This entry shifts the focus toward younger characters within the family dynamic. Reviews for this and later sequels generally suggest a decline in the "novelty" and narrative weight found in the 1980 original. Letterboxd Critical Consensus Technical Quality:
Sequels in the adult world are notoriously cynical. Usually, they are just reused sets and body doubles. (1982) broke the mold by refusing to repeat the original. Instead, it asked a darker question: What happens after the shame? Taboo I-II-III-IV -1979-1985-
As the series progressed through the early 80s, it moved from the theatrical screenings of the first film into the burgeoning home video market. These early sequels maintained the series' reputation for high-end cinematography and scripts that actually attempted character development. This entry shifts the focus toward younger characters
Taboo II introduces the concept of "generational corruption." It is a bleaker film. The 1979 original had a tragic romance feel; the 1982 sequel feels like a case study in family dysfunction. Kirdy Stevens leaned hard into the taboo of Taboo : if it happened once, can it happen again in a different configuration? Usually, they are just reused sets and body doubles