Directed By: Richard Franklin
Written By: Bill Condon
Based on Characters Created by: Robert T. Megginson & Gregory Fleeman
Cinematography By: Victor J. Kemper
Editor: Andrew London
CAST: Bryan Brown, Brain Dennehy, Rachel Ticotin, Philip Bosco, Joanna Gleason, Kevin J O’Connor, Tony De Santis
F/X man Rollie Tyler is now a toymaker. Mike, the ex-husband of his girlfriend Kim, is a cop. He asks Rollie to help catch a killer. The operation goes well until some unknown man kills both the killer and Mike. Mike's boss, Silak says it was the killer who killed Mike but Rollie knows it wasn't. Obviously, Silak is involved with Mike's death, so he calls on Leo McCarthy, the cop from the last movie, who is now a P.I., for help and they discover it's not just Silak they have to worry about.
While this is more fast paced then the original. The film seems dated, but still impressive considering the time period it was done. The aging of the film is to be expected as special effects and technology grow older. They get more impressive and distinguished.
I remember really looking forward to seeing this film as I was a fan of the first film. Though the first one ended perfectly. Studios figured there was more money to be made. So they came up with a way for the character to be lured into the same sort of circumstances from the first film this time only a few different details and not as nihilistic.
Watching this film now makes me at least nostalgic for simpler times when effects were more robotics, make-up and illusion based. Less computer savvy. Those effects felt more personal and artistic like hard work really went into it. CGI just feels cold and impersonal.
One of the true joy of the sequel is the chemistry between Bryan Brown and Brian Dennehy. That we only glimpsed in the original. Here they have more time together.
One of the sad things about seeing this movie is seeing Bryan Brown a good actor and leading man. Who sadly after this really went on to nothing. I am a fan I fin his good looking charismatic and funny.
While entertaining there is nothing too memorable about the look, Direction or plot of the film. The right hand man/Hitman is rather generic. Even the storyline is kind of moronic as it is hard to believe that after what happened in the original. The character of Rollie would be sucked in again to working freelance for law enforcement. Even if it is as a personal favorite. It ends the same way. Him getting blamed for something gone wrong. Him running for his life only this time while also trying to protect his girlfriend and her son. Plenty of double crosses and a conspiracy that leads to a fortune.
So it’s a faster retread of the original, but it works. I won’t lie. I looked forward to this film when it came out in the Fall of 1991. I loved it back then, as the years have gone on. My taste has matured and this films flaws have become noticeable. It’s a guilty pleasure, yet I don’t feel guilty watching it. It’s the equivalent of comfort food. You know it’s bad even though you enjoy it.
The film is surprisingly written By Director Bill Condon. Whose next script he directed himself to a Oscar Nomination With GODS AND MONSTERS and followed it up with acclaimed films such as DREAMGIRLS and KINSEY. Proving we all have to start somewhere. He also wrote and directed CANDYMAN: FAREWELL TO THE FLESH. Which was a rather good sequel better then the original in my eyes. Unfortunately that was not the case here though to his credit he only wrote it. Years later the characters would be used to make a FX tv series.
The film is not great art. It’s not a hidden gem, but it is a likeable fun by the numbers sequel and thriller. That follows the rule in as equal everything must be bigger and flashier. Here it actually works.
GRADE: C
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