Former good ‘ol boy turned Superdad John Schneider plays second fiddle to several 40-foot crocodiles in this Sci Fi Channel originated sequel to the modest 1999 hit.

A carbon copy of the Bill Pullman-starring original in terms of storyline (down to the foul-mouthed old lady who resides by the lakeside and the beefy big game hunter determined to snare his prey), this hokey follow-up attempts to emulate the tongue-in-cheek tone of its predecessor, but sadly neither the script nor the unknown actors are up to the task.

Had the crocodile (or should that be crocodiles?) been decent, all might have been forgiven, but this isn’t the case. While the beasts in the original were an eye-popping mix of CGI and models (created by Stan Winston no less), the creatures on display here are a computer-generated shambles. Admittedly, our review copy is an early version of the movie, but we’re not holding out much hope.

If the film can be considered at all compelling, it's in the anticipation of the characters' untimely deaths at the hands of a vicious and poorly animated creature. It's a shame the writers weren't on strike when this film entered the gauntlet. Then again, I wouldn't be surprised if the final script was also the first draft of some other creature film laying in the waste bin at The Sci-Fi Channel's story department, the product of a pimply adolescent who slept through a Robert McKee lecture. But if cheesy Sci-Fi Channel fare is your cup of tea, Lake Placid 2 is the cream and sugar.

The quality of the film merits a presentation of equal quality. Therefore, it is fitting that the feature presentation includes only one audio track, a 5.1 Dolby mix in English, and a subtitle selection of English, Spanish, and French. I received a screener for this review and the picture plays in its original 16x9 aspect ratio and maintains the quality of a decently funded TV movie. The audio mix and cinematography are below ordinary -- everything you'd expect from this film. The vocals were clearly done in a studio via the ADR process. Consequently, the character's voices never sound as if they're speaking in their own environment but instead sound rehearsed and fake.

Nine full months since debuting on Sci-Fi, Lake Placid 2 comes to DVD with a very limited selection of special features. First is a four-minute montage of action scenes, babe scenes, and shots of the crew working juxtaposed with the finished product. It's a worthy watch for its upbeat pace and ability to inform with no extraneous narration or interviews.

Next is a humorous and informative piece detailing in slide form a number of tips on how to survive a crocodile attack (3:50). The selection is wrapped up with LAKE PLACID 2: The "Gnawed Up" Version (9:05). Just as the name suggests, this bonus selection is a sort of re-mix of the entire film with attention on the exciting creature attacks and lascivious nudity. It cues through everything but the chicks and violence; leaving a vastly improved, and incredibly succinct, version of the film.

After all, any film in which a topless brunette attempts to fend off a monstrous croc with a glossy magazine isn’t destined for greatness. It’s destined for the bargain bin.