Jump to content
 







Main menu
   


Navigation  



Main page
Contents
Current events
Random article
About Wikipedia
Contact us
Donate
 




Contribute  



Help
Learn to edit
Community portal
Recent changes
Upload file
 








Search  

































Create account

Log in
 









Create account
 Log in
 




Pages for logged out editors learn more  



Contributions
Talk
 



















Contents

   



(Top)
 


1 Plot  





2 Cast  





3 Production  





4 Reception  



4.1  Critical response  





4.2  Box office  





4.3  Accolades  







5 Home media  





6 Sequel  





7 References  





8 External links  














Short Circuit 2






Català
Cymraeg
Deutsch
Español
فارسی
Français
Galego

Bahasa Indonesia
Italiano
Nederlands

Polski
Português
Русский
 

Edit links
 









Article
Talk
 

















Read
Edit
View history
 








Tools
   


Actions  



Read
Edit
View history
 




General  



What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Cite this page
Get shortened URL
Download QR code
Wikidata item
 




Print/export  



Download as PDF
Printable version
 
















Appearance
   

 






From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 


Short Circuit 2
Theatrical release poster
Directed byKenneth Johnson
Written byS.S. Wilson
Brent Maddock
Produced byDavid Foster
Lawrence Turman
Gary Foster
Starring
  • Michael McKean
  • Cynthia Gibb
  • Jack Weston
  • Tim Blaney
  • CinematographyJohn McPherson
    Edited byConrad Buff IV
    Music byCharles Fox

    Production
    company

    The Turman-Foster Company

    Distributed byTri-Star Pictures

    Release date

    • July 6, 1988 (1988-07-06)

    Running time

    110 minutes
    CountryUnited States
    LanguageEnglish
    Budget$15 million[1]
    Box office$21.6 million (domestic)[2]

    Short Circuit 2 is a 1988 American science fiction comedy film, the sequel to the 1986 film Short Circuit. It was directed by Kenneth Johnson and starred Fisher Stevens as Ben Jahveri, Michael McKean as Fred Ritter, Cynthia Gibb as Sandy Banatoni, and Tim Blaney as the voice of Johnny 5 (the main character – a friendly, naive, self-aware robot).

    Plot[edit]

    After being fired from Nova Robotics after the events of the first movie, Benjamin Jahveri (nee Jabituya) starts up his own business, "Titanic Toy Corporation", which specializes in making sophisticated toy robots that he builds by hand from the back of his truck. For two days, Ben has been in an unspecified U.S. metropolis peddling his toy robots on the street corners. One robot wanders away from his stand and ends up in the office of Sandy Banatoni, an assistant buyer for Simpsons' toy department. Sandy tracks Ben down and orders 1,000 of his toys. Overhearing this offer is con artist Fred Ritter, who smooth-talks his way into brokering the transaction between Ben and Sandy, becoming Ben's business partner in the deal, and later acquires the funding Ben needs from a loan shark.

    Ben and Fred hire some workers and move into a derelict warehouse which, unknown to them, is the base of operations for thieves who are tunneling into a bank vault across the street to steal a set of jewels known as the Vanderveer Collection. The thieves (Saunders and Jones) assault Ben and Fred and destroy their equipment, causing the new workers to flee and preventing them from completing Sandy's order. However, Ben's friends Stephanie Speck and Newton Crosby have sent Johnny 5, a robot who became sentient after being struck by lightning whom Ben helped to create. When Saunders and Jones return, Johnny fends them off, then sets up self-defense mechanisms should they try to break in again. Johnny sets to work mass-producing the toys to meet Sandy's deadline but later leaves to explore the city. He runs afoul of many people, who are rude and unfriendly to him. He befriends one man, Oscar Baldwin, who works at the bank across the street from Ben and Fred's warehouse.

    Fred, having learned that Johnny is worth $11 million, tries to sell him. Discovering this, Johnny escapes into the city, is taken into police custody, and is placed in the stolen goods warehouse, where he is claimed by Ben. Johnny uses his robotic abilities to help Ben court Sandy.

