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Back To The Future Part II Movie Review

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Actors: Michael J. Fox, Lea Thompson, Christopher Lloyd
Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Back To The Future Part II
In the future Marty's children are about to get arrested, and now he must stop it. After stopping it, he buys an almanac to bet all the winners from the sports. Doc confiscates it, and Marty's arch-rival, Biff gets a hold of it. Going back to 1955, he gives it to his younger self. When, Marty goes back to 1985, he realizes that Biff has taken over, and is a multi-millionaire. Now, Marty has to go back in time once again to get things right, again. The special effects have improved, but the story is darker, and more confusing.
--Estefan Ellison, Resident Scholar

Picking up precisely where the first movie left off (though filmed a few years later and substituting Elisabeth Shue for Claudia Wells as Jennifer), this movie has Doc sweeping Marty off to 2015 to avert an impending disaster involving his son, Marty Jr. But his old nemesis, Biff, takes off in the DeLorean and gives his youthful 1955 self an almanac of sports statistics with which he can win big at gambling, thereby drastically altering the future: By 1985, Biff has transformed lovely Hill Valley into a terrible version of Las Vegas and married Lorraine (Thompson), the widow(!) of Marty's Dad. So it's back to 1955, where much of the second movie takes place, to retrieve the almanac and fix the present as well as the future. The action is a little confusing and sloppy (how come nobody notices Marty's Nikes?), and this frenetic sequel lacks some of the charm of the first movie, but it's nevertheless a lot of fun. Watch for plenty of in jokes ("Jaws 19" filmed by "Marty Spielberg"), and Fox playing not only his 2015 son but his daughter Marlene.
--David Loftus, Resident Scholar

Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and Doc (Christopher Lloyd) return in this second exciting entry to the Back to the Future franchise. It begins right where the original left off, in the present. Doc approaches Marty and tells him that his future family with his girlfriend Jennifer (who will become his wife) is in great jeopardy over a decision that his future son is about to make. So Marty and Doc travel to the future (with Jennifer in tow), and what a future it is. Flying cars, everything is automated, and hoverboards have replaced Marty's favorite skateboards. Marty must rescue his future family while avoiding any contact with them that may reveal his identity. But then his perennial enemy Biff shows up, this time as an old man, and again causes problems for Marty and Doc by altering the present. Once again Marty has to go to 1955 to clear things up for the present and the future (make sense yet?). A lot of time travel and some twists and turns make this a good entry in the series, although not as good as the original. Sequels rarely are.
--Danielle Petty, Resident Scholar




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Analysis of Back To The Future Part II
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie
Actual chase scenes or violence - 50%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzle - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%



**Fantasy or Science Fiction?** - science fiction story
Time Travel: - a lot of past and future travel
Time Travel Story? Yes
To what time period? - Distant future

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - student
Age: - a teen
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
Hair color? - brunette (Brown)
Hair type - (man) short/medium straight
Body type - very skinny (man)
Events of movie makes character more... - tougher
Ethnicity/Nationality - White (American)
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor? - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Secondary Main Character
Identity: - Male
Hair color - white/grey
Hair style - (man) short/standard wavy
Body type - very skinny (man)
How much in movie? - 80%
Ethnicity/Nationality - White (American)

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - not employed but independently wealthy
Eccentric: Yes
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - 60%
Hair style - (man) short/standard straight
Body type - muscular (man)
Ethnicity - White
Sense of humor? - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average Intelligence
Physical condition - bulging muscles
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant

Setting
Earth setting: - 20th century (1970's to Present) - near future (later in 21st century) - Polluted - 20th Century (1950-1970)
Takes place on Earth? Yes
Big cities? Yes
Kind of city - Dirty, crime-ridden (like NY) - Beautiful sparkling advanced city
Small town? Yes

Style
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
Comedy or somewhat funny movie? Yes
Sex/nudity in movie? Yes
What kind of sex: - kissing
Any profanity? - Occasional swearing
Kinds of F/X - exotic big cities
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Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Danielle Petty  

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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).