Brilliant but flawed

Rating: 6/10 (5 May 2017)

Flawed certainly if you're expecting a reprise of part 1 but certainly brilliant in the special effects which are extravagant and mind-numbingly overwhelming. The plot, minimal as it is, continues the saga of the first film but otherwise follows predictable sci-fi/comic-derived paths; character development is also minimal and phony, personal interactions and situations are sentimental and boring used mainly to provide relief from the near constant barrage of sound and explosive visuals; music is triumphal or soft and flowing as befits the screen action. It's also flawed in the sense that they tried to incorporate some of the features that made the 1st film such a surprise and delight: the sparkling, inventive dialogue with its outrageous puns and allusions to the 70's occurs in part 2 but now it's thrown in out of context and totally bewildering in terms of its meaning. Similarly the cassette of 70's music and some songs of the era make predictable appearances but in a casual, pointed and rather nonsensical way. Part 2 takes itself seriously like many other "save humanity from aliens" features whereas Part 1 was whimsical and lighthearted where Part 2 is angry, driven and almost brutal at times. I gave Part 2 6 for the captivating, riveting special effects but the other 4 are lost for trying to incorporate features of Part 1 that no longer fit. IMAX 3D is stunning and do sit through ALL the credits; you won't be disappointed.