Enjoying a peaceable existence in 1885, Doctor Emmet Brown is about to be killed by Buford "Mad Dog" Tannen. Marty McFly travels back in time to save his friend.
Director:
Robert Zemeckis
Stars:
Michael J. Fox,
Christopher Lloyd,
Mary Steenburgen
Marty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent thirty years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown.
Director:
Robert Zemeckis
Stars:
Michael J. Fox,
Christopher Lloyd,
Lea Thompson
In 1935, Indiana Jones arrives in India, still part of the British Empire, and is asked to find a mystical stone. He then stumbles upon a secret cult committing enslavement and human sacrifices in the catacombs of an ancient palace.
Director:
Steven Spielberg
Stars:
Harrison Ford,
Kate Capshaw,
Jonathan Ke Quan
In 1938, after his father Professor Henry Jones, Sr. goes missing while pursuing the Holy Grail, Indiana Jones finds himself up against Adolf Hitler's Nazis again to stop them obtaining its powers.
In 1957, archaeologist and adventurer Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones, Jr. is called back into action and becomes entangled in a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind mysterious artifacts known as the Crystal Skulls.
Director:
Steven Spielberg
Stars:
Harrison Ford,
Cate Blanchett,
Shia LaBeouf
Three years into the Clone Wars, the Jedi rescue Palpatine from Count Dooku. As Obi-wan pursues a new threat, Anakin acts as a double agent between the Jedi Council and Palpatine and is lured into a sinister plan to rule the galaxy.
In 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before Adolf Hitler's Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.
A seemingly indestructible android is sent from 2029 to 1984 to assassinate a waitress, whose unborn son will lead humanity in a war against the machines, while a soldier from that war is sent to protect her at all costs.
Director:
James Cameron
Stars:
Arnold Schwarzenegger,
Linda Hamilton,
Michael Biehn
Ten years after initially meeting, Anakin Skywalker shares a forbidden romance with Padmé Amidala, while Obi-wan Kenobi investigates an assassination attempt on the Senator and discovers a secret clone army crafted for the Jedi.
After a daring mission to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt, the rebels dispatch to Endor to destroy a more powerful Death Star. Meanwhile, Luke struggles to help Darth Vader back from the dark side without falling into the Emperor's trap.
Two Jedi Knights escape a hostile blockade to find allies and come across a young boy who may bring balance to the Force, but the long dormant Sith resurface to claim their old glory.
Marty McFly has only just gotten back from the past, when he is once again picked up by Dr. Emmett Brown and sent through time to the future. Marty's job in the future is to pose as his own son to prevent him from being thrown in prison. Unfortunately, things get worse when the future changes the present.Written by
FilmFanUk
A VHS tape of Animal House (1978) is visible in the antique store in 2015. John Belushi, Tim Matheson and Animal House director John Landis had all appeared in 1941 (1979), which Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale co-wrote and Steven Spielberg directed. Spielberg also had a brief relationship with John Landis. Landis would give Spielberg a cameo in The Blues Brothers (1980). Landis also included a poster of the Spielberg directed movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) in An American Werewolf in London (1981) in the scene where the werewolf chases the man in the subway. However, after what happened with Landis on Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), their friendship would end. See more »
Goofs
When Doc and Marty are at the Lyon Estates sign in 1955, the previous DeLeorean never shows up at the Lyon Estates starting line. Since there were multiple DeLeorans through out the film. It too should have shown up. See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
Young Jennifer:
How 'bout a ride, mister?
Marty McFly:
Jennifer! Oh, man, are you a sight for sore eyes; let me look at you.
Young Jennifer:
Marty, you're acting like you haven't seen me in a week.
Marty McFly:
I haven't.
See more »
Crazy Credits
The DVD version (Regions 1 and 2) has "To Be Concluded" followed by the teaser for Part III just before the start of the credits. See more »
Alternate Versions
A behind the scenes TV special called "Secrets of the Back to the Future Trilogy" showcased outtake footage, including:
Biff fading out of 2015 after stumbling out of the DeLorean
Marty discovers the destroyed Hill Valley High School
While these scenes are in the TV special, they did not actually appear in the network cut of Back to the Future 2 that premiered on ABC in 1992 See more »
When Back to The Future was initially conceived, director and writer Robert Zemeckis and writer Bob Gale had no idea how much notoriety it would eventually achieve, nor of the big box office records it would break. They were happy just to see their project come to fruition. When they wrote the original film, the ending they had written was supposed to be the end of it. Because of it's success, however, and Hollywood being Hollywood, there had to be the inevitable sequels. The problem was that with the original ending, they had painted themselves into a corner as to where they could go with the sequel. What they finally came up with in Part II, is a film that is every bit as whimsical as the original, yet moves along at a pace that will leave you breathless.