    With time running out before the Vanderveer Collection is moved from the bank, Saunders and Jones lock Ben and Fred in the freezer of a Chinese restaurant. It is revealed that Oscar is the mastermind of the heist, and he tricks Johnny into finishing the tunnel leading to the vault. Ben and Fred get Sandy to save them, using polyphonic renditions of songs that Ben learned on his date with her as clues to their location. Having discovered the Vanderveer Collection, Johnny deduces Oscar's true intentions and is severely damaged by Saunders and Jones per Oscar’s orders. As Ben, Fred and Sandy return to the warehouse, the police arrest Ben and Sandy as suspects in the bank vault break-in. Fred eludes capture and later finds the disheveled Johnny in an alley and informs him of Ben's arrest.

    Fred attempts to repair Johnny by breaking into a Radio Shack and following Johnny's guidance, but with limited success. Ben and Sandy are cleared of any charges for the break-in and persuade the police to help locate Johnny. An enraged Johnny vows revenge for Oscar’s betrayal, and with Fred’s help, tracks down Oscar and his accomplices. Saunders and Jones are caught by Fred and Johnny and later arrested. However, Oscar attacks Fred and attempts to flee on a boat. Johnny gives chase and, as his backup battery dwindles, uses a crane to swing Tarzan-style to capture Oscar, who is then apprehended by police. Ben, Fred, and Sandy arrive and tend to an exhausted Johnny while the last of his power supply depletes. Ben revives Johnny with a defibrillator.

    Johnny is fully repaired and becomes a celebrity, while Ben, Fred, and Sandy start a new company called "Input Inc." with Johnny as its mascot. Johnny and Ben later take the Oath of Allegiancetobecome United States citizens. After the ceremony, when questioned by reporters about his thoughts on becoming the country's first robotic citizen, a gold-plated Johnny leaps into the air and exclaims "I feel alive!"

    Cast[edit]

    Production[edit]

    Short Circuit 2 had initially been developed with original film's director John Badham, but Badham dropped out in order to do Stakeout[3] Principal photography of the film took place between September 13 and December 1987 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[1] Despite the film taking place in an American metropolis, much of the shots throughout the film featured prominent downtown Toronto landmarks.[4][5] Five robots were used for filming the "Johnny 5" character. Reported complications arose with their hydraulic and electrical systems due to rainy and cold weather during production.[1] The film's budget was reportedly $15 million.[1]

    The movie was originally titled Short Circuit 2: More Input, as seen on much of the promotional material.[6]

    Reception[edit]

    Critical response[edit]

    Short Circuit 2 received mixed reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 38% based on reviews from 13 critics, with an average rating of 4.1/10.[7] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave it a grade A−.[8]

    Vincent Canby, writing in The New York Times, gave Short Circuit 2 a negative review. He wrote: "For anyone over the age of 6, the film is as much fun as wearing wet sneakers".[9] Rita Kempley, for The Washington Post, gave it a mixed review (6/10) saying: "Short Circuit 2 is unabashedly mawkish and sophomoric, and the actors support the technology. But if you're a kid, or an adult with an Erector Set, you might just enjoy this summer-weight caper".[10] Most of the positive reviews were accepting of the film's flaws. Variety added: "Mild and meek, Short Circuit 2 has an uncomplicated sweetness as a successful follow-up to the original robot kiddie comedy".[11]

    Siskel & Ebert, having disliked the first film, gave Short Circuit 2 "two thumbs up". Roger Ebert said the movie "will probably seem better the younger you are" but that it was "pleasant" and "entertaining". Gene Siskel called it "better than the original", said the dialogue made him "laugh out loud" and argued that "the movie works" because he "felt bad" when the robot was being attacked.[12] A review in the Los Angeles Times noted that "Wilson and Maddock have improved considerably here. They're just as derivative and glib, but more thoughtful. Their construction is more deft, their dialogue is better, and they make Number Five come more alive."[13]

    Box office[edit]

    At the box office, Short Circuit 2 placed 7th on its first weekend making $3,843,067. It finished with $21,630,088, down almost half from what the first Short Circuit film made. It ranked 45th at the U.S. box office in 1988.[14]

    Accolades[edit]

    The film was nominated at Saturn Awards in the categories Best Science Fiction Film and Best Special Effects (Eric Allard, Jeff Jarvis).

