The original Cocoon was touching, sweet, optimistic, and heartfelt. Most of the wonderful ensemble cast reunited for this sequel, but sadly, something went awry.
You learn nothing about what they've seen during five years spent with the aliens . Further, it seems like everything the characters accomplished the first time around was repealed in this story. Their desire to join the aliens in the first place was predicated on a variety of factors, but each of those reasons is dissected and trashed this time out. Suddenly, there is conflict and suffering during a brief one-week visit. Characters get sick, everyone argues, nobody seems happy. As if that isn't bad enough, a tragic suicide attempt is played almost like a joke. Since when is suicide funny? Steve Guttenberg's character was integral to the first movie, but now he's just written as a clownish buffoon. The grandson's teen angst is annoying.
There are a few notable moments, however. One scene between Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn is deeply touching. The plight of a captured alien being studied is properly sympathetic. But scenes like these are intermingled with a menagerie of subplots which dart around between serious and comedic.
This sequel wanders too far afield from the spirit of its predecessor. The result is gloomy and disappointing. See the original, instead.
