| Character | Actor | Notes | |-----------|-------|-------| | The Djinn / Nathaniel Demerest | Andrew Divoff | Genie-like entity who twists wishes literally and fatally. Divoff’s performance is the highlight. | | Morgana Truscott | Holly Fields | A con artist and thief who accidentally becomes the Djinn’s master. | | Prison Warden | Tommy “Tiny” Lister | Unlucky authority figure. | | Father Gregory | Paul Johansson | Prison chaplain with a past. | | Steven Verdel | Carlos Leon | Morgana’s ex-partner in crime. |
Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies is a quintessential 90s direct-to-video sequel. It fails to capture the polished charm of the original but succeeds as a gritty B-movie vehicle for its monster. It expands the lore slightly while recycling the formula.
Verdict: Recommended for fans of practical horror effects and those who enjoy a charismatic villain performance. It is a satisfactory watch for franchise completists but may not convert casual horror viewers.
Rating: 5.5/10
While often dismissed as a campy direct-to-video sequel, Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies (1999)
contains several thematic layers and narrative subtexts that explore the nature of desire, morality, and the thin line between divinity and damnation. The Philosophy of "Perfect Balance"
The film’s central metaphysical argument is that good and evil are codependent. When the protagonist Morgana attempts to wish for a world without evil, the Djinn refuses, explaining that "evil is one half of a perfect sphere" [17].
Antithesis as Necessity: The Djinn posits that "good" is only definable in opposition to "evil." Without suffering or malevolence to provide contrast, the concept of virtue becomes meaningless [6, 17].
The Paradox of Choice: By granting wishes that lead to horrific outcomes, the Djinn illustrates that human desires are often inherently flawed or shortsighted. The film suggests that "human flaws"—greed, spite, or even a simple desire to "never have been born"—are the tools of our own undoing [20]. Subverting Religious Dogma
The film features a significant subplot involving a priest, Father Gregory, and a convict named Eric who attempts to use his faith as a shield.
Demonic Misidentification: In a notable exchange, Father Gregory commands the Djinn to "Be gone, Satan!" The Djinn’s response—"I think you have your demons mixed up, Father"—serves as a critique of narrow religious perspectives [4, 11]. It establishes the Djinn as an entity that predates and exists outside the binary of Christian Heaven and Hell [11].
The Power of Guilt: Morgana’s arc is a journey of redemption. Having accidentally killed a guard during a heist, her "pureness of heart" is only restored when she stops running and actively wishes to undo the harm she caused [6, 11]. Institutional and Social Critique
A large portion of the film takes place in a prison, which allows the Djinn to prey on those who are already marginalized or morally compromised.
Transactional Justice: The Djinn’s time in prison highlights the "transactional" nature of human interactions. He grants wishes to inmates and guards alike, exposing the corruption in the legal system—symbolized by the infamous scene where a lawyer is literally forced to "go fuck himself" following an inmate's angry wish [13, 17]. Wishmaster 2- Evil Never Dies
The Casino Finale: The climax in a Las Vegas casino further emphasizes the theme of greed. The setting represents a temple of "wishes" (gambling), where people voluntarily trade their well-being for the chance of a miracle, making it the perfect harvesting ground for the Djinn [6, 24]. Production Facts
Acting: Andrew Divoff (The Djinn) famously never blinks while on camera to maintain a supernatural, unsettling presence [18].
Director's View: Writer/Director Jack Sholder admitted he found parts of the film "dumb" but also "funny or clever," reflecting the film's divide between high-concept philosophy and low-budget camp [24].
