Ah, Pee-Wee Herman. A bizarre, repressed man-child of a character. (Or is he simply just a literal child? The character is as mysterious as he is hilarious!) He's always been a personal favorite comedic character of mine, and I've been of fan of his first film "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" since I was a child. So when I recently (and finally) had the chance to watch his second feature, "Big Top Pee-Wee", I was excited! What new adventures would Pee-Wee get into this time?As it turns out... this film (not really a sequel to the original film or related to his fantastic TV-show) wasn't worth the wait at all, unfortunately."Big Top Pee-Wee" is a bizarre, unsettling, strangely boring and distressingly darkly toned big-screen follow-up that somehow is able to turn the delightfully quirky Herman into an unlikable jerk who commits infidelity and loses any and all audience appeal. Oh, and there's a talking pig who almost completely destroys the film on his own. Yup... yup.The film follows Pee-Wee at his new home on an animal farm, where he is conducting chemistry experiments to try and make fruits and vegetables larger, as well as create new breeds of plants, like a "Hot-Dog tree." When a circus is suddenly blown into his backyard during a terrible storm, Pee-Wee decides to help them put on a show, despite protests from the nearby town's ruthless elderly residents. Pee-Wee is also torn by his attraction to circus performer Gina (Valeria Golino) and his engagement to a local schoolteacher. (Penelope Ann Miller)On paper, that actually sounds like a cute setup for another twisted, quirky, funny film like the first, but it is just so poorly executed that it sort of implodes under its own weight. And it isn't helped by some really hurtful sequences, including the aforementioned infidelity on Pee-Wee's part, when he all but completely cheats on Ann Miller's character.The acting is, to the film's credit, fantastic. Paul Reubens is great as Pee-Wee, even though the character isn't likable in this film. Valeria Golino is a lot of fun (and very, very sexy) in her role. Penelope Ann Miller is a lot of fun as Pee-Wee's former bride-to-be. And supporting roles by the likes of Kris Kristopherson and Susan Tyrrell are great. The only exception is Wayne White as the voice of Vance, Pee-Wee's talking pig. It's too silly and forced and just doesn't work. The musical score by a returning Danny Elfman is also an absolute blast, and is one of the film's only other saving graces.However, the rest of the production is just flat as a pancake.The script by Reubens and George McGrath is aimless and dull, giving Herman little to do in his own film. Though don't worry, other characters have even less to do than him, so he's still the focus. And as mentioned above, it makes Herman too savage and unlikable. Director Randal Kleiser seems in over his head, and his visual style is just poor all around. Many scenes are boringly shot with the camera just sort of plopped down wherever. The set and costume design is also a huge step down after the prior film, cheapening the overall look.The production and behind-the-scenes work is just too sub-par for this film to function. If this was another Tim Burton film, I think it would have worked a lot better. Because as is, the creative team behind this entry just don't seem like they understand how to make a Pee-Wee Herman film.Sadly, after the fantastic "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure", this just felt like a colossal letdown. It's boring, unlikable (borderline loathsome) and poorly-shot, with only a fraction of the creativity of other Pee-Wee projects."Big Top Pee-Wee" gets a 3 out of 10. Skip it unless you're a Pee-Wee completionist.

"Pee Wee's Big Adventure" is one of the funniest, most entertaining family films I have ever seen. Because of that, this movie is really disappointing. When something claims to star Pee-Wee Herman, it only works if Pee-Wee has the spotlight. In this, many scenes featured only circus characters, and all too often, Pee-Wee was playing second banana. The movie itself was very strange. Mr. Herman now owns a farm where his animals cook breakfast every morning, and he has a talking pig sidekick. Where in the last movie, and the new at the time kid's show Pee-Wee was like a little boy and didn't like girls, here he likes them too much. This movie has Pee-Wee humping a woman, making sexual innuendos and possibly losing his virginity. It's not a good movie, though it does have the occasional laugh. Kids might like it, chances are adults won't.My rating: ** out of ****.

We somehow went from a rousing cross country adventure that was the first Pee Wee movie with lots of colorful characters and some really strange situations, but overall funny to a one town movie that is strange and not in a good way. We don't get the scenery and we do not get a very good or funny movie this time. Maybe it is because Phil Hartman did not help with the script or maybe because Tim Burton did not direct, but this movie is absolutely nothing like the first film and as I said before that is not a good thing. This time we have Pee Wee on a rather boring farm, where he has a talking pig and the towns folk are a bunch of bores. Then the circus gets blown into town and that shakes things up. That is about it, besides the odd love triangle involving Pee Wee...who for some reason goes from a loner and a rebel to kind of a perv. There are a couple of chuckles to be found near the beginning of the movie, but once the circus hits it is rather tedious to watch. Like I said you go from all the wacky stuff in big adventure to one setting and one setting only. You have a few stars in this one, but they don't add to the movie, only to the misery. The ending is so stupid I could not watch it again. All in all I would say skip this movie unless you are a die hard Pee Wee fan which I am not. He was amusing in the bizarre adventure world, but he comes across as rather embarrassing and even creepy in the Big Top.

Here's the thing, just about every review I've read on here compares this film to Big Adventure. Stop! This is not a sequel to Pee-Wee's first film. It is simply a new movie containing the same character. As you will see, his house is different, his pets are different, and even Pee-Wee himself is different. To be honest, I think it is harder not to laugh at least once or twice in this movie than to find some funny. A lot of it is funny and it should be taken for what it is. Everyone is free to their own opinion, all I ask is that those who didn't like it the first time around should take another look. This time, don't expect a sequel. It's entertaining and that's all we can ask of it.On a side note, there is a very different tone to this film as well. It is upbeat, yet dark. One bizarre scene that stands out is when Pee-Wee kisses Gina. Wow! That's worth a look alone for those who like to see odd things.