Following exactly where #1 left off, Doc takes Marty and Jennifer from 1985 to 2015 to stop their son from being sent to prison.
While in 2015, certain events occur that change their 1985 into a new 1985 – and they must go back to 1955 to help fix the new timeline! Can they save the day???
Direction
The Robert Zemekis directed (and Steven Spielberg produced) film has strong and sound action sequences – plus some fine effects especially for 1988.
Cast/Characters
All the key players are back, with Elizabeth Shue joining the cast – now playing Jennifer (1985 and 2015), and Crispin Glover not returning to play George McFly (instead “lookalike Jeffrey Weisman takes the George role.
Michael J Fox is of course Marty – but also plays Marty Jr, Marty and hilariously daughter Marlene (all in 2015).
Christopher Lloyd is Doc, and hilariously doesn’t get a change of appearance between 1955 – or 1985. He doesn’t get ‘mentioned’ at all in 2015 – which would have been funnier if he had ‘shown up’ looking exactly the same.
Leah Thompson plays Lorraine – playing the 1955 teenage version, and 2015 grandmother version.
Once again my MVP goes to Thomas F Wilson, who plays different versions of Biff. We get 1955, 1985 (subdued, and “Trumped”), 2015 “Grandpa” as well as Griff his grandson.
Elijah Wood gets a very early role as one of the boys playing the video game at Cafe 80’s.
Screenplay/Setting/Themes
I found this to be equal or even better than the original. With improved graphics/narrative – and the stakes are even higher with Marty forced to go through time seventy years throughout.
The first “jump through time which gets to the “then” future of 2015. Amazingly this is now 10 years ago. I forgot how little time was spent in this year – as the narrative needed to then jump to the alternate 1985 – after 2015 Biff takes the Sports Almanac to his 1955 self.
The action is amped up here too, with a couple of solid chase sequences – the Griff & co vs Marty ‘hoverboard’ chase in 2015, and then the 1955 Biff vs Marty ‘hoverboard’ scene too.
There are a few in jokes about EP Steven Spielberg, like the Jaws 3D early on and also in the 80’s retro store.
It was also fun to see some ‘alternate’ views of 1955 when Marty is trying to get the Almanac back from Biff – which takes him back to the ‘Under the Sea’ dance from #1 – and Marty from #1’s ‘Go Johnny Go’ song from a different angle too.
With a ‘too be concluded’ ending (following 1985’s Doc getting struck by lightning and being sent back to 1885) – one third film character is mentioned early. Mad Dog Tannen (a brief photo of TFW is seen and will play him in #3). It also sets up a narrative arc that will be important about Marty (and be concluded in #3)
One down I had was some strange and convenient/expositional dialogue between 2015 Biff and (who he believes is Marty Jr) our Marty to let audience know/ (and what Jr would already know) about our Marty’s future… that it is not as bright as what he thought it would be.
Score/Soundtrack
Alan Silvestri’s score once again dominates, with the B2tF theme being one of the most famous scores of the 80’s – and his name does not get enough credit.
Overall
The jump through multiple timelines, and multiple version of timelines – not to mention having multiple versions of multiple characters in multiple timelines – might sound complicated – but with a clever screenplay it just works.
The improved narrative, plus the more complex situations that the characters must go through makes this one of my favourite sequels. The humble promise of a conclusion is done well too.
Very strong film and a strong recommend.
4/5
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