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RTTP: Back to the Future II is too maligned
- Thread starter The Technomancer
- Start date
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Screaming Meat
Unconfirmed Member
OP:
People think BttF II is bad.
Everyone else:
Glad to see I wasn't crazy in thinking the 2nd was loved.
"Are you Marty McFly?!" Great scene. I feel like the first is incredibly iconic, the second is memorable in its own way, and the third movie exists purely to set up the only funny joke in A Million Ways to Die in the West.
People think BttF II is bad.
Everyone else:
Glad to see I wasn't crazy in thinking the 2nd was loved.
"Are you Marty McFly?!" Great scene. I feel like the first is incredibly iconic, the second is memorable in its own way, and the third movie exists purely to set up the only funny joke in A Million Ways to Die in the West.
He's in 2. Wasnt he in that upside down hover stretcher?
OP:
People think BttF II is bad.
Everyone else:
Glad to see I wasn't crazy in thinking the 2nd was loved.
"Are you Marty McFly?!" Great scene.
"He's alive!! The Doc's alive! He's in the Old West but he's alive!!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l8Om95yiHU
That's actor Jeffrey Weissman, who replaced Glover in BTTFII and III. Glover was not on the sequels except for stock footage (Which later caused Glover to demand Universal Studios).
Here's a picture with both actors playing George McFly. Glover at the right, Weissman left.
Weissman had to use facial prosthetics to resemble Glover.
KnockOneOff
Banned
2,1,3 the end
BttF 2 is fun because of the time-hopping that happens and is probably the best of the three. While the future stuff goes on for a bit, it had a ton of pretty funny humor about how the future would be and some shocking accuracy. No hover boards, but games with motion controls, wide screen TVs, and at home video conferencing they got. Plus it had some good humor like the bit with the cubs and Jaws 23.
You have to talk BttF 3 a little different because it's a weird take on a Clint Eastwood Western and way less a time travel movie outside of the start and finish, but still is chock full of good moments. It also is the one with a bigger focus on the love story than the first two.
You have to talk BttF 3 a little different because it's a weird take on a Clint Eastwood Western and way less a time travel movie outside of the start and finish, but still is chock full of good moments. It also is the one with a bigger focus on the love story than the first two.
CloudyTuba
Member
I rank the films in the same order they were released.
The best is the first.
The best is the first.
The future scenes in BttF2 are kinda fun, but the movie just... I mean, it rides on the coat tails of the original for the most part. It didn't need to happen. BttF1 is a really, really well made film that stands apart from the others.
I can't explain where all this boundless love for 2 and 3 sprouts from. I guess people are fans of the lore or the world, and not films as craft? But if you found it insanely entertaining then it worked for you, so who am I to judge.
I can't explain where all this boundless love for 2 and 3 sprouts from. I guess people are fans of the lore or the world, and not films as craft? But if you found it insanely entertaining then it worked for you, so who am I to judge.
freeofgreed
Member
2 was the first one I saw so therefore it'll always be my favorite of the 3.
BKatastrophe
Member
I've always found that BttF3 is the superior sequel to BttF2, since it builds off of it really well, but I always enjoyed BttF2 far more as a film. Even though BttF2's entire premise doesn't necessarily make sense.
sketchsanchez
Member
I said this the last time Part 2 was brought up around here
I stand by it. Part 3 is vastly superior to 2 but mostly because of things set up in part 2 (and 1 obviously). 3 is just a more focused and heartwarming film.
I stand by it. Part 3 is vastly superior to 2 but mostly because of things set up in part 2 (and 1 obviously). 3 is just a more focused and heartwarming film.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
You might be confusing it with Ghostbusters 2, which is considered weaker? Back to the Future 2 is widely liked, IIRC.
AllIsOneIsNone
Banned
I used to like the 2nd one the best when I was a kid, but now my opinions are:
-First one is a masterpiece. Top 3 favorite movies ever.
-Second one is a fun mess. It's pretty much a satirized version of itself but it still maintains some of the magic of the original. Ironically though, it's stuck in the present of the time it was made: the 80's. The view of the future is probably what it would be like if a new type of cocaine was invented and fashion trends completely halted.
