The Fly II (1989)

The almost-human son of "Brundlefly" searches for a cure to his mutated genes while being monitored by a nefarious corporation that wishes to continue his father's experiments.

Director:

Chris Walas

Writers:

Mick Garris (screenplay), Jim Wheat (screenplay)

Stars:

Eric Stoltz, Daphne Zuniga, Lee Richardson

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Eric Stoltz	...	Martin Brundle
Daphne Zuniga	...	Beth Logan
Lee Richardson	...	Anton Bartok
John Getz	...	Stathis Borans
Frank C. Turner	...	Shepard (as Frank Turner)
Ann Marie Lee	...	Jainway
Garry Chalk	...	Scorby (as Gary Chalk)
Saffron Henderson	...	Veronica Quaife
Harley Cross	...	10 year old Martin
Matthew Moore	...	4 year old Martin
Rob Roy	...	Wiley
Andrew Rhodes	...	Hargis
Pat Bermel	...	Mackenzie
William S. Taylor	...	Dr. Trimble (as William Taylor)
Jerry Wasserman	...	Simms

Storyline

Seth Brundle was a renowned scientist whose warped experiments with teleportation transformed him into a man/fly hybrid called BrundleFly. A few months after the BrundleFly insect met its demise by his lover's, Veronica, shotgun, she dies while giving birth to their son, Martin. Seth's corrupt employer, Bartok, adopts Martin, only so Martin can solve the new problems that the still-functioning TelePods present and to use him as a science project because of the dormant insect genes. Martin is now fully grown, even though he is five, and the fly genes begin to awaken and make him just like dear, dead dad. With the help of his girlfriend, Beth, they go to wherever they can find a possible cure before Bartok finds them and brings them back, but not before Martin finishes his transformation into MartinFly, the deadliest of the BrundleFly species.

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Plot Keywords:

scientist | teleportation | sex scene | motel | orphan | 

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Taglines:

A new generation of terror!

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 February 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Fly 2

Filming Locations:

Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,751,371, 12 February 1989, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$20,021,322

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$38,903,179

Company Credits

Production Co:

Brooksfilms, Saul Zaentz Film Center

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although the film was given the 18 rating in the UK, the R rating in the US and the R16 rating in New Zealand. The film was given the M rating in Australia.

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Goofs

When they try to revive Veronica after the childbirth, they shock her with a defibrillator. Someone holds her hand but doesn't seem affected by it.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Veronica Quaife (on videotape): Oh, my God! There's something wrong! I can feel it!

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Crazy Credits

In the end credits for The Fly (1986), CWI effects artist Guy Hudson used the pseudonym "Sir Guy of Hudson". For The Fly II (1989)'s credits, a "II" was added to the same pseudonym.

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Alternate Versions

A scene of Martin being heckled by children and vomiting corrosive enzymes on the windshield their car in response (during a stop for fast food on the way to Stathis Borans' home). The kids are little league players. They're terrified as the vomit creates a huge hole in the car. The little league coach angrily throws the food for the kids down in anger. This scene was filmed but deleted.

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Connections

Featured in Transformations: Looking Back at 'The Fly II' (2005)

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Soundtracks

Happy Birthday
(uncredited)
Written by Mildred J. Hill and Patty S. Hill

User Reviews

Fly II: Cruise Control

I caught this movie on cable last night; this is one of those films where the memory of having seen it years ago is better than the actual film.

The production design is actually quite good, surprising when, upon closer inspection, they apparently only built one set (the lab), and the rest of the scenes-- all brief ones-- were shot at cheap locations, such as Beth's houseboat, Martin's condo, and such. The acting is decent, considering the lack of any character at all (especially braindead Beth). Eric Stoltz and Daphne Zuniga actually put some effort forth here, which is nice, considering this was probably little more than a paycheck for both.

The problem is the script. First-time director Chris Walas does well with what he was handed-- probably in pieces, from four different screenwriters-- but I got the feeling that a coherent, dramatic story arc was chopped down to a lightning-paced 111 minutes. It seems like entire scenes are missing-- or else they were never written. The bare bones I watched were perhaps merely excuses to link together special effects and make-up from Walas's FX company.

In that sense, it's kinda like a porno film. No one cares about the plot, the just wanna see the "money shot." And this one has a few-- they spent all their money on a) mutant dog ($100), b) Unlucky Security Guard #2 ($1000), c) fly cocoon ($50), and d) Alterna-Stoltz (priceless). This explains why, with the exception of Unlucky Security Guard #2, the deaths are not nearly graphic enough, and thus unsatisfying... considering how great a length the "story"-tellers go to make us hate everyone in the film who ISN'T Martin or Beth (or Borans).

The film is shot well, considering how few locations are used, though several directing mistakes jumped out, not necessarily worthy of the "goofs" section. For example, note how when Beth enters the lab, never having been there before.... at the end of scene, she somehow knows the exact command to type into the computer to open the doors on the OTHER SIDE of the room. How does she expect to find her way back to her desk? (which is apparently down the hall, less than 100 feet away... just like everything else in this building, which, by the way, we never see from the outside)

More proof there's another hour of this movie that's either on a cutting room floor somewhere, or just never got filmed. Pity the entire movie couldn't fulfill the promise of the single, memorable final shot, as the credits appear.

5/10, cuz it's half a film.