For part II the cast is pretty much intact from the original film. The exceptions are Crispin Glover as George McFly has been replaced by Jeffrey Weisman and Claudia Wells has been replaced by Elizabeth Shue as Marty's girlfriend Jennifer. George McFly's role in the sequel is more talked about by other characters than his actual on screen time, and Jennifer's time on screen is quick and brief also (although she has one great scene that takes place in the future)so neither casting change is of any consequence.
The original film dealt with how Marty had threatened his own existence because of changes he had accidentally initiated in the year 1955. For Part II, we learn what happens when the interference is of a much larger scale and consequence. As you recall, the original film ended with Doc Brown(Christopher Lloyd)whisking Marty (Michael J. Fox)and Jennifer away with him to the year 2015 to straighten out their kids. For all his harping about messing with historical events, Doc is not above initiating a bit of interference himself. In their attempt to rescue Marty's future offspring, an aged but still obnoxious Biff Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson), steals the Delorean to transport himself into the past and to bestow upon himself a Sports Almanac book that contains the results of sporting events for years to come. Shortly thereafter, Doc and Marty return to 1985, only to find that not only is Hill Valley not what it used to be, their own lives are in pretty sad shape and far different than what they had been before. And the changes aren't good ones, or as Doc puts it "I can't imagine Hell being much worse."
What makes the Back To The Future series so terrific, is that Zemeckis and Gale took the time travel concept, applied a little originality to it, then let their imaginations run wild. In BTTFII, we get a story that moves along like a runaway freight train. Not content to give us what the year 2015 may be truly like, since making such predictions are usually wrong anyway, they decide to let it all hang loose and just have fun with it. There are holographic theaters, Cafe 80's shops, antique stores that sell dustbusters and other things, skateboards that hover, paying for cab rides with thumbprints, etc. etc. Yet, for all the glossy, multi-colored stores and goofy concepts, we still recognize it as the same old Hill Valley. Something else Zemeckis and Gale do is to take some events from the first film, and replay them in 2015 Hill Valley. Usually, things like this would be seen as the lack of an idea, but in this case its simply Zemeckis having a little fun and letting us in on it. It works perfectly.
Likewise, the alternative version of 1985 Hill Valley is an exercise in how far one's imagination can go. Instead of a quaint peaceful town and suburbs, Zemeckis and Gale do everything in their power to give us the equivalent of an opposite. To go into too much detail here would undermine your own viewing experience and give away a bit too much of the plot.
Then to add fuel to the fire, we once again revisit Hill Valley in 1955, where things really go berserk what with two Marty's and two Docs inhabiting the same year. Zemeckis does a great job of cutting new scenes into footage from the original film with different angles and different perspectives of previous seen activities.
As for the cast, Fox and Lloyd keep their characters of Marty and Doc on the same entertaining level as before. Fox is also given the chore of playing his nerdy son of the future, Marty as a middle aged man and even his daughter of the future. He is pretty much successful except I do think playing his daughter was a bit much. Lea Thompson, again has the difficult chore of bringing Lorraine Mcfly to us in three different characterizations, and as before handles it admirably. Her 1955 Lorraine will always be her most memorable characterization in these films, but the others are equally well done. As for Thomas F. Wilson as Biff, Biff is biff, no matter how old, how young, or how powerful he may be, and his consistence of performance is also noteworthy.
Some have complained about being able to follow Zemeckis and Gale's storyline. If you have seen the first film, you'll have no trouble in that regard. I sure didn't, and for me it was one heck of a comedic thrill ride from beginning to end. If you don't have fun watching Back To The Part II, then the only thing I can think of is that your as much of a curmudgeon as old Biff from 2015. It's not often that a sequel can live up to it's predecessor, but when it does, and introduces some originality along the way you get my grade, which for Back To The Future is an A.