-Third one is a solid movie, but the plot is boring and the doesn't have any twists or turns in regards to time, which is the whole point of the first 2. It's also just a tired retreading of the exact same stuff as the first 2, it doesn't have anything new to offer.
They're still all good movies, but the first one is on a completely different level.
And most people I know think the second is the weakest, btw. I don't agree with that, but OP's sources are sound; that opinion is fairly widespread even if it isn't the case here.
-First one is a masterpiece. Top 3 favorite movies ever.
-Second one is a fun mess. It's pretty much a satirized version of itself but it still maintains some of the magic of the original. Ironically though, it's stuck in the present of the time it was made: the 80's. The view of the future is probably what it would be like if a new type of cocaine was invented and fashion trends completely halted.
-Third one is a solid movie, but the plot is boring and the doesn't have any twists or turns in regards to time, which is the whole point of the first 2. It's also just a tired retreading of the exact same stuff as the first 2, it doesn't have anything new to offer.
They're still all good movies, but the first one is on a completely different level.
And most people I know think the second is the weakest, btw. I don't agree with that, but OP's sources are sound; that opinion is fairly widespread even if it isn't the case here.
R10Neymarfan
Member
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crimzonflame
Member
I think I liked 3 better than 2. I just like how Marty is such a hero at the end of 3.
Delta Assault
Member
No, it's maligned about the right amount.
It's nowhere near as good as the first, and a big headache in terms of time travel.
But it's also nowhere near as bad as the third one. Seriously, who the hell cared about the love life of Doc Brown?
It's nowhere near as good as the first, and a big headache in terms of time travel.
But it's also nowhere near as bad as the third one. Seriously, who the hell cared about the love life of Doc Brown?
This part is hilarious
Alex_Mexico
Member
Rockandrollclown
lookwhatyou'vedone
First one is a masterpiece. 2 and 3 are enjoyable movies, but not even close to the greatness of the first.
I did.
I really liked that Part III focused more on Doc.
In fact, Marty is never the focus on any of the three movies. The original is more focused on George (And to a lesser extent, Lorraine), the second one is all about Biff, and the third one is about Doc Brown.
I loved how the third movie kind of reversed the roles, with Marty being the voice of reason during most of the movie, while Doc became the "teenager in love", to the point where they even swap their catchphrases in one scene.
EDIT: And the final scenes of Part III with the train pushing the DeLorean were truly AMAZING. Besides, the ending always brings a tear to my eye.
"Where are you going now? Back to the future?"
"Nope! Already been there!"
:')
Jack Scofield
Member
Going back to 1955 Hill Valley is one of my favorite parts in the entire franchise.
DontBeThatGuy
Member
BTTF 2 was my favorite when I was a kid, mostly because of the future section, but also because of dark alternative 1985. I still dig the hell out of it but the first is better, and the third is well, third. If I come across any of them while watching television, I'll usually stick around for a bit, if not for the entirety.
SigmasonicX
Member
Part III was the first one I watched, so it's my favorite.
Nerdkiller
Membeur
You already stated that not only is Temple a good movie (it isn't and is the one Indy movie that made me angry) but better than Raiders. Might as well come out and say it.
Do I say it or do I keep my mouth shut?
Not that Spidey 1 is any bad or anything, it's still one of the all time superhero greats. I'm just surprised that it wasn't Spidey 3 that was the choice.
And even that is better than both ASM movies.
One of the best scenes in the movie was cut, where Marty meets his brother in the future, because they couldn't cast the same actor playing McFly's sister (although that didn't stop them from recasting his girlfriend and his dad). Instead of leaving her fate to the viewer's imagination, they opted to omit it entirely.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
platypotamus
Member
I really loved the interplay between the first movie's 1955 stuff and the second movie's
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD63ChsBakw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD63ChsBakw
Chuck Norris
Banned
Why is it so many cast members couldn't be reused?
Lee Chaolan
Member
Same. Growing up I always liked II more, though you can't deny the brilliance of I that allowed the series to even garner two more sequels.
