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Dead on: Relentless II

Dead on: Relentless II

The first killer was unpredictable. This one is unstoppable.

Video199293 minMidcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
Director
Michael Schroeder
Starring
Ray Sharkey, Leo Rossi, Meg Foster, Marc Poppel

Detective Sam Dietz is paired with a shady FBI agent to track down another serial killer terrorizing Los Angeles.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Dead on: Relentless II?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Dead on: Relentless II on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Reception

Is Dead on: Relentless II worth watching?

Dead on: Relentless II's Midcredits score is the 23rd percentile of all films, from 794 ratings across 4 sources. 25% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

23rd percentile

Better received than 23% of films

37th percentile among Action25th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)34th
Approval (how many liked it)15th

57 /100

34th percentile of all films

50th percentile among Action36th percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

Approval

How many liked it

25% liked it

15th percentile of all films

26th percentile among Action16th percentile among 1990s
25% rated it 7–1075% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

48th percentile

794 ratings across platforms

33rd percentile among Action43rd percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 35% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film shifts focus from the killer to Detective Dietz's personal and professional struggles, resulting in a more procedural, less tense thriller.

Fans praised

  • suspenseful and well-paced police procedural
  • strong villain with cold-blooded screen presence
  • engaging chemistry between Rossi's detective and Sharkey's FBI agent

Detractors panned

  • implausible Soviet-spy-in-mechanic-shops plot
  • detective portrayed as pompous, self-loathing windbag
  • underutilized killer overshadowed by bland political intrigue

What stands out

ActingDivisive52

Rossi adequate, O'Keeffe intimidating but wooden, Sharkey solid

Dialogue47

some amusing lines from Rossi, otherwise routine

AtmosphereDivisive45

over-stylized and sleazy, but lacks consistent mood

Plot and storyDivisive42

convoluted espionage angle, loses steam in third act

PacingDivisive40

first 30 minutes strong, later bogs down in moody visuals

CharactersDivisive38

Dietz becomes unlikeable, killer lacks depth, wife relegated to nagging

TensionDivisive38

less tense than original, killer becomes faceless

OriginalityDivisive35

derivative police-procedural template, political twist generic

Watch experience

What is Dead on: Relentless II like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

No single mood: browse every movie of this kindNo one kind of watch fits it, so it is described by how heavy it is.

Watch this when you want something serious and affecting.

It leaves you bittersweet.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Moods
TenseCold
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Cold and cerebral · 4% of films: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its serial killer and conspiracy material straight, with a brooding, cold visual style that aims for gritty realism.
The rideThe film maintains a tense, cold atmosphere as the investigation progresses and the conspiracy deepens.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from Dietz's perspective as he investigates a serial killer and uncovers a conspiracy.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a lingering sense of the personal cost of justice and the unsettling coldness of the killer.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe film follows a detective hunting a serial killer while uncovering a conspiracy involving a corrupt FBI agent.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfCorruption
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% (this title) · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Corruption · 3% of filmsJustice · 13% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores how corruption within law enforcement obstructs justice and the toll that relentless pursuit takes on a detective's personal life.
StanceThe film warns about how corruption within the system and personal obsession can destroy lives and obstruct justice.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
ElectronicSupportive music · original score · Paul F. Antonelli
SettingLos Angeles police precinct and the city's underbelly during a serial killer investigation

Content guide

Is Dead on: Relentless II okay for kids?

The MPAA's rating reason for Dead on: Relentless II reads “Rated R for violence and language”. As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at mild (33/100), language at intense (67/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (0/100) and frightening material at severe (100/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Profanity
Intense
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Severe
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (6 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Dead on: Relentless II have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Dead on: Relentless II?

Cast

Ray Sharkey
as Kyle Valsone
Leo Rossi
as Sam Dietz
Meg Foster
as Carol Dietz
Marc Poppel
as Paul Taglia
Dale Dye
as Captain Rivers
Miles O'Keeffe
as Gregor
Allan Rich
as Grazinsky
Cylk Cozart
as Detective at Precinct
Sven-Ole Thorsen
as Mechanic (Patrick Vergano)
Mindy Seeger
as Francine

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Dead on: Relentless II?

Movies like Dead on: Relentless II include Looker (1981), 21 Bridges (2019) and Rising Sun (1993). Of the 5 closest matches, most are conspiracy thrillers, and most are films about law enforcement.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 5 share its subject: corruption. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Dead on: Relentless II?

980 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: conspiracy thriller. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.