Review by Steve Rhodes
2 stars out of 4
"I know you have to hate me for a while," Jessie Dage (Jessica Steen), the
granddaughter of a famous NHL star, tells the Chiefs, a bad news hockey team
that she is going to be coaching. In SLAP SHOT 2: BREAKING THE ICE, Dean
Claremont (Gary Busey), the nefarious head of a right wing group called "Better
America," has bought the Chiefs. They are to be renamed the Superchiefs, so as
not to offend Native Americans, and will become a clown team to be trounced in
every game by a group of Ivy League All-American boys called the Ice Breakers.
Like the WWF, the teams are to play carefully scripted games, which they will
rehearse in advance. Claremont has even hired a gay Broadway choreographer to
direct the teams. Tough guy Sean Linden (Stephen Baldwin), the Chief's old
player/coach, hates the whole idea but might sell his soul for the right
price.
How do you spell cliché?
The movie, which is sort of a sequel to George Roy Hill's SLAP SHOT from 1977,
which starred Paul Newman, isn't sure what kind of film it wants to be.
Generally it shoots and misses at being a broad slapstick comedy, with few of
its jokes scoring. Most miss by a mile. Sometimes the story wants to be taken
seriously and expects us to feel sorry for the poor Superchiefs. But, since
there aren't any credible characters, the movie doesn't have a chance of moving
us emotionally. Spoofing a sport with broad slapstick while maintaining a
serious undercurrent is quite possible, as READY TO RUMBLE proved.
The ending to SLAP SHOT 2, while completely predictable, is at least satisfying
and kind of funny. That is more than can be said for the rest of the movie.
SLAP SHOT 2: BREAKING THE ICE runs 1:44. It is rated R for `strong language and
some sexuality'. It would be acceptable for teenagers.
My son Jeffrey, almost 13, gave it ** 1/2, saying that it was "okay." He
thought parts of it were funny but that the plot was strange.
The movie is available now on video and DVD.
Copyright © 2002 Steve Rhodes
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