40uR: Part II picks up immediately after 40uR as the surviving members of the coven, Janelle (Jennifer Nangle, Amityville in the Hood, Malvolia: The Queen of Screams), Elyse (Erica Denise Curry, I Got The Hookup 2), and Christopher (Charles Chudabala, Bearry, Lockdown) face the Shadow Being (Joe Filippone, The Nudels of Nudeland, Porno Things: A Stranger Parody) summoned by the failed ritual.

Writer/director Charles Chudabala has indicated that these films are meant to form a trilogy, “There is definitely a finale, and another story to tell”. The problem he faces in 40uR: Part II is how to set up the final chapter while still telling an at least somewhat complete story. It’s the problem anyone writing a middle segment faces, and that’s a lot harder to do in eight minutes than at feature length.

Probably the best move would have been to have worked these events into the other two films and avoid the problems of a middle film entirely. Or to have made 40uR: Part II a bit longer and include a subplot that could be worked through and resolved, although that runs the risk of becoming padding.

As it is, 40uR: Part II does a great job with the setting up part of things. The villain is revealed well as some backstory, motivations and loyalties called into question, etc. A lot is jammed into those eight minutes and in an entertaining way. The problem is that there’s no time to include a resolvable subplot. While I still want to see part three, this film feels incomplete.

40uR: Part II is available on the director’s YouTube Channel along with the original film.