During a botched museum robbery, a stray bullet shatters an ancient Persian statue, releasing a fire opal that contains an imprisoned Djinn Morgana Truscott
, a young thief, grabs the gem and flees, leaving her partner Eric behind after he is shot by guards. The Djinn manifests, kills the wounded Eric after he "wishes he had never been born," and takes the form of a man named Nathaniel Demerest The Quest for Souls
To trigger the apocalypse and free his race upon the Earth, the Djinn must collect 1,001 souls
by granting wishes. He purposely surrenders to the police for the museum heist, viewing prison as a "bank" of desperate people ready to trade their souls for twisted favors. Prison Horrors
: Inside, he grants literal, gruesome wishes. For example, when a convict named Butz wishes to be "stomped into the ground," the Djinn's power makes his own henchmen beat him to death. The Prophecy
: After collecting 1,001 souls, the Djinn must convince the person who freed him—Morgana—to make three final wishes to complete the ritual. The Resistance
Morgana begins having haunting visions of the Djinn's true form and his growing power. Terrified, she seeks help from Father Gregory
, a young priest and her former lover. Together, they attempt to find a way to stop the entity before it can force Morgana into her final wishes. The Final Showdown
The Djinn eventually escapes prison and lures Morgana to a high-stakes casino, where he gathers the remaining souls needed. In a final confrontation, Morgana is forced to use her wits to outsmart the creature, realizing that the only way to defeat a Djinn is to turn the wording of a wish against him. or details about the Djinn's powers
The film follows the ancient, malevolent Djinn (Andrew Divoff) after he is accidentally awakened by a thief named Morgana (Holly Fields) during an art museum robbery. Taking the human form of "Nathaniel Demerest," the Djinn allows himself to be arrested and sent to prison—not as a punishment, but as a strategic move to collect the 1,001 souls required to open a gateway for his race to conquer Earth. Key Characteristics & Trivia | Character | Actor | Notes | |-----------|-------|-------|
Performance: Andrew Divoff's performance as the Djinn is widely considered the highlight of the film. He famously avoided blinking whenever his eyes were on camera to enhance the character's unsettling nature.
Twisted Wishes: The core horror lies in the Djinn's "literal" interpretation of wishes. For example, when a prisoner wishes to "walk through the bars" of his cell, the Djinn grants it by painfully crushing the man's body so he literally fits through them.
Production: Unlike the first film, which had a theatrical release, this sequel was produced on a smaller budget (estimated at $2.5 million) and went straight to video after airing on HBO.
Cameos: Actor Corey Haim makes an uncredited appearance as one of the burglars in the opening museum scene, a "joke" for his then-girlfriend Holly Fields. Core Team & Cast Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies (Video 1999) - Plot - IMDb
Here’s a feature breakdown for the film Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies (1999), directed by Jack Sholder and starring Andrew Divoff as the Djinn.
Critically, Wishmaster 2 received mixed-to-negative reviews. Critics often pointed to a thin script, uneven pacing, and a shift toward campiness, though the film found an audience among horror fans who enjoy inventive practical effects and the franchise’s mythos. It has since become a modest cult favorite for viewers who appreciate late-'90s horror sequels.
The film opens with a heist gone wrong. Thieves steal an ancient carved statue from a museum—unaware it contains the sarcophagus of the Djinn (Andrew Divoff). During a shootout, a bullet cracks the statue open, releasing the Djinn. He’s taken to prison after being mistaken for a bystander. There, he befriends inmate Morgana (Holly Fields), who unwittingly makes a wish that unleashes him fully. Now free, the Djinn resumes his quest to collect 1,001 souls to open a portal and unleash his kind on Earth. The only one who can stop him is Morgana—now his reluctant “master.”
Do not go into Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies expecting high art. Go into it expecting a movie where a man wishes himself into a stained-glass window, a woman wishes for a "big break" and has her spine snapped in half, and a demon in a three-piece suit delivers punchlines over a pile of corpses.
It is fast. It is mean. It is hilarious. And it proves, definitively, that evil never dies—it just goes straight to video.
Final Verdict: A messy, ambitious, and wildly entertaining sequel that understands the wish-fulfillment genre better than most big-budget films. Andrew Divoff is a horror icon. The prison setting is inspired. And that self-impalement scene? Worth the price of admission alone.