73 of 88 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
| Report this
When Back to The Future was initially conceived, director and writer Robert Zemeckis and writer Bob Gale had no idea how much notoriety it would eventually achieve, nor of the big box office records it would break. They were happy just to see their project come to fruition. When they wrote the original film, the ending they had written was supposed to be the end of it. Because of it's success, however, and Hollywood being Hollywood, there had to be the inevitable sequels. The problem was that with the original ending, they had painted themselves into a corner as to where they could go with the sequel. What they finally came up with in Part II, is a film that is every bit as whimsical as the original, yet moves along at a pace that will leave you breathless.
For part II the cast is pretty much intact from the original film. The exceptions are Crispin Glover as George McFly has been replaced by Jeffrey Weisman and Claudia Wells has been replaced by Elizabeth Shue as Marty's girlfriend Jennifer. George McFly's role in the sequel is more talked about by other characters than his actual on screen time, and Jennifer's time on screen is quick and brief also (although she has one great scene that takes place in the future)so neither casting change is of any consequence.
The original film dealt with how Marty had threatened his own existence because of changes he had accidentally initiated in the year 1955. For Part II, we learn what happens when the interference is of a much larger scale and consequence. As you recall, the original film ended with Doc Brown(Christopher Lloyd)whisking Marty (Michael J. Fox)and Jennifer away with him to the year 2015 to straighten out their kids. For all his harping about messing with historical events, Doc is not above initiating a bit of interference himself. In their attempt to rescue Marty's future offspring, an aged but still obnoxious Biff Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson), steals the Delorean to transport himself into the past and to bestow upon himself a Sports Almanac book that contains the results of sporting events for years to come. Shortly thereafter, Doc and Marty return to 1985, only to find that not only is Hill Valley not what it used to be, their own lives are in pretty sad shape and far different than what they had been before. And the changes aren't good ones, or as Doc puts it "I can't imagine Hell being much worse."
What makes the Back To The Future series so terrific, is that Zemeckis and Gale took the time travel concept, applied a little originality to it, then let their imaginations run wild. In BTTFII, we get a story that moves along like a runaway freight train. Not content to give us what the year 2015 may be truly like, since making such predictions are usually wrong anyway, they decide to let it all hang loose and just have fun with it. There are holographic theaters, Cafe 80's shops, antique stores that sell dustbusters and other things, skateboards that hover, paying for cab rides with thumbprints, etc. etc. Yet, for all the glossy, multi-colored stores and goofy concepts, we still recognize it as the same old Hill Valley. Something else Zemeckis and Gale do is to take some events from the first film, and replay them in 2015 Hill Valley. Usually, things like this would be seen as the lack of an idea, but in this case its simply Zemeckis having a little fun and letting us in on it. It works perfectly.
Likewise, the alternative version of 1985 Hill Valley is an exercise in how far one's imagination can go. Instead of a quaint peaceful town and suburbs, Zemeckis and Gale do everything in their power to give us the equivalent of an opposite. To go into too much detail here would undermine your own viewing experience and give away a bit too much of the plot.
Then to add fuel to the fire, we once again revisit Hill Valley in 1955, where things really go berserk what with two Marty's and two Docs inhabiting the same year. Zemeckis does a great job of cutting new scenes into footage from the original film with different angles and different perspectives of previous seen activities.
As for the cast, Fox and Lloyd keep their characters of Marty and Doc on the same entertaining level as before. Fox is also given the chore of playing his nerdy son of the future, Marty as a middle aged man and even his daughter of the future. He is pretty much successful except I do think playing his daughter was a bit much. Lea Thompson, again has the difficult chore of bringing Lorraine Mcfly to us in three different characterizations, and as before handles it admirably. Her 1955 Lorraine will always be her most memorable characterization in these films, but the others are equally well done. As for Thomas F. Wilson as Biff, Biff is biff, no matter how old, how young, or how powerful he may be, and his consistence of performance is also noteworthy.
Some have complained about being able to follow Zemeckis and Gale's storyline. If you have seen the first film, you'll have no trouble in that regard. I sure didn't, and for me it was one heck of a comedic thrill ride from beginning to end. If you don't have fun watching Back To The Part II, then the only thing I can think of is that your as much of a curmudgeon as old Biff from 2015. It's not often that a sequel can live up to it's predecessor, but when it does, and introduces some originality along the way you get my grade, which for Back To The Future is an A.