Um Time Muito Louco

This movie did not have the budget or the star power of the first one, but it made up for it with sharper writing and more creative characters. The real delight of this second chapter was that of Randy Quaid, whose tortured Indians fan character was just great. Exit Wesley Snipes, enter Omar Epps, who upholds the character of Willie Mays Hayes. Charlie Sheen is given more range and better punchlines, while the character of Jack Parkman infuses a much needed new enemy into the storyline. In fact, it is David Keith's Parkman that really makes the movie. I really feel that this film kept the series at the same level as the first, if not actually bringing it up a bit. Of course the third was really bad. So, don't be nervous that this will be another "sorry sequel", it really is quite good.

And I mean really stupid humor. By no means does this realistically portray baseball, nor does it make any sense at all in real life. It's just stupidly funny. In movies like this, I personally don't really care how good the acting is or how corny the plot is (cheesy romance, ridiculous comebacks, etc) so long as it remains interesting. Yes, most people would know what's going to happen from the beginning. It's what happens when getting there that's funny. While not a must-see movie, if you like comedy and you don't have much else to do, I would recommend watching it. If you prefer witty humor or more winding plots (a la Seinfeld) or developed characters, this is definitely not good for you. This might be even better for baseball fans. A very nice movie to unwind with.

Disclaimer: I have not seen the first one. I highly suspect that I would be annoyed by this one if I was a big fan of the first one before watching this.

This may not be a great movie but it is excellent craftmanship. The acting is uniformly good and relaxed and the cinematography simple but efficient. The story may be similar to the first film but it is not a copy and is quite OK for a Sunday afternoon type film.

The film flows effortlessly and seamlessly from beginning to end and there are none of those badly played/cut/directed/whatever scenes or really dull spots that reminds you it is "just a film". For this reason it is one of those films I can watch again and again with enjoyment.

I have to say that for the most part this movie is a lot like the first film. However, now instead of a R rated movie with some bite it is a PG-13 flick that just is not as funny as the original. Also, this film is missing Wesley Snipes as he is replaced by Omar Epps which he would have been okay had he been in the first one, but after seeing Snipes in the role I did not really care for the recast. The team is back, apparently after their magical run they got knocked out very quickly in the playoffs. Somehow, Roger Dorn now owns the team and he paid way to much for it, he also brought in this free agent catcher to knock in some runs. Well that backfires as does a lot of things as Ricky the wild thang is now throwing garbage and can not get his 100 mph fastball in gear, Pedro has mellowed to a considerable degree, Jake Taylor ends up one of the managers on staff and all is not right with the world. There are some funny scenes here and there, but the original it is not. Not only are some characters simply not in the film, like Eddie the aging pitcher, some are back and just not like themselves like Dorn who seems to be playing a completely different character. The film focuses more on Charlie Sheen as Ricky and he has some funny moments as does Randy Quaid as a disenfranchised fan. Still, it probably would have been best had they not made this sequel, it is surprising they made one more after this, but I do not think that one did anything at the box office.

Okay, the original "Major League" (1989) was a great movie and the surprise hit of 1989. So, it's no surprise that not only did they want to sequelize it, but that they toned the humor down to PG level to reach a wider audience. Unlike alot of other sequels, most of the original crowd is back (including Charlie Sheen as Rick Vaughn and Tom Berenger as Jake Taylor), save for Wesley Snipes, whose role of Willie "Mays" Hayes is reprised by then-up-and-coming Omar Epps (who pokes fun at Snipes' then-rising career as an action film star in a very funny sequence with Jake Ventura).

The original film focused more on the story of a bunch of has-beens and never-will-bes trying to have "one last good day in the sun" playing for the struggling Cleveland Indians. This sequel follows similar ground, with most of the players having gained large egos from their sudden success and not caring much about the game anymore. "Major League II" seems to like to jump quickly through the story, however, so you don't get as much of a sense of what's on the line for the team like you did in the original.

The film starts with some new characters (like a new and arrogant catcher) that provide some pretty necessary tension, but soon gets rid of them to make way for broader characters (like the Japanese outfielder). Perhaps the most irritating is the brilliantly misused Randy Quaid, who plays a die-hard fan that turns coat on the team when they start to lose. The odd part about his appearance is that his character behaves and acts like a returning character, yet there was no sign of him in the first one. He even hangs out with the die-hards from the first film (remember the three man wave in the stands?), but he is totally unfamiliar that he's almost unnecessary.

The return of former-turned-current team owner Rachel Phelps is unncessary and seems like a rehashing of the tension created by her presence in the first film. He appearance midway through the film (combined with alot of other mid-mark plot changes) makes it seem like the writers and director changed their minds on the story halfway through making the film and tried to weld it all together into something cohesive.

There are alot of great lines in this film though and some truly funny parts. I think the major problem with this sequel is that it follows the superb original. If you were to watch it without constant comparison to the first, it is a pretty entertaining film and better than alot of other sequels. But I guess it must be hard to follow-up something so great that wasn't really trying to be in the first place.