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Cocoon: The Return (1988) More at IMDbPro »

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17 reviews in total

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10 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
It Deserved better reviews. Worth a look., 13 January 2002
Author: Unpretentious Reviewer from Los Angeles, CA

I had hesitated on watching this sequel because it good bad reviews, but I really enjoyed it. They had to come back for the cocoons, right? What makes this movie worthwhile is that all of the Seniors struggle with whether they want to leave Earth again. Immortality isn't all it's cracked up to be.

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8 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
A Wonderful Final Chapter!, 17 October 1999

Author: BROOKE from Florida

I found this movie to be an unexpected delight! It was engaging well written and executed, and it left me with a great feeling when it was over! What more could you ask for? Well how about the endearing performances, and chemistry between Hume Cronyn, and Jessica Tandy? Not to mention Don Ameche and Wilford Brimley. All together you have a fine film with many levels of warmth, and good humor. You'll love it! Watch and see!

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5 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
"No one ever gets old, no one ever gets sick, and no one ever dies.", 27 May 2001

Author: Ashley (classicfilmbroad@aol.com) from North Carolina

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** This movie got really bad reviews... but I think it's almost just as good as the first one! Sure... it hasn't got the BEST plot in the world... but the cute older people return! That's enough to make me watch it! (Note: Bit of a spoiler coming up here... but not TOO in depth) Wilford Brimley and Maureen Stapleton again do a fine job as they contemplate whether to stay with their beloved daughter and grandson, or to return to the planet of Antarea. Jack Gilford again shines... this time with Elaine Stritch! Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn give an especially moving performance as his leukemia returns... and she's hit by a car. (VERY depressing point in the movie... it'll bring tears to your eyes) And, saving the best for last, Gwen Verdon and Don Ameche... again, bringing a sparkle to their parts and doing a wonderful job! (I must say though... it's kind of weird that they made Bess pregnant.... considering Gwen was 63 and all at the time...) A definite must see... but only after you've seen the first!

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2 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
Never as good, but something here, 13 September 2007

Author: gcd70 from Melbourne, Australia

Completely lacking in originality, and even more in unpredictability, "The Return" gives one the feeling of 'déjà vu', as director Petrie sticks with the identical formula in order to guarantee success. This unfortunately also guarantees that we will get no inspiration from this sequel.

Yet in this light it is well filmed, with each character returning to fill us with the same emotions as the first "Cocoon" film. Stars Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy and Steve Gutenberg all return among others. James Horner's music is also back to enhance the mood. Never as good as the first, but never mind.

Sunday, May 24, 1992 - Video

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5 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
As Good As The First!, 19 July 2002
Author: (robocoptng986127@aol.com) from U.S.A

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

[CONTAINS SPOILERS]

The all-star cast of veteran actors, headed by Academy Award® winner Don Ameche, is back in their first adventure since their last. Set 5 years since the first Cocoon. Making this one take place in the year 1990. For the past 5 years, life on the planet earth was pretty dull. Bernie Lefkowitz was aging. He missed his wife very much and wasn't too fond of the new management at the home. Sea captain Jack Bonner's business was failing. Ben Luckett's grandson, David, was 14 and not so good with baseball. One day, David got a message from his grandfather saying he was coming to see him. He and his friends were gonna hitch a ride with the Antareans who had some business to take care of. Ben and Mary Luckett came to visit David and his mom.

Art and Bess Selwyn, Joe and Alma Finley went to visit Bernie. The seniors had mostly forgotten life on earth. Art, Ben and Joe went to the beach and played volleyball with some young girls.