III is still pretty good too, but under the rest.
BttF is my favorite trilogy of all time. Even over Indy. (Yes, Crusade is miles better than both Raiders and Temple. Yes. Search your heart and know it's true.)
BttF2 is one of my favorite movies of all time. It's messy, in the same way that eating some good hot wings or ribs can be messy.
I don't know (m)any people that think 3 was better than 2, although 3 has it's charms, too.
I just love the movies, man. Love the movies.
(BTW, the ending of 2 is one of the best cliffhanger endings ever in movie history.)
BttF2 is one of my favorite movies of all time. It's messy, in the same way that eating some good hot wings or ribs can be messy.
I don't know (m)any people that think 3 was better than 2, although 3 has it's charms, too.
"I ALREADY DONE SHOT THAT HORSE!"
I just love the movies, man. Love the movies.
(BTW, the ending of 2 is one of the best cliffhanger endings ever in movie history.)
In my opinion, the first movie is the best I've ever seen at laying down foreshadowing for multiple time periods in the first 10-15 minutes of a movie. Every conversation, every little thing you see happen has meaning somewhere else in the movie. The clock tower story, Jennifer's number, the story about Biff crashing George McFly's car and bullying him into doing his work, Doc's story about how the shopping mall used to be a farm, and so on.
Second movie gets a little crazy with all the hopping but I feel like it has a good balance of doing its own thing while also weaving through the existing timeline from the first movie. And the ending is just great.
Second movie gets a little crazy with all the hopping but I feel like it has a good balance of doing its own thing while also weaving through the existing timeline from the first movie. And the ending is just great.
Crispin Glover reportedly asked for too much money (He denies this to this day, instead saying that he had "problems with the script" and when he told Zemeckis and Gale about this, they kicked him out).
Marty's sister, Linda McFly was played by Wendie Jo Sperber on the first movie. She didn't come back for the second because she was pregnant at the time. Unfortunately she died of cancer in 2005.
I think those two are the only actors that didn't come back for the sequels.
EDIT: How could I forget Jennifer. She was played by Claudia Wells on the first movie but was recasted with Elisabeth Shue for the sequels, because Wells had to take care of her mother who had been diagnosed with cancer.
Tertullian
Member
Love BttF trilogy. They're all good. The third is probably the weakest; structurally and emotionally it retreads the first movie.
DiipuSurotu
Banned
Part II had three big problems:
1/ No Crispin Glover
2/ No Claudia Wells
3/ The "chicken" stuff came out of nowhere
Still a great movie, but not perfect like the original.
1/ No Crispin Glover
2/ No Claudia Wells
3/ The "chicken" stuff came out of nowhere
Still a great movie, but not perfect like the original.
I find BTTF2 both fascinating and unappealing at the same time. It's fun for what it is. But it gets caught up in it's weirdly dark turn and time jumping plot. My wife and a friend had both seen BTTF1 a lot, but never watched the sequels. When I made them watch 2, they found it a lot less fun. Seems totally understandable. After the hoverboard sequence the movie just bogs down in plot and doesn't work on the levels the first one does. It has stand out scenes throughout, but never comes together as well.
Probably why I like 3 more (obviously BTTF being the best). It's got a lot of heart, isn't trying to impress with time-hopping antics. It gets back to being a human story about people. It's still downright silly, but it's way more controlled that 2. Plus, I have always loooved the train sequence since I was a kid.
Probably why I like 3 more (obviously BTTF being the best). It's got a lot of heart, isn't trying to impress with time-hopping antics. It gets back to being a human story about people. It's still downright silly, but it's way more controlled that 2. Plus, I have always loooved the train sequence since I was a kid.
By the way, just a little trivia regarding Tom Wilson (Biff/Griff/Bufford Tannen). Most fans already know this, but some people new to the franchise may not.
Tom Wilson had lots of fun playing a bully in all three movies, because he is actually a very calm, gentle person. He says that during his own youth, he was actually more like "George McFly". He was bullied, he had asthma and was basically a nerd that got harassed by the bullies. He says that there was a bully gang in his school that would constantly harass him and punch him in the back of the head, and as time went on, the bullying against him actually kept increasing.
