Plot: What’s it about?
Although the conflict in the Persian Gulf has ended, a number of American soldiers remain behind enemy lines, taken hostage by the Iraqi forces. A team was sent in to rescue these men, but they failed in their efforts, as did the team sent in to rescue the team that was sent in to rescue the hostages. As such, Col. Denton Walters (Richard Crenna) decides to go in to get the men himself, but he wants Topper Harley (Charlie Sheen) by his side in the mission. But Topper is now working in a monastery and trying to put his past behind him, especially Ramada (Valeria Golino), who remains fresh in his memory and heart. Topper refuses to join Walters on the mission and after it too fails, Walters is trapped and tortured by Iraqi forces. As a result, Topper agrees to join the next team going in to rescue the hostages, which pleases the mission leader Michelle (Brenda Bakke), as well as President Tug Benson (Lloyd Bridges) himself. The mission will call for Topper to be on full alert and at the top of his game, just to survive the encounter. With his mind and emotions torn in several directions however, can he complete the assignment?
This is one of the rare sequels that comes close to equaling the original, although in this case, the film isn’t a true sequel. It has some of the same characters and themes, but remains a pretty much standalone picture, to be sure. Instead of Top Gun, the Hot Shots series takes aim on Rambo and the over the top violence of that series, with hilarious results. As with the original film, this one is in the same vein as The Naked Gun, with outrageous sight gags, verbal jabs, and slapstick moments, all blended in with Saddam Hussein, if you can believe that. The style of humor remains the same and if you liked the original Hot Shots, then you’re sure to have fun with the sequel. Charlie Sheen returns in buff form as Topper, while Lloyd Bridges and Valeria Golino also reprise their roles, which is good news, since their presences bond the two movies together. As with Hot Shots, this movie is no masterpiece, but it is loads of fun and that’s what it wants to be. So even though not all the jokes work, enough do pan out to make it a more than worthwhile experience, so this movie & disc are more than recommended.
This might be just a slapstick comedy, but Charlie Sheen took his role pretty seriously, working out at an astronomical rate to be prepared. This was due more to his own desire not be laughed at, but you have to give the guy some credit, he got into excellent shape and as a result, his Rambo driven scenes work that much better. I know Sheen is often lambasted for his offscreen antics with prostitutes and the like, but I think he is a talented worker and while his career has tapered off, he still lands some solid roles at times. He was a superb choice to play Topper Harley, as he seems to love working within the slapstick realm and handles himself well, though he seems more outlandish in this sequel, of course. Other films with Sheen include The Arrival, Good Advice, The Chase, Major League, and Men at Work. The cast also includes Lloyd Bridges (Mafia!, Joe Versus the Volcano), Valeria Golino (Rain Man, The Indian Runner), and Richard Crenna (Rambo: First Blood Part II, Wait Until Dark).
Video: How does it look?
Hot Shots: Part Deux is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This is a terrific looking effort for a catalog title, as per usual when Fox is involved. The print has some minor scuffs, but nothing all that bad and on the whole, the materials look very clean. The colors are bright and bold, with no smears or the like, while flesh tones remain natural and consistent throughout. I saw no issues with contrast either, as black levels are well balanced and detail is high at all times, not much else we could ask for here.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio is pretty much the same as in the original film, so I have reposted that information in this review. The audio here is your typical slapstick comedy mix, though a few scenes do manage to spark the speakers a little. The main audio power comes from the musical score and the flight sequences, but don’t expect action movie level presence, as that isn’t the case here. It is still nice to have some surround use to spice up the mix, but it never takes off too much, even in the most intense dogfight sequences. The normal scenes sound good, but don’t have much atmosphere, while dialogue is clean throughout. This disc also includes additional language options in Spanish and French, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes two brief behind the scenes featurettes, as well as the film’s theatrical trailer.
