Short Circuit 2

• USA • 1988 • 110m •

• Directed by: Kenneth Johnson. • Starring: Tim Blaney, Fisher Stevens, Michael McKean, Cynthia Gibb, Jack Weston, Dee McCafferty, David Hemblen, Don Lake, Damon D'Oliveira, Tito Núñez, Jason Kuriloff, Robert LaSardo, Lili Francks. • Music by: Charles Fox.

After being offered a contract making toy robots, the co-creator of robot number five finds himself in business with a crooked con man. Unfortunately the warehouse that the pair plans to use to make the toy robots is also being used by a gang of criminals intent on robbing the bank across the street. Fortunately a clone of robot number five arrives at the warehouse, and helps the pair defeat the gangsters and complete their contract.

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Trailer

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TV Spot - Greetings TV-Viewers! [2]

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Review:

Love it? Not the right word. Adore it? That's close. Whenever you hear me saying "I love the 1980s" here is one of the reasons why. Actually it's hard to define what is that I'm crazy about here, but let's accept the challenge for the sake of love. First of all: it's everything! Starting with the character of Johnny Number Five; imagine an electronic E.T with all the sentimentality, genius, and infancy, that speaks fluently also. (Tim Blaney) as his voice was perfect. (Fisher Stevens) as (Ben Jahrvi) got me to memorize his name well because he just amused me utterly, this guy is so talented as an actor and as a comedian, so bad that he didn't receive the credit or the fame he merits, let alone that it was such a rare matter to watch an Indian (or rather an eastern) character in American movie that wasn't meant to be a mean laughingstock, being an intelligent gentle hero without contempt or sarcasm. (Michael McKean) was so nice and charismatic as (Fred Ritter). (Cynthia Gibb) is exceptional as (Sandy), she portrayed the elegant, ingenuous, and smart 80s' girl, there is something ultra-charming about her in this flick that makes her watchable apart. Wanna talk about chemistry between all the cast, that's the movie to remember.

Now let me versify a bit about the concept. JN.5 is this kind creature going through totally unkind world. He's soft intellectual person, who deals with evil life very innocently, which afflicted him with its deformity. We clap for how he fights back till he gets even, but forget the big picture. It's not about the machine that wants to be human, it's about a machine that mirrors how inhuman the humans have become.

The script provided the movie with all I think: Johnny becomes a TV freak repeating memorable lines from movies and TV shows, Johnny hates his face in the street discovering how he's completely different (great moment by the way), Johnny helps Ben in his love, and the too touching conflict in the end to bear the pain of who thought as friend, and the combat to regain his self heroically, look at him dies like a Christ to relive again.. Just WAW! There were so many fascinating ideas along the way, on the top of them for sure was the game of songs to locate the imprisoned (Ben) and (Fred), even the fortune cookies' lines were too comic as well.

The directing was flawless, and take it from one who doesn't praise any director much. (Kenneth Johnson) made something really that enchanting. There wasn't one scene that you can call bad or so-so. There is a continuous merry feel all over it. Since the first scene at the toy market with the simple music tone it sets a special sweet personality for itself that never misses. (Johnson) was leading the movie as simple adventure however with so much love I suppose which gave it an assured magical touch. Damn, even the best live Disney movies that I can recall didn't reach to this level of being enjoyable, soul-stirring, and never boring after endless times of watching. Still the sequence of Johnny struggling for the rest of his life, walking lamely in the backstreets, bleeding in awful loneliness is one of the most sights that breaks the heart ever captured on film (I cry every time). Also, the finale result of the climactic sequence with Bonny Taylor's I Need a Hero is definitely one of the best climactic sequences I saw in my life. Although this song has been hackneyed so many times through some of the 1980s movies, such as Footloose (1984), Who's Harry Crumb? (1989), but here is the one eloquent use that marvelously clicked. It's disappointing that (Kenneth Johnson), aside from very good TV works, didn't make many cinematic movies, he could've been respectable lovable moviemaker as celebrated as Spielberg, or maybe better.

The music score expresses the movie's funny and bright spirit, it was solidly romantic at places, with unforgettable touches like playing Eric Satie's Gymnopedie Nr. 1 while JN.5 was reading in jail; that's priceless. Finally, it's not another great movie, it's the great movie for me. It still delivers the highest times as its power of being cute and effective never seems to end. It's "alive" flick for sure, and one of the 1980s' best. I believe it's a kind of work that doesn't have even one shortcoming. I'm really confused every time I don't find it in any of "the best 100 movies ever" lists, though not to worry, it's surely in mine. To all the miserable lovers of (2001: A Space Odyssey) watch and learn, because this one is funny and has a meaning unlike so many overrated dreadful crap that you love. This is what movies are all about guys. Nearly one of the most ultimate movies in being a "movie".

P.S: at the same year of 1988 there were as well (Die Hard), (Switching Channels), (Without a Clue), (Big Business), (Shoot to Kill), (Stand and Deliver), (High Spirits), or even (My Stepmother Is an Alien). I believe that the 1980s was undoubtedly the golden age of the feel good movies.

Review by ahmed elshikh from the Internet Movie Database.

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