Back to the Future part II (1989)

 

I know that usually the 3rd installment in this series is considered the redheaded stepchild, but I have always felt this one was my least favourite. 

Boo! Hiss!

Yes, I know. Allow me to explain. 

Also: I still really like this film. I just think it is the least of the three. If you have three shiny diamonds and one is a little less shiny? That's this one, so it's not as bad as you assume.

Marty, his girlfriend and Doc head on to the future, because there is something going wrong with Marty's kids. And this is the bit I dislike the most: the future. There are a few reasons for this. You can forgive the film for being overly enthusiastic when it came to portraying 2015. I mean: they got absolutely everything wrong, but you're not supposed to take it all too seriously. Alas, we have no flying cars (commercially), no real hoverboards, self-lacing shoes, 'Jaws 19' (although that is a funny stab at producer Steven Spielberg)... The dresscode seems more akin to the 80s and less to our current aesthetic, which come to think of it is not really any aesthetic at all. But all that can be forgiven. I just don't get why they have to change things in the future, as the future according to these films, is always in flux. You have to change things in the past in order for the future to differ. 

But of course, they need a reason for the story to unfold, and that is that old Biff Tannen picks up a sports almanac with results from 1950 to the 2000s and he steals the DeLorean in order to give this to his younger self. So when Marty and Doc come back to 1986, things are definitely different and it's almost like a dystopian Las Vegas, with Biff as the most evil and ruthless (and wealthiest) man alive. So now Marty and Doc have to return to 1955 - again - to get the almanac and stop Biff from changing everything in his favour. 

There is still a lot to love. Marty and Doc are adorable as always, even though I never got the sudden introduction of Marty's inability to turn away whenever someone calls him a chicken. It becomes a running gag, but I don't get it. The alternate timeline schtick is fun although it can get a little confusing at times. 

Who really shines in this one is Thomas Wilson as Biff. Where he was just a bully in the previous one, here he becomes a full blown evil monster, one of the classic villains of cinema history and he does so with relish. God, you just love to hate this character, whereas he used to be just a nuisance. So well played there. 

I just don't like the future segment that kicks off this film. I can't put my finger on it, but it feels off and a little forced. You could also argue that going back to the exact situations of the first film is lazy, but in all fairness: it makes for some entertaining scenes and juggling their objective with staying out of sight for the most part gives it some tension as well. 

All in all, this is once again a very well put together film that is highly enjoyable, it's just a little less so than the first one.