F/X2 (1991)

I was going through my Netflix queue when I noticed that FX 2 was no longer going to be available streaming.  I had wanted to watch it, but not desperately enough to get it on DVD.  Since I had a few hours to spare, I decided to watch it.  For those that don’t know, it’s a sequel to 1986’s F/X.  Having been made in 1991, it’s a similarly dated movie, even if it does have one or two neat-looking gadgets.  (And yes, you might want to watch the first movie before seeing this one.)

The movie is set several years after F/X.  Rollie Tyler is no longer in the special-effects business, but not for lack of demand.  After the events of the first movie, Rollie is just as happy to design toys for a living.  He has a girlfriend, Kim.  Kim has a child from a previous marriage.

Mike, her ex, is a police officer who wants Rollie’s help catching a bad guy.  Rollie’s experience with visual trickery could help catch the guy in the act.  Rollie reluctantly agrees.  He knows that nothing is that simple, but Mike knows which buttons to push.  The sting does go south and it’s up to Rollie to figure out how and why.

As with the first movie, much of what I just said takes place in the first twenty or thirty minutes.  Much of the action is Rollie trying to catch the bad guys.  As with many sequels, this is fairly similar to the first.  Rollie wants to find out what really happened.  There is also a danger to Kin and her son.  If he doesn’t do something, any one of them could be next.

If you liked the first movie, you could probably enjoy this one.  It’s fun watching everything unfold.  Much of the movie is seeing what Rollie has up his sleeve.  We get to see Bluey, which is basically a large puppet that’s operated through telemetry.  (Someone else puts on a suit to make the puppet move.)  You know that’s going to come in useful at some point.  And, of course, there’s the fancy fish tank which may or may not make it to the end of the movie in one piece.

I’m not sure that I’d buy the movie separately, but there does appear to be a two-pack and I was able to get it streaming, although I think that’s going to be gone from Netflix by the time I post this review.  This isn’t to say it won’t come back or that it isn’t available elsewhere.  Netflix should also still have the title on DVD.  If  you can get it streaming or rent it from Netflix, go for it.


IMDb page
 

F/X (1986)

Note:  This review was originally posted to my Epinions account.

If you’re over 30, like I am, there are probably things you can remember that don’t exist any more.  I was born early enough to remember the tail end of rotary-dial telephones.  I went to middle school pre-Internet.  We didn’t have cell phones or laptops.  I can remember when VHS and BetaMax were fighting it out and you had to buy rolls of film for your camera.

Another thing of the past is analog special effects.  Back in 1986, movies accomplished special effects with actual items.   Rolland ‘Rollie’ Tyler is someone who specializes in this.  He’s so good that he’s called upon by the Department of Justice to help fake the death of a Mafia witness that’s going into protective custody.  No one will try to kill him if he’s dead.  Rollie is even asked to pull the trigger of the fake gun.

After the staged ‘hit’, Rollie realizes that he’s next.  The two people he was dealing with both try to kill him.  He’s really paranoid, now.  He can’t even be sure that it was blanks he used.  One of the guys kept playing with the gun.  This means that not only does he have to worry about the DOJ killing him, but he’s wanted for a murder that he may or may not have committed.

The rest of the movie is Rollie trying to get revenge on those that set him up.  Because of this, I’m going to end up with a very lopsided review.  The ‘death’ of the witness occurs early on in the film.  I’m not saying that this is good or bad or that the movie dragged on at all.  It’s just hard to give a lot of detail about a movie where most of it is one person out to get revenge.

It was just under 2 hours, which was about right.  I don’t really think much could have been cut out and it didn’t seem like anything needed to be expanded upon.  If you like this kind of movie, I think it would be enjoyable.  The only real complaint is that it’s dated.  Kids may watch this movie and wonder what half the stuff is.  I’d be interested in seeing a remake done in today’s world just to see how they’d do it.

It’s an interesting premise.  Apparently, they got a sequel and a TV series out of it, but I can’t attest to either one.  I may check out one or both if I get the chance.  As for this one, it may be worth getting just for the nostalgia.  Just be prepared to explain a lot of stuff if you’re watching it with kids. 

IMDb page