Sure, as a sequel it's outlandish, over the top, and rather kiddified, but SHORT CIRCUIT 2 was one of my favourite films as a kid and it's a movie that more than holds up on viewing as an adult. What's most interesting about this film is Johnny Five's character arc; every - and I mean EVERY - human character in the film either uses him or manipulates him in some way, so watching him discover that inner darkness and self-awareness is quite enthralling.Inevitably the film is also sentimental and cheesy in places, not to mention dated, but I can forgive such grievances because overall it works. My only problems were that Johnny was too over the top and annoying in places and needed his voice toning down a bit. Other than that, this works very well. Fisher Stevens once again gives a high energy turn but it's Michael McKean who really shines as the street huckster who discovers his heart as the storyline progresses.The bank robbery storyline is told very well and naturally and there are some fine moments, especially the communication via calculator which I thought was a mildly genius idea. And of course this all leads to a memorable and surprisingly adult climax with one of the most brutal beatings I've ever seen in a movie (adult or otherwise) and a great revenge-fuelled climax. Sterling effects work, a fast pace, involved storyline, and lots of laughs make SHORT CIRCUIT 2 a highlight of the 1980s.

The original Short Circuit found Number 5, our beloved military robot, running from the same company that made him, because he was afraid that they were going to take him apart, and take the life that was magically given to him. This time, our hero finds himself in a city, and my main complaint with this sequel is the absence of Ally Sheedy. Still, I would say that this is a fair sequel, a needless sequel, but this was a thankfully discontinued franchise. Number 5 ( now requesting to be called Johnny 5, since he feels he has human emotions, he wants a real name.) gets involved with gangs, bad people ( who want to sell him ), and jewel thieves. It steers clear off course from our original sweet story line, but nevertheless puts together some solid performances from our familiar faces from the first movie, including Fisher Stevens and his funny accent! Also, to make matters worse, Short Circuit 2 has half the laughs as the first Short Circuit. It's probably one of the reasons why Hollywood didn't make any more of these, just because a movie is great, that doesn't always mean that it needs a sequel. Sequels are for films that have unresolved issues, Short Circuit was fine the way it ended. Hollywood's need to cash in on senseless sequels was very bad in the 80's, and this film was living proof. All in all, Short Circuit 2 remains to be an enjoyable family feature to this day, it limits its profanity to a minimum, so I would recommend it. I just won't praise it.

Love it ? Not the right word. Adore it ? That's close. Whenever you hear me saying "I love the 1980s" here is one of the reasons why. Actually it's hard to define what is that I'm crazy about here, but let's accept the challenge for the sake of love. First of all : it's everything ! Starting with the character of Johnny Number Five; imagine an electronic E.T with all the sentimentality, genius, and infancy, that speaks fluently also. (Tim Blaney) as his voice was perfect. (Fisher Stevens) as (Ben Jahrvi) got me to memorize his name well because he just amused me utterly, this guy is so talented as an actor and as a comedian, so bad that he didn't receive the credit or the fame he merits, let alone that it was such a rare matter to watch an Indian (or rather an eastern) character in American movie that wasn't meant to be a mean laughingstock, being an intelligent gentle hero without contempt or sarcasm. (Michael McKean) was so nice and charismatic as (Fred Ritter). (Cynthia Gibb) is exceptional as (Sandy), she portrayed the elegant, ingenuous, and smart 80s' girl, there is something ultra-charming about her in this flick that makes her watchable apart. Wanna talk about chemistry between all the cast, that's the movie to remember.Now let me versify a bit about the concept. JN.5 is this kind creature going through totally unkind world. He's soft intellectual person, who deals with evil life very innocently, which afflicted him with its deformity. We clap for how he fights back till he gets even, but forget the big picture. It's not about the machine that wants to be human, it's about a machine that mirrors how inhuman the humans have become. The script provided the movie with all I think : Johnny becomes a TV freak repeating memorable lines from movies and TV shows, Johnny hates his face in the street discovering how he's completely different (great moment by the way), Johnny helps Ben in his love, and the too touching conflict in the end to bear the pain of who thought as friend, and the combat to regain his self heroically, look at him dies like a Christ to relive again.. Just WAW ! There were so many fascinating ideas along the way, on the top of them for sure was the game of songs to locate the imprisoned (Ben) and (Fred), even the fortune cookies' lines were too comic as well.The directing was flawless, and take it from one who doesn't praise any director much. (Kenneth Johnson) made something really that enchanting. There wasn't one scene that you can call bad or so-so. There is a continuous merry feel all over it. Since the first scene at the toy market with the simple music tone it sets a special sweet personality for itself that never misses. (Johnson) was leading the movie as simple adventure however with so much love I suppose which gave it an assured magical touch. Damn, even the best live Disney movies that I can recall didn't reach to this level of being enjoyable, soul-stirring, and never boring after endless times of watching. Still the sequence of Johnny struggling for the rest of his life, walking lamely in the backstreets, bleeding in awful loneliness is one of the most sights that breaks the heart ever captured on film (I cry every time). Also, the finale result of the climactic sequence with Bonny Taylor's I Need a Hero is definitely one of the best climactic sequences I saw in my life. Although this song has been hackneyed so many times through some of the 1980s movies, such as Footloose (1984), Who's Harry Crumb? (1989), but here is the one eloquent use that marvelously clicked. It's disappointing that (Kenneth Johnson), aside from very good TV works, didn't make many cinematic movies, he could've been respectable lovable moviemaker as celebrated as Spielberg, or maybe better.The music score expresses the movie's funny and bright spirit, it was solidly romantic at places, with unforgettable touches like playing Eric Satie's Gymnopedie Nr. 1 while JN.5 was reading in jail; that's priceless. Finally, it's not another great movie, it's the great movie for me. It still delivers the highest times as its power of being cute and effective never seems to end. It's "alive" flick for sure, and one of the 1980s' best. I believe it's a kind of work that doesn't have even one shortcoming. I'm really confused every time I don't find it in any of "the best 100 movies ever" lists, though not to worry, it's surely in mine. To all the miserable lovers of (2001: A Space Odyssey) watch and learn, because this one is funny and has a meaning unlike so many overrated dreadful crap that you love. This is what movies are all about guys. Nearly one of the most ultimate movies in being a "movie".P.S: at the same year of 1988 there were as well (Die Hard), (Switching Channels), (Without a Clue), (Big Business), (Shoot to Kill), (Stand and Deliver), (High Spirits), or even (My Stepmother Is an Alien). I believe that the 1980s was undoubtedly the golden age of the feel good movies.

Short Circuit 2, for all its inherent '80s cheese, is a genuinely touching film. Through very well-worn staples of robots-with-emotions stories, it explores the nature of personality and what it really means to be alive. However, it avoids total redundancy by pairing Johnny Five, a brainy, kindly robot with retro pop culture references just popping out of his head, with Benjamin, a nerdy, overzealous soon-to-be citizen played with equal silliness and empathy by Fisher Stevens. Two scenes in particular truly stand out: one, when Johnny Five has been arrested, he sits chained to a wall contemplatively reading Pinocchio and Frankenstein. In another, after Five has been mercilessly beaten (as an adult, it still makes me cry), he meets up with Fred, played by Michael McKean. Too injured to speak and running on a stolen car battery, Johnny Five desperately (yet painfully slowly) scrawls his pleas for help on an alley wall with a rock. This film has many flaws from both technical and aesthetic viewpoints, but I still just can't divorce myself from how moving it is to watch a robot genuinely struggle to be alive in both a physical and metaphysical sense.