After 22 years in psychiatric care for his crimes, it appears that everything is transforming and Norman Bates is released. Norman started a whole new life and struggled to join the predominant society. However, Norman faces a different experience while he shows his old enemies trying to return him to his previous crime.
You can chide Psycho II for its hubris, and the fact that it won't ever get within shouting distance of a classic. But for a quiet summer escape with an old motel owner we used to know... yeah, it could be a lot worse.
It is a craftsman-like piece of filmmaking with a suitably flaky performance by Perkins, but it isn't really a sequel to Psycho. It continues the story, but not the spell.
Director Richard Franklin deftly keeps the suspense and tension on high while dolling out dozens of shock-of-recognitions shots drawn from the audience's familiarity with Psycho.