    Home media[edit]

    Short Circuit 2 was released on August 7, 2001, and re-released on DVD on April 24, 2007,[15] which included a "making-of featurette" on actor Fisher Stevens. In 2010, the film was released once again with alternative cover art. A Blu-ray disc of the film was released in April 2011, though no extras were included.

    In 2021, a Blu-ray release of the movie was released in the United Kingdom, with several extras including commentary by Kenneth Johnson. [citation needed]

    Sequel[edit]

    Hot Cars, Cold Facts, made in 1990, is a short educational film featuring the character Johnny 5, voiced by Russell Turner. It also starred Gina Revarra as Lisa, John Hugh as Officer Dave, and Donald Bishop as Howard. The film takes place after Short Circuit 2.

    References[edit]

    1. ^ a b c d "AFI|Catalog". catalog.afi.com.
  • ^ "Short Circuit 2 (1988)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2010-02-06.
  • ^ Kimber, Gary (July 1988). "Short Circuit 2". Cinefantastique. Fourth Castle Micromedia. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  • ^ "Reel Toronto: Short Circuit 2". Torontoist. March 25, 2008.
  • ^ "Short Circuit 2 (1988) - IMDb" – via www.imdb.com.
  • ^ Short Circuit 2 (1988), retrieved 2020-02-11
  • ^ Short Circuit 2atRotten Tomatoes
  • ^ "Cinemascore". Archived from the original on 2018-12-20.
  • ^ Canby, Vincent (1988). "Review/Film; More Adventures of a Robot". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  • ^ Kempley, Rita (6 July 1988). "Short Circuit 2". The Washington Post. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  • ^ Variety Staff (31 December 1987). "Short Circuit 2". Variety. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  • ^ Arthur 2: On the Rocks, Short Circuit 2, Coming to America, A Handful of Dust, License to Drive, 1988. January 1, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2021 – via Siskel and Ebert Movie Reviews.
  • ^ Wilmington, Michael (1988-07-06). "MOVIE REVIEW : Number Five Comes Alive in 'Circuit 2'". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
  • ^ "Short Circuit 2 (1988) - Weekend Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo.
  • ^ "Short Circuit 2 - DVD". Buy.com. Retrieved 2010-02-06.
  • External links[edit]


    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Short_Circuit_2&oldid=1231505027"

    Categories: 
    1988 films
    1980s science fiction comedy films
    1980s heist films
    American science fiction comedy films
    American heist films
    American robot films
    American sequel films
    1980s English-language films
    Films directed by Kenneth Johnson (producer)
    Films produced by Lawrence Turman
    Puppet films
    Films scored by Charles Fox
    Films set in 1987
    Films set in the United States
    Films shot in Toronto
    TriStar Pictures films
    Films about human rights
    1988 directorial debut films
    1988 comedy films
    1980s American films
    Whitewashing in film
    1988 science fiction films
    Hidden categories: 
    Rotten Tomatoes ID same as Wikidata
    Rotten Tomatoes template using name parameter
    Articles with short description
    Short description matches Wikidata
    Template film date with 1 release date
    Wikipedia articles needing clarification from January 2019
    All articles with unsourced statements
    Articles with unsourced statements from March 2022
     



    This page was last edited on 28 June 2024, at 17:15 (UTC).

    Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.



    Privacy policy

    About Wikipedia

    Disclaimers

    Contact Wikipedia

    Code of Conduct

    Developers

    Statistics

    Cookie statement

    Mobile view



    Wikimedia Foundation
    Powered by MediaWiki