Return to Return to Nuke 'em High aka Vol 2 is a film that was literally half a decade in the making. With a large portion of the filming taking place during the course of filming Volume 1, Lloyd Kaufman, at the suggestion of Quentin Tarantino, chose to split Volume 1 into 2 entries (à la Kill Bill) when the runtime for the first Volume was pushing 3 hours with the amount of footage already completed.
When money became scarce when filming extra scenes for Volume 2, Mr Kaufman turned to crowdfunding to help raise finances. And with the Tromaniacs all over the world pitching in, there was more than enough money to get the film completed.
After having the World Premiere at the 70th Cannes Film Festival in 2017 (amid constant run ins with law enforcement - which is explained both via a video on the Troma Movies YouTube channel and on the Special Features on the Blu-Ray), and a US debut with an L.A Premiere on March 8, 2018 at the Ahrya Fine Arts Theater in Beverly Hills, California, Volume 2 was officially released on Blu-Ray on November 12, 2019.
As a badly aging, slowly heading towards middle age Troma fan, I had the pleasure of attending the World Premiere of the film (and bore witness to what was mentioned in said video on the YouTube video and Blu-Ray special features), I can honestly say it was worth the wait. The movie was everything one can both expect and hope for in a Troma movie. There is gore, violence, nudity (all of which were overly excessive and, in the case of one nude scene, literally in your face). The movie was funny where it counted, bloody (literally) where it belonged (and in some places it didn't), gross yet also sympathetic. The film is a treasure trove of Troma goodness, a little bit of everything. And that includes nods to previous Troma movies via scene inclusion like Sgt Kabukiman NYPD, with the famed car flip that has since appeared in countless other Troma films since (plus a cameo by both Kabuki and Toxie), Tromeo & Juliet, Troma's War, and the first Class of Nuke 'em High.
There are cameo appearances throughout from Troma alumni in Mark (Melvin from The Toxic Avenger) Torgl, Ron Jeremy, Stan Lee, Lemmy and Joe Fleishaker (the last 3 having since passed on), along with other familiar faces within the Troma family in Monique Dupree, Heather Cahill, Ophelia Rain, Brandy Mason, Ron Mackay, Bjarni Gauter and Dylan Mars Greenberg.
Troma being so loved by fans all over the world even had music supplied by bands down under with heavy metal band MYSTERY, and dread wave band Dedderz.
I strongly suggest everyone buy a copy of Return to Return to Nuke 'em High AKA Vol 2 on Blu-Ray, as it is everything you can expect and hope for in a Troma movie, as well as going over and subscribing to Troma Now to view their other, out of this world catalogue. You won't regret it.
And in saying all that, my only complaint is the lack of the legend that is Debbie Rochon. She was so great in Volume 1 (as with everything else she does), that her missing from Volume 2 is something I found very disappointing.