One would never imagine this due to his appearance and size.
Zemeckis, Gale and Michael J. Fox describe him as a "gentle giant" who would never hurt a fly.
During some of the violent scenes with Crispin Glover (George McFly), Tom would actually stop the scene and ask Crispin if he was ok (Since Glover's acting was very convincing).
Nowadays Tom Wilson is a stand up comedian, and he is actually trying his best to distance himself from the BTTF franchise. He will no longer sign any products related to the franchise and will refuse to speak about it. He says he doesn't want to hang from nostalgia as a "pop icon of the 80's" instead trying to push his present-day career.
He even wrote a song about how annoyed he is about people constantly asking questions about Back to the Future, and he also wrote a letter about it. He hands over this letter to any person who insists on asking him about Back to the Future.
And here's the (very funny) song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmjYimspW-4
Tom Wilson had lots of fun playing a bully in all three movies, because he is actually a very calm, gentle person. He says that during his own youth, he was actually more like "George McFly". He was bullied, he had asthma and was basically a nerd that got harassed by the bullies. He says that there was a bully gang in his school that would constantly harass him and punch him in the back of the head, and as time went on, the bullying against him actually kept increasing.
One would never imagine this due to his appearance and size.
Zemeckis, Gale and Michael J. Fox describe him as a "gentle giant" who would never hurt a fly.
During some of the violent scenes with Crispin Glover (George McFly), Tom would actually stop the scene and ask Crispin if he was ok (Since Glover's acting was very convincing).
Nowadays Tom Wilson is a stand up comedian, and he is actually trying his best to distance himself from the BTTF franchise. He will no longer sign any products related to the franchise and will refuse to speak about it. He says he doesn't want to hang from nostalgia as a "pop icon of the 80's" instead trying to push his present-day career.
He even wrote a song about how annoyed he is about people constantly asking questions about Back to the Future, and he also wrote a letter about it. He hands over this letter to any person who insists on asking him about Back to the Future.
And here's the (very funny) song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmjYimspW-4
Mad Season
Banned
3 is terrible . The doc Claire love story ruined it. 2 is amazing
As cool as the future aesthetic generally is, it was only really a selling point in terms of visuals and I think they got about the most out of it as they could possibly get considering the story. The only use a future-traveling plot had was remedying a small fix to Marty's family life. Anything else that could be "fixed" in the future would be entirely informed by the mistakes they made in the past, or also in this case, future devices creating a paradoxical displacement in the past.
By the way, just a little trivia regarding Tom Wilson (Biff/Griff/Bufford Tannen). Most fans already know this, but some people new to the franchise may not.
Tom Wilson had lots of fun playing a bully in all three movies, because he is actually a very calm, gentle person. He says that during his own youth, he was actually more like "George McFly". He was bullied, he had asthma and was basically a nerd that got harassed by the bullies. He says that there was a bully gang in his school that would constantly harass him and punch him in the back of the head, and as time went on, the bullying against him actually kept increasing.
One would never imagine this due to his appearance and size.
Zemeckis, Gale and Michael J. Fox describe him as a "gentle giant" who would never hurt a fly.
During some of the violent scenes with Crispin Glover (George McFly), Tom would actually stop the scene and ask Crispin if he was ok (Since Glover's acting was very convincing).
Nowadays Tom Wilson is a stand up comedian, and he is actually trying his best to distance himself from the BTTF franchise. He will no longer sign any products related to the franchise and will refuse to speak about it. He says he doesn't want to hang from nostalgia as a "pop icon of the 80's" instead trying to push his present-day career.
He even wrote a song about how annoyed he is about people constantly asking questions about Back to the Future, and he also wrote a letter about it. He hands over this letter to any person who insists on asking him about Back to the Future.
And here's the (very funny) song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmjYimspW-4
He easily vindicates a common line of thought in regards to bullies that most bullies really only pick on you because innately they fear you're just really better than them.
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