Plot: What’s it about?
It almost seemed as if things were going too perfectly for young Mikey (voiced by Bruce Willis), as he finally the mommy and daddy he’d always wanted and times were rolling smoothly now. But the future holds some serious changes for Mikey’s life and he soon discovers, changes can make a smooth ride take on some bumps. His mother Mollie (Kirstie Alley) and his father James (John Travolta) seem to be involved in some type of preparation stages, but just what were they expecting? Mikey soon learns what all the fuss is about, when his new little sister Julie (voiced by Roseanne) arrives on the scene. Where Mikey was once the sole focus of attention and affections, now he must share that limelight and now, he seems to be getting the shorter end of the stick. His new sibling has plenty to say also, most of which is wisecracks sent in his direction and that doesn’t make him like her much more in the least. Along with this new arrival, it seems as though his parents are having problems, his mom’s brother has moved in, and now toilet training has come into the picture. Can Mikey make all these issues become resolved and once again, become part of one big happy family?
As if the original Look Who’s Talking wasn’t enough, we were also treated to a couple sequel over the years. This is the first sequel and while most people scoff at this one, I think it has about the same level of entertainment as the first film. The jokes are more crude than in the original, but that seems to work well within the frame of this followup. This isn’t wall to wall hilarity by any means, but there is some solid humor and charm to find here. The idea of squeezing in a sibling is a nice, believable touch and offers the chance for many humorous situations to arise. I think the funniest sequences involve potty training and the kids’ talks with fellow children. The rest of the scenes don’t always work, but most of them seem to work at least on some level. As far as sequels go, this one is better than most and I think it rivals the original on the whole. If you were a fan of the first film, then I recommend you check out this sequel and decide for yourself. This disc looks & sounds good, but offers little extras and as such, there isn’t much value involved in terms of a purchase.
One issue that certainly helps this film rise above most sequels is the number of returning talents, which is impressive indeed. John Travolta (The Boy In The Plastic Bubble) returns as James and shows pretty much the same level of performance, decent although lacking in charm. This role doesn’t call for much in terms of extreme character work though, so Travolta manages it all well in the end. Also back is Kirstie Alley (Drop Dead Gorgeous), who seems perfect and at ease within this role. She seems much more natural here than the first, which helps the film quite a bit overall. Back also, though in a smaller role those than the previous two is Olympia Dukakis (Steel Magnolias), who turns in a solid and effective performance. The main focus though is the returning Bruce Willis (Die Hard With A Vengeance), who once again supplies the voice of young Mikey and takes a lion’s share of the best lines. Roseanne (She-Devil) and Damon Wayans (Blankman) also turn in humorous voice overs, which add a lot to the film. Amy Heckerling also returns, though her work takes place behind the camera. She also directed the first film and she delivers another enjoyable comedy with this one. Heckerling also helmed such films as Clueless, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, European Vacation, and Loser.
Video: How does it look?
Look Who’s Talking Too is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, with a full frame version included on the disc’s flip side. This is a fine transfer and though a few small flaws emerge, I am pleased with this effort. The colors seem bright and vivid, with no bleeding at all and flesh tones seem very warm and natural. The contrast is sharp too, detail is high and black level balance is dead on. The source prints show some debris early on, but quickly clears up and compression flaws are minimal throughout. This is a terrific transfer for a catalog title, but it does lack some of the shine and polish of some more recent transfers.
Audio: How does it sound?
This disc makes use of a 2.0 surround sound track, which offers a more than adequate audio experience. This one doesn’t offer much chance for intense surround use, but I did find this to be an active and effective mix. The music seems to be the most active element, emerging in a rich and immersive sound on this disc. The sounds effects are used as comical devices and as such, are handled well by the front channels. The main focus is the dialogue however and it sounds terrific here, no problems in the least. This isn’t an overpowering mix, but it gets the job done and that’s enough for me. This also includes audio tracks in French, Spanish, and Portuguese as well as subtitles in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai. Whew…I think all the bases are covered here!
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc contains talent files, but other film specific extras. Some bonus trailers have been included, but no trailer for this film made the disc.
