The Gods 2: The Dark Side

There’s something inside Mikey James (Mykel Shannon Jenkins, The Paper Tigers) that is holding him back in everything he does.  He’s tired of hiding; tired of just waiting; and he’s not willing to continue this way.  He wants his life back and, after the events in The Gods, he’s back to take chances as he pays old debts . . .

. . . and make things right.  But the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

"a tale of cold-blooded revenge and survival"


The Gods 2: The Dark Side is not the welcoming party you might be expecting.  There’s no cake and balloons and smiling faces to be found among the crowd.  This is a tale of cold-blooded revenge and survival as an old enemy, Anthony Fasano (Kevin Interdonato, Braek, Bad Frank) is awaiting Mikey’s return.

Oh, yes, there will be blood.

Written, directed, and produced by Jenkins, there’s obviously a lot of love and dedication to the characters in this thriller.  This transfers onto the screen with solid performances from Kira Omans, Bryce Clyde Jenkins, Nicoye Banks, and a standout performance from Ernest Thomas as Olympus, whose characters are part of the ongoing drama caused by Mikey’s return from hiding.

Do they bury the grudge or what?  The pressure is on, but Mikey’s not one to forgive and forget what happened.  And neither is Anthony.  Both men are mourning the loss of Sofia (Stefania Spampinato) and it shows as they figure their next moves while wrestling with the grief . . . or is it the guilt in her death?The Gods 2: The Dark Side

Available February 22nd on digital and in Los Angeles theaters, The Gods 2: The Dark Side gets back into the swing of things with the surest of footing thanks to Jenkins direction, the forward-thinking editing from Nicholas Larrabure, and the cinematography from Ace Fillmore.  This is a low budget action flick, but it doesn’t look like it and it sure doesn’t feel like it either as the suspense is on point due to the tightening threat of those putting the squeeze on Mikey.

Sure, there’s a lot of patience to be spent by the audience as characters are moved, re-introduced, and otherwise assembled on the proverbial chess board.  But, when they are turned loose to shore up loose ends, there’s absolute hell to pay as the events in The Gods, released in 2017, all making this movie a worthy follow-up.

Full of bouts of unexpected violence and lots of character work from all involved, The Gods 2: The Dark Side, premiering from Echelon Studios on February 22nd on digital and in theaters in LA, is a fateful return to the streets of consequence.

3/5 stars

Film Details

The Gods 2: The Dark Side

MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime: 1
64 mins
Director
: Mykel Shannon Jenkins
Writer:
Mykel Shannon Jenkins
Cast:
Mykel Shannon Jenkins; Kevin Interdonato; Ernest Thomas
Genre
: Crime | Thriller
Tagline:

Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor:
Echelon Studios
Official Site:
Release Date:
February 22, 2023
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:

Synopsis: Following 'The Gods', Mikey James comes back from hiding to pay old debts, only to be fighting for survival against his old enemy Anthony Fasano, awaiting his return.

Art

The Gods 2: The Dark Side