Short Circuit 2 Reviews

When last we saw No. 5--the Defense Department robot who came to life in SHORT CIRCUIT (1986)--he was escaping to the wide open spaces of Montana, and the John Badham-directed film was on its way to becoming 1987's most popular home video rental. In SHORT CURCUIT 2, a department store toy buyer (Cynthia Gibb) makes a deal with No. 5's East Indian cocreator, Ben Jahrvi (Fisher Stevens) and his partner, Fred Ritter (Michael McKean), to produce little toy robots. They set up shop in an abandoned warehouse that also happens to be the starting point for a tunnel being dug by a gang of crooks to a bank across the street. Just when all looks lost, a big crate arrives from Montana containing No. 5, now preferring to be called Johnny Five. The robot undergoes a succession of misadventures that include hang-gliding from the 34th floor of an office building. Despite its success at the box office and as a videocassette, many adults found SHORT CIRCUIT to be as insufferable as children found it enjoyable. The result is just about the same for SHORT CIRCUIT 2, except that the sequel lacks the charm and periodic wit of the original.