Mandao Returns

Starring: Sean McBride, Scott Dunn, and Gina Gomez-Dunn
Written and Directed by: Scott Dunn

Mandao Returns is a fun low-budget romp that I recommend to anyone who is a fan of goofy sci-fi comedies. Sean McBride and Sean Liang seem way more comfortable in their roles and often ham it up. The humor works a lot better in Mandao Returns than in the first one. However, first I must address some issues.

• MotD states that the reason Uncle Jay is able to time-travel is because of the barrier of the spirit realm being thinner around Halloween. This one is set around Christmas though. Not a big issue, just something I noticed.
• There is a part where Cousin Andy is pulling a box out of a closet and it's implied the job is done. I feel Scott could have conveyed this better by showing Uncle Jay and Cousin Andy listening to the hypnotic binaural beat and then cutting to Andy putting the money away. I just didn't feel like it conveyed the passage of time as is.
• This film was way less gory than the first one. It was a bit disappointing.

That's it, those are my complaints about Mandao Returns. Other than that, I really liked this movie. Scott Dunn and Sean McBride are both really good in it. Sean really plays up the part of goofy sidekick, which is really nice, as opposed to MotD where he's more serious. There is a part in this movie where Uncle Jay and Jackson switch bodies and that was hands down my favorite part of the movie. It's so unbelievably ridiculous and the antics that ensue are hysterical.

Both Mandao of the Dead and Mandao Returns are available on tubi. If you would like to support Scott by giving him your hard earned money directly, you can order the blu-rays.