DVD Review // Desert Fiends 2 (2026)

 

While the first "Desert Fiends" is available on Blu-Ray and DVD, I watched that one on Tubi to prepare for this sequel.  If you have not seen the first film in this series then this sequel may not make sense to you, but even if you have seen the first film "Desert Fiends 2" still might not make much sense to you.  The film is all over the place and I love it because it's like listening to an entire orchestra play different notes but by the end they all land on the same spot.

In the original "Desert Fiends" a group of college aged kids took a shortcut through the desert on their way to a music festival and were brutally slaughtered by the Desert Ghouls.   In this sequel, we see not only those Desert Ghouls come into play but a lot of other new characters as this film just seems to have several storylines going on at once.  For one thing, there is a group of people (which Vanessa Angel is a part of) who are out hunting the Desert Ghouls.

Then we have the influencers and their plotline, which does include a character played by Kato Kaelin.   (Though there are also younger influencers in here as well)  Martin Klebba plays a character named Buzz who is part of a different storyline and Robert Carradine plays a cop who is basically in this movie to give a monologue about how this film seems to capture a lot of older actors who were once famous for something else, bringing them all together for one giant mess- and this film does feel like that at times.

As if there weren't enough characters and subplots already (I might have missed some) there is also this subplot which comes in closer to the end with characters portrayed by Ginger Lynn Allen, Michael B. Moynahan and James DeBello.   These three are not part of the Desert Ghouls, but they do go around killing.  In face, we are introduced at this point in the film to the character Bunny (played by Kansas Bowling) who is a local prostitute and after this trio killed Lloyd (played by Mark Torgl) they kill Bunny simply for practice.

This film also all converges into the same plot by the end which is that they are having a Desert Fiends Fest, after the success of the first one, so everyone kind of comes together as one.  What's interesting is that you'll see Eric Roberts as Eric Roberts, as he is at the Fest for the meet and greet, but other actors are in here as both themselves and as their characters in the film.  It can get confusing, but there is a lot of of blood and guts, so if you're ever not sure what is happening or who someone is, just give it a minute and they'll probably get killed.

One of my favorite parts about this film is that it doesn't take itself too seriously, but it also is done incredibly well.  The scenes where people are dying are of a high quality and worth watching for, but at the same time the characters in this film aren't above making fun of the people who watched and enjoyed the first film.  Even director Shawn C. Phillips has many characters poke fun at him.   But as someone who enjoyed "Desert Fiends" and enjoyed this sequel, I don't feel personally attacked or anything by what some of the characters in this film say.

Perhaps my favorite part in this film- to just show you how it is sort of tongue in cheek- is when this group of people set out to kill the Desert Ghouls has a scene where they sit around a campfire.  They begin telling campfire stories, though it is just this group of actors describing movies they have previously been in.  Vanessa Angel does a very good job of describing "Kingpin" without actually naming it and I think she should be in more movies still.  

My thoughts on "Desert Fiends 2" and why I don't feel offended by it (though maybe I should) is that if you're going to make a piece of crap movie and just feel like you're shitting all over the audience by having no plot, bad dialogue, bad acting, fake as hell death scenes, etc. and then you're going to go on and insult the people making and watching it, yeah, that might be a problem.  I don't mind movies like that either, I just don't want to be made fun of by those movies for watching and liking them.

But the difference with "Desert Fiends 2" is that the acting is good, there are perhaps too many plot lines but a plot none the less, the dialogue is quick and clever and just everything about the production of it is right on point.  Basically, I don't want a bad movie telling me I should feel badly for watching it, but if you're an actual good movie sort of masquerading as what some people might perceive as a bad movie because it could feel low budget, then definitely lean into it.

"Desert Fiends 2" feels like it really has something for everyone and yet also somehow some points which might not be for you- and that's okay.   But if you're willing to take a chaotic ride through a feverdream that can feel like a runaway train going off the rails, then definitely watch this movie because not only will it shape how you see other films and filmmaking, but you'll also just have a lot of fun.  

This DVD is available on Amazon and has some great bonus features!  Be on the look out for a Blu-Ray release, which I will likely also be checking out.