittedly, after the Gill-Man makes his escape, the film grinds to a halt where nothing really happens. Thankfully, its 80-minute runtime means it won’t each up much of your time, though it feels somewhat padded. This is a case where while it’s a slight retread of the last film, it’s still worth a watch. Overall, Revenge of the Creature is a decent monster movie that’s still enjoyable despite not doing much different.
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