“It’s a thrill ride, and once it gets going, it doesn’t let up.” Actor Lee Thompson Young is talking about his upcoming movie The Hills Have Eyes 2.
“It’s delivers the way that only horror movies can,” Young said.
A follow up to the box office hit The Hills Have Eyes, this installment follows a group of military service personnel who visit a remote camp to prepare for deployment to Iraq.
“The first one more was more of a horror family melodrama and this one is a horror action,” Young said. “Fans will enjoy the stunts in the movie.”
Young plays Private First Class Delmar Reed and says that while his character is laid back he steps up to the plate when it’s down to the wire and lives are at stake.
“Delmar is quiet and doesn’t have much to say,” Young said. “But in a crisis situation he becomes selfless and goes to great lengths to ensure that they (the other characters) survive. I admire those qualities.”
Young stars in the film alongside Flex Alexander of the UPN’s hit television series “One on One”.
“Flex brought a different quality to the role,” Young said. “It was originally written for an older white man, but he made it real with the choices he took,” said Young. “And we had a lot of good jokes on set.”
A television star in his own right, Young became a household name by starring in the Disney Channel’s hit television series The Famous Jett Jackson.
“Jett Jackson was just an awesome opportunity for an African American to play,” Young said. “It prepared me it because it was two shows in one.”
According to Young in addition to being an action show with stunts, Jett Jackson was also a dram that chronicled a young man’s normal life as well as his family.
He considered his experience on the show to be a blessing and perfect preparation to prepare him for the transition into becoming a successful adult actor.
Young also says that the unique opportunity to work on the Disney Channel may have saved him from becoming typecast in the Jett Jackson character.
“Millions of people watched Jett Jackson,” Young said. “But it was not as saturated in the mainstream.”
Young confessed that his biggest obstacle in the early part of his career was pursuing his education without losing momentum.
After successfully completing high school, Young went on to obtain a degree in Filmmaking from USC.
“Film is more pure art form,” Young said. Although he loved working on the small screen, he is partial. “Film really you can get into being purely concerned with journey for two hours uninterrupted,” Young said. “TV is designed to support the commercial, so you draw out the story.”
Although he is probably most remembered as Jett Jackson, he has been making a name for himself in the movies by appearing in Akeelah and the Bee, Friday Night Lights and Redemption.
Young affirms to the audience that the Hills Have Eyes 2 journey is one that will keep them on the edge of their seats from start to finish. He also says that the curse of the sequel is not applicable because of the changes and upgrades from the first installment.
“The hour and a half just flies by,” Young said. “The Hills 2 has a lot of nice new qualities.”
The Hills Have Eyes 2 opens in theatres nationwide on March 23rd. The Film is Rated R with a running time of 89 minutes.
