Gods of the Plague picks up right where Fassbinder's Love is Colder than Death leaves off -- literally -- as Franz (now played by Harry Baer) is released from prison for the deeds he performed in the prior film. He visits his best gal (still Hanna Schygulla), and with the guy who killed his brother (!), they plan to rob a supermarket (!!).

Glamour isn't exactly high on Franz or Fassbinder's list here. Love was a poor enough movie as it is, and Fassbinder has even worse luck here, in what I believe is the only sequel he ever made. With characters this dull and uninspired, why did he feel they needed to be revisited? Who can say?

Ultimately, Plague (what the title means I have no idea...) plays out as a second-rate copy of an already second-rate film. Fassbinder obsessives may find something worth watching here, but by and large this is a sad retread which doesn't merit much attention.

Aka Götter der Pest.