Keywords used: Wishmaster 2, Evil Never Dies, Andrew Divoff, horror sequel, cult classic, Djinn, 90s horror, direct-to-video, prison horror.
The 1990s were a golden era for high-concept horror villains. While Freddy and Jason were winding down their initial reigns, a new contender emerged from the shadows of ancient mythology: The Djinn. Following the surprising success of the 1997 original, the sequel, "Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies" (1999), solidified the franchise's place in the cult horror canon.
Though it bypassed theaters for a direct-to-video release, the sequel remains a fan favorite for its unapologetic embrace of gore, dark irony, and the magnetic performance of Andrew Divoff. The Plot: Be Careful What You Breach For Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies is a quintessential
The story kicks off during a botched museum heist. Professional thief Morgana (Holly Fields) accidentally releases the Djinn from his fire opal prison. After taking the blame for the heist and witnessing her partner’s gruesome death, Morgana becomes the focal point of the Djinn's quest.
To trigger the apocalypse, the Djinn must collect 1,000 souls by granting twisted wishes. To do this efficiently, he doesn't haunt back alleys—he goes where the desperate congregate: Prison. By allowing himself to be incarcerated, the Djinn finds a captive audience of criminals eager to trade their souls for petty desires, leading to some of the most creative "be careful what you wish for" sequences in horror history. The Return of Andrew Divoff
The heartbeat of Wishmaster 2 is undoubtedly Andrew Divoff. While many horror sequels suffer from losing their lead, Divoff returned with even more relish. As the human alter-ego "Nathaniel Demerest," he brings a sophisticated, predatory charm to the role.
Divoff understands that the Djinn isn't just a monster; he’s a cosmic lawyer. He listens for the exact phrasing of a wish and exploits its linguistic loopholes with sadistic glee. His deep, gravelly voice and stillness make him genuinely intimidating, even when the special effects lean into the campy side of the late 90s. Creative Carnage: The Highlights
The Wishmaster series is defined by its "ironic kills," and the sequel does not disappoint. The standout moments include:
The Lawyer's Dilemma: A prisoner wishes for his lawyer to "go f*** himself." The resulting anatomical impossibility is a masterclass in practical gore and pitch-black humor.
The Casino Massacre: In the film’s climax, the Djinn turns a casino into a slaughterhouse. When a gambler wishes to "break the bank," the Djinn turns the man's body into a literal exploding piggy bank of coins.
The Prison Bars: A classic moment where a convict wishes to "walk right through these bars," only to be sliced into vertical ribbons as he attempts to pass through the cell door. Director Jack Sholder’s Touch
Taking over the reins from Robert Kurtzman was Jack Sholder, a veteran of the genre known for A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge. Sholder leaned away from the pure "creature feature" energy of the first film and moved toward a more cynical, urban atmosphere. While the budget was lower than the original, Sholder maximized the prison setting to create a sense of claustrophobia and moral decay. Legacy and Cult Status
Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies is often cited as the last "great" entry in the franchise. While two more sequels followed, they lacked Divoff’s presence and the inventive practical effects that defined the first two chapters.
The film thrives today as a relic of an era where horror was allowed to be fun, mean-spirited, and visually inventive. It treats the Djinn as a classic trickster deity, reminding audiences that while the devil is in the details, the Djinn is in the wording.
Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies is the direct-to-video sequel to the 1997 cult horror film Wishmaster. Directed by Jack Sholder (known for A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 and The Hidden), the film follows the ancient, malevolent djinn (genie) as he is accidentally released from his prison of carved ruby. Continuing the premise of the original, the djinn attempts to gather 1,001 souls to unleash hell on Earth, using his power to grant twisted interpretations of people’s wishes. The sequel shifts the setting from a metropolitan museum to a prison environment, but retains a heavy reliance on practical gore effects, cameos, and the iconic performance of Andrew Divoff as the Djinn.
Upon release, the film received mixed to negative reviews. Critics praised Andrew Divoff’s commitment to the role but criticized the script’s logic and the reduced production values.