Back To The Future Part II (1989, rewatch): Marty and Doc lose their mojo

Back To The Future Part II, 1989, directed by Robert Zemeckis, Universal Studios 4K blu-ray (Back To The Future: The Ultimate Trilogy box set, 2020), 2 stars.

Dare I say it? I did not like this movie at all. It isn't the worst movie I've seen, even in the past week. But it's the most disappointing one in quite a while.

I did see this on opening weekend back in November 1989. I didn't remember much about it at all. I have always remembered that George McFly was only in one brief scene, and he was upside down for some reason. That happened, I knew, because Crispin Glover did not return for this movie.

The other thing I've always remembered about Part II is that it was underwhelming and not particularly memorable. I learned tonight that my impression was spot-on.

I went into it this time, though, with high hopes. I had just seen the first Back To The Future, and I was floored by how much I enjoyed it after all these years.

So I came back to Part II fully expecting to understand what I missed the first time around. What I did come around to was a clear understanding as to why Part II missed the mark so badly.

My first big revelation was that all the life and the heart of that first movie was sucked out of the second one. I felt no emotional connection to these characters at all this time around. Marty McFly and Doc Brown were here just to serve as plot points. All of Marty's family were reduced to background props. And one-note, underdeveloped Biff, a background prop in the first film, was made the central character of Part II. But he remained a one-note, underdeveloped background prop.

Part II, boiled down, was a technically well-made but unfocused mess of a science fiction/action/slapstick comedy misfire. It felt to me like everyone involved was just going through the motions to knock out a blockbuster sequel. 

I'll go ahead and have a look at Part III soon. I don't remember much about this one, either, except that it was some sort of Old West parody that underwhelmed me. At least my low expectations only have one way to go.

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