The Jeepers Creepers series started in 2001 and a sequel arrived two years later. However, it took filmmaker Victor Salva another 14 years to complete his “trilogy” via 2017’s Jeepers Creepers 3.

Rather than let the franchise end there, producers chose to reboot without Salva in tow. This brings us to 2022’s Jeepers Creepers: Reborn.

For the first time, the popular Horror Hound festival takes place in Louisiana, and this attracts a throng of followers. Among them we find Chase (Imran Adams) and his girlfriend Laine (Sydney Craven), though she goes along with her fanboy partner begrudgingly.

As time passes, Laine starts to experience visions of “the Creeper”, a local urban legend. Along the way, violent deaths occur that might imply Creeper doesn’t exist solely in the realm of fantasy.

When I watched the original Jeepers more than 20 years ago, I thought it provided a surprisingly effective tale. However, I never saw it two sequels, as my buddy David Williams took over for Jeepers 2 - and didn’t care for it.

That made Reborn my first Creepers experience since 2002. Does the franchise get new life from this reboot?

God, no. Little more than a collection of horror clichés, this becomes a tedious experience.

Prior to Reborn, I’d seen one film from director Timo Vuorensola: 2012’s Iron Sky, a fairly lousy mix of action and comedy. Its Director’s Cut made it better but still not good.

In the decade since then, Vuorensola made a sequel to Sky but nothing else. Reborn doesn’t imply we missed out on anything during the filmmaker’s dormant period.

Reborn relies on so many well-worn horror tropes that it almost veers into parody territory. Jump scares, cheap stabs at emotional investment and stale characters abound.

The movie comes with no true plot. Heck, Reborn barely even attempts to remind viewers of the Creeper legend.

We find a prologue in which two motorists get attacked by the Creeper. This then segues into an indication of Chase’s fascination with the tale – and an indication that Reborn exists in a universe separate from the first three movies, as Chase makes a snarky reference to those flicks.

That joking dismissal becomes the closest thing to a clever moment found here. From there we launch into a low-budget recitation of the most worn-out of tropes.

I might forgive the tired nature of Reborn if Vuorensola managed some actual tension or drama. Unfortunately, his reliance on the same-old just makes the movie a tedious snoozer.

As noted, the 2001 original worked pretty well and could’ve launched a compelling reboot 20 years down the road. Unfortunately, Reborn just feels like gratuitous, unimaginative product without a glimmer of inspiration.

Jeepers Creepers: Reborn appears in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. The movie offered a pretty strong transfer.

Overall definition seemed positive. A smidgen of softness hit some wider shots, but most of the movie showed nice delineation.

I witnessed no issued with shimmering or jagged edges, and edge haloes remained absent. No print flaws cropped up along the way.

Like virtually all modern horror tales, Reborn opted for a stylized palette. It tended toward a low-key, semi-desaturated vibe that emphasized a chilly feel, with a mix of the usual teal and amber as well as occasional splashes of green and red at the festival. The hues worked fine for the material.

Blacks seemed dark, while shadows showed positive clarity most of the time, though a few interiors felt a little dim. This became a quality presentation.

Similar thoughts greeted the film’s DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack. It went for a fairly atmospheric air, as the mix gave us logical accompaniment for the creepy visuals.

This meant music popped up around the room and became somewhat dominant while effects remained mostly in the environmental realm. Violent scenes used the five channels in an active manner, though, and those added pizzazz to the proceedings.

Audio quality was good. Dialogue appeared natural and concise, while music showed nice range and impact.

Effects boasted positive punch and dimensionality, with deep low-end when necessary. Though not a killer mix, the audio fit the story.

Two featurettes appear, and Behind the Creeps runs 10 minutes, 43 seconds. It brings notes from director Timo Vuorensola, production designer Sivo Gluck, and actors Sydney Craven, Imran Adams, Peter Brooke, Ocean Navarro, and Matt Barkley.

“Creeps” looks at the revival of the franchise, story/characters, cast and performances, sets and production design. A few decent notes emerge but most of the piece feels superficial.

Creeper Transformation spans 16 minutes, 37 seconds and offers comments from Creeper designer Lea James and key prosthetics Steven Harris/

We get a look at the Creeper creature design and execution. This turns into a pretty good view of the topic.

The disc opens with ads for Till Death, Monstrous and Black Friday. No trailer for Reborn appears here.

More than 20 years after the franchise debuted, Jeepers Creepers: Reborn offers a reboot. Nothing about it works, as the movie becomes a tedious collection of cheap tropes. The Blu-ray comes with good picture and sound as well as minor bonus features. This turns into a lame excuse at horror movie product.