Monday, 18 November 2024

#71: BACK TO THE FUTURE II


Starring Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson and Thomas F. Wilson. Written by Bob Gale, story by Robert Aemeckis and Bob Gale. Directed by Robert Zemeckis. Budget $40 million. Running time 108 minutes. Originally released in 1989. 

Marty McFly and girlfriend, Jennifer Parker get whisked back to the future by Doc Emmet Brown to save their future and in doing so drastically change the future and force our intrepid heroes to embark on a relentless, break-neck-speed frantic adventure that never stops for a single second until the fantastic cliffhanger ending and the glimpse of part three!

Bloody hell! What a ride, filled to the brim with incident and action, They sure don't make films like this any more. Filled with amazing attention to detail, action, and some brilliant characters and action this film flits from 1985 to 2015, then back to a dystopic 1985 before a return to 1955 at such a pace you're left dizzy and battered. Of the three, this is my least favourite, I much prefer the third chapter to this, but you can't fault its ambition, scope or skill. Zemeckis directs with fantastic verve and the performances from everyone are fantastic, perhaps none more so than Thomas F. Wilson who plays four versions of the same character with real skill, giving each initiation of Griff a real believability. 

Sure the effects are a little ropey by today's standards, but the brilliant use of split screens are superb. And the brisk, tightly plotted 108 minute running time flashes by expertly.

Thoroughly enjoyable and massively entertaining, if just a little too relentless, loud, and a tad too mean spirited, but as ever great to see it back on the big screen and that as always elevates these films wonderfully. 

9/10

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