Thats what I said. Derf.

Even wihtout the Jheri curled stylings of the hit El Debarge song "Who's Johnny?", this movie is still worth a look on cable if you have nothing else to do but sip on schnapps.

Apparently Steven Gutenberg and Ally Sheedy agreed that it was not in the best interest of their careers to appear in this sequel, though its notable that Gutenberg rode the Police Academy Gravy train for 4 out of 6 stops. We are left with an Ally Sheedy voice over in the beginning explaining why we won't be seeing them in this picture, and then we are given the new stars of the sequel: Ben Javiri (an amazingly blatant Hindi/Indian cab driver stereotype played with surprising depth by Fisher Stevens) and the dude from Spinal Tap.

Ben has lost his choice gig creating weapons of mass destruction for Uncle Sam due to the 'liberation' of Johnny 5 in the first flick. Defeated, he has come to NYC to take a step down in salary, working as a toy designer who temps selling little Johnny 5 toys from a table on the street. With the help of Johnny 5 and Spinal Taps charismatic frontman, he not only gets his business going, but he finds true love and what it means to be a man...

This one has some more production value going for it and a Radio Shack plug too! It seems as if the films creators went for a slightly darker tone in this one than there was in the first. Lots of characters in this movie trying to find themselves and love. Possibly the most emotionally powerful film in the 'Short Circuit' franchise.

Disturbing spoiler: Johnny takes a terrific thrashing in this one that is WAY over top and really shocks you out of the whole campy tone of the series. I know it's a robot and all but...what a killer beating.

Sadly, the soundrack lacks the ultra sheen soundtrack of the last film, and instead has a weak version of the song "I need a hero"...still, nothing makes a boat chase better than pulsing, relentless 80's-90's synth soul/rock.

it depends

If you're from New York City, you'll find this sequel better than the first movie, because of course this sequel is set in the sacred City.

All others will find this sequel not as good as the first movie. But it is still entertaining. Fans can revisit their favorite stunts from the first, and there are many new ones. Cynthia Gibb lends a touch of beauty and charm to this movie, but all too seldom and all too briefly. There is no female lead, as there was in the first movie--a serious shortcoming.

Again, the star of the show is #5. Compared to #5, the actors are inexpressive, simple, repetitive--in short, robot-like. It's too bad those who designed the gestures and expressions for the robot didn't give a few lessons to the actors.

If you haven't seen the first, it is recommended that you see it before this one. And if you liked the first, you'll like this one too.

Triumph of the robot spirit

This movie is great in a horrendously cheesy, yet beautiful way - it is a triumph of the human (robot) spirit. Poor ol' Johnny 5 comes to the big city, open eyed and pure and is beaten down and taken advantage of. Tis something many of us combat - our hope and idealism vs. the often dreary and dissapointing realities. But yes, one glorious spirit is capable of awakening the lost hope in others and emerging victorious.