Art soon get's the news that Bess is pregnant. Jack Bonner is reunited with Kitty. They go out to dinner but Kitty wanted to "share herself" with Jack again. They make quite a scene in the restaurant, and as if this wasn't bad enough, an oceanography team was lifting a cocoon out of the ocean! They had to get it back! The seniors also forget that life on earth doesn't mean being young and vibrant forever. Ben feels it when he teaches David to play baseball. Joe felt it and the doctor informed him that he had leukimia again. Now why did that worry him so much? He was going to return to Antarea in a few days so it would be gone. What's he got to worry about? Plenty, because the next day Alma is hit by a car and nearly dies. Joe transfers what Antarean energy he had left into her and he sadly died. They were all sad over the loss of their friend. Art and Ben join Kitty in retrieving the cocoon taken from the ocean. They infiltrate the oceanography center and get it back. Then they meet up with Walter in the middle of the ocean. Art and Bess would be returning to Antarea. Ben and Mary decided to stay. Alma and Bernie stayed also. Cocoon II: The Return is as good as the first. I'm glad there was a sequel so we could be reunited with our old friends again. Everybody's back. Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, Jack Gilford, Maureen Stapleton, Brian Dennehy, and Gwen Verdon. Not to mention Tahnee Welch and Steve Guttenberg. I wonder if there will be a Cocoon III. I doubt it, but if there was, it could star Wilford Brimley, Maureen Stapleton and Steve Guttenberg. It could be set 20 years after the original Cocoon. They gotta help the Antareans again. Maybe Ron Howard could direct. But anyway, for now, you gotta see Cocoon II if you saw the first one. It's just as good. Well not AS good, but it's respectable. It comes recommended by me so you know it's good.

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7 out of 12 people found the following review useful:
A shadow of the original, 13 February 2003

Author: grahamsj2 from SE US

This is a sequel, and it's better than most sequels. However, most sequels don't hold up against the original film and this one's no exception. The same cast is back and the acting is certain up to par in this film, but the impact of the story isn't there. I believe this film would have done fairly well had it not been a sequel, but the magic was gone, sorta like the magic from the pool in the first film. The cast does a good acting job and they try, they really do, but this film just doesn't cut the mustard (from whence came THAT expression?) as compared to the first film. I'm sorry, because I truly liked the first film. This is overall a very good film and nicely acted, written and executed. However, as I said, the magic from the first film is just missing because we knew pretty much what to expect. It's sad that few sequels are as good as the original.

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4 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
Completely betrayed the original concept, 12 March 2006

Author: VeganPagan from United States

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

The original Cocoon, with its heartwarming concept that advancing years need not doom one to an inevitable decline, is completely betrayed in this maudlin, pointless sequel.

Cocoon depicted a lovable cast of lively but sickly seniors not willing to go quietly into the night. Cocoon: The Return expects us to believe that this same intrepid group are actually homesick for hot dogs, night clubs, and dress shopping. We are "treated" to endless depictions of seniors enjoying the senior retirement "scene" ... the very "scene" from which they fled in the original.

The direction was aimless, and the editing totally lacking. The script stilted and wholly unbelievable, the acting truly bad ... although to be fair I am not sure the actors can be blamed for this.

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5 out of 9 people found the following review useful:
Cocoon: The Return, 30 June 1999
Author: Tim Cox from Marietta, OH

Sad follow up to tender 1985 hit with Petrie dropping the ball as director, lacking Howard's polish and care for the material. Ameche and group return once again, but the magic is lost.

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7 out of 13 people found the following review useful:
Typical By-the-Numbers Sequel., 3 July 2002
Author: tfrizzell from United States

All the major players return for this disappointing sequel, but director Ron Howard's absence sends shockwaves through this unappealing second installment. Those who left Earth at the conclusion of the first (Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley and company) return, but all start to have serious thoughts about their true places in the universe. Once again the comedy and drama seem to get in the way of each other and in the end the film is just really a cheap rip-off of the original. By-the-numbers mess. 2 stars out of 5.

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Cocoon the return for another check!, 6 September 2009

Author: Aaron1375 from Alabama

This sequel was not needed, no one clamored for it, but the first one did quite well (76 million in 1985) so they just had to try to milk this franchise for another go. Though I hesitate to call this a franchise, more like a nice little first film and a very unneeded sequel that destroys everything in the first one. So the old gang is back to once again help their alien friends get those cocoons. What have they done in the time they have been gone you ask? Well do not ask, you get nothing about the aliens and their way of life. You do get to see that a one week trip back to earth makes them very cranky very quickly. You also get to find out on of them is pregnant, how wonderfully creepy. I mean seeing them act young and stuff in the first one was good and all, but this is a step or two to far. Then you have your very awkward scene of the girl that liked Steve Guttenberg in the first one not able to control herself in a crowded restaurant. So the highly advance race of aliens can not even control themselves in public? I mean she is not only acting very badly, she is exposing herself as an alien to a crowded room. Just a sequel that should not have been, I hate the ending with some of the elders staying to be with their daughter and grandson, then I guess they get to die and considering these aliens that live forever, most likely no god in this universe so they get to be worm food, but hey the grandson will have gotten to know his grandparents and attended their funeral. Such fun to be had here.

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