Major League II

Plot synopsis:
In the previous season, the Cleveland Indians won the division title by beating the New York Yankees in a one-game playoff, but were defeated in the ALCS by the Chicago White Sox.
The success of last season has changed the attitudes of the Indians. Pitching sensation Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn has become a media sensation and as such is now more concerned about his public image than his pitching, causing him to lose the edge on his fastball. Instead, he begins to rely on highly ineffective breaking balls, to which he gives nicknames such as "Eliminator" and "Humiliator." Home run hitter Pedro Cerrano becomes a Buddhist and adopts a more placid, carefree style as opposed to the angry and aggressive player he was before. Center fielder Willie Mays Hayes is still as fast as ever but is more concerned with hitting home runs and his movie career, which saw him star in an action film that was a flop and resulted in him spraining his knee. Aging catcher Jake Taylor has also returned and conceited third baseman Roger Dorn has retired and purchased the team from its previous owner, Rachel Phelps. One of his first acts as owner is to sign Oakland Athletics all-star catcher Jack Parkman, which forces Jake to compete for his old position. Jack Parkman is an arrogant jerk who thinks this team is a joke. To further complicate things, minor-league catcher Rube Baker has also been invited to camp despite his inability to throw the ball back to the pitcher with any consistency.
As the team breaks camp, Taylor discovers that although he has made the team, he believes there is no way that manager Lou Brown is going to carry three catchers as Parkman and Rube have also made the team. Lou, after being confronted by Jake, informs Taylor that he is not going to carry him as a player but as a coach. While initially upset over being forced into retirement and with the small amount of job offers he gets, Jake elects to take Lou's offer and join the coaching staff.
Once again, the Indians start slow as Cerrano's religious conversion causes him to struggle, Hayes refuses to play even with the slightest injury, Vaughn's control problems continue to plague him and Parkman's ego poisons the clubhouse. To make matters worse, Dorn has been unable to keep up with the franchise's finances and is forced to do strange things to bring in money, such as covering the outfield walls with advertising. Eventually, Lou reaches the end of his tolerance regarding Parkman and decides to suspend him after Parkman criticizes the team in the local papers. Parkman then informs Lou that the suspension is moot as he has been traded to the White Sox. Lou confronts Dorn for not consulting him about the trade. Dorn explains that he could no longer afford to pay Parkman's salary and had no choice but to trade him. In return, Japanese import Isuro "Kamikaze" Tanaka, a gifted left fielder with a penchant for crashing into the fence, is sent to the Indians.
Finally out of options, Dorn sells the Indians back to Rachel Phelps. Rachel keeps Dorn on as the Indians general manager and his first order of business is to re-activate himself as a player. Rachel doesn't need the money; she has more than enough. She bought the team back as revenge for ruining her plan to move the team to Miami and now since this team is in last place, she has another chance to bring it back and watch them go down in flames for good. Lou suffers a heart attack in the clubhouse due to his frustration over the team's performance and Jake is given the reins of the team.
Things come to a head during a doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox. Rube is hit by a pitch in his ankle and Hayes is called upon to run for him. Hayes refuses to do it, which angers Jake. Vaughn chimes in, which causes Hayes to bring up his own struggles and the two begin fighting. Soon, the entire team gets involved and begins fighting each other, resulting in everyone being ejected. After the game, Tanaka criticizes Cerrano for not having any "marbles" due to his struggles and Hayes makes a wisecrack at Baker about his injury, while Rube chastises Hayes and the rest of the team for their lack of passion. Inspired by the speech, Hayes volunteers to run for the injured Baker in the bottom of the ninth inning of the second game and promptly steals second, third and home to tie the score. Cerrano, also inspired, demands that Jake insert him into the game to pinch hit and he responds by hitting the game-winning home run.
The win sparks a hot streak that the Indians ride all the way to a second straight division title, clinched by beating the Toronto Blue Jays on the last day of the season. Despite the team's hot streak, Vaughn continues to slump as his ineffective breaking pitches have caused him to lose confidence in his best pitch, his fastball. To make matters worse, he refuses to finish games he starts and has allowed the fans to get into his head.
In the ALCS, the Indians square off in a rematch with the White Sox and win the first three games of the series. This inspires Rachel to give the team a phony pep talk before Game 4, which is purposely designed to get in the heads of the players and distract them. It works, as a still struggling Vaughn gives up a game-winning home run to Parkman in the bottom of the ninth. The White Sox then defeat the Indians in the next two games, forcing a seventh game in Cleveland.
The night before the game, Jake goes to visit Vaughn at his home and tells him that he might be called on to pitch in relief in Game 7. Vaughn nonchalantly tells Taylor he will be ready, which infuriates Jake to the point where he lashes out at Vaughn. He calls Vaughn out for having lost his edge and not having his head in the game and tells him that he is of no use to the team if he continues playing the way he is. Before Taylor leaves, he tells Vaughn to find his edge if it has not already escaped him.
The White Sox jump out to an early 2–1 lead in Game 7 after Parkman bowls over Rube on a play at the plate, taunting him as he struggles to get up. With the Indians down by one, Hayes reaches base on a walk and taunts Parkman by saying he is going to score on the play without sliding. Rube then lines a drive to the left field corner and Hayes rounds the bases and heads for home. The ball gets to Parkman first, but Hayes, making good on his promise not to slide, hurdles over Parkman and lands on home plate. Parkman responds, however, by hitting a three-run home run in the seventh inning and the White Sox take a 5–3 lead into the bottom of the eighth.
Although the Indians get a runner on, two quick outs are recorded and Jake is forced to make a strategic move he had tried to avoid the whole season. Although Dorn is still on the active roster, up until this point, Jake refuses to put him into a game and even mocks him for signing himself. The pitcher on the mound for the White Sox has had great success against Dorn in his career, but always pitched him inside. Based on that, Jake sends Dorn to pinch hit and "take one for the team" so the tying run can get on base. Dorn takes a pitch in the back and is pulled for a pinch runner, eventually being forced to the bench despite his best efforts to stay in.
Cerrano steps in, having apparently reverted to his more placid self. He greets Parkman, who reminds him that his team is still losing the game. After taking two pitches and being impressed by them, Cerrano's teammates begin shaking little bags of marbles at him. The Cuban slugger amazingly is able to find a balance between the calmer and the more angry sides of him and drills the next pitch over the fence to give the Indians a 6–5 lead. As he steps on home plate, Cerrano emphatically tells Parkman, "Look at the scoreboard now, grasshopper!"
The game is not over yet, as the go-ahead runs reach base with two outs in the top of the ninth. Jake calls on Vaughn to get the final out and to everyone's amazement, Vaughn takes Jake's message to heart and has apparently rediscovered his edge. To further this, he tells Jake that he does not want to pitch to the batter he was called upon to face. Instead he wants another shot at Parkman, who is on deck. Jake cannot believe what Vaughn is suggesting, as an intentional walk will load the bases. Vaughn states again that he wants to face his old nemesis one more time. Convinced, Jake hands Vaughn the ball and he walks the batter ahead of Parkman to bring him to the plate with a chance to drive in the go-ahead runs.
Vaughn throws a fastball that Parkman swings through for strike one, then follows with another fastball that Parkman fouls straight back. With two strikes on him, an impressed Parkman dares Vaughn to throw it a third time. Vaughn fearlessly complies telling him that if he gets a piece of it he can rename it, while Rube attempts to get back at Parkman and taunt him the same way he had been taunted earlier. Vaughn delivers one more fastball and Parkman swings through it, striking out to end the game and send the Indians to the World Series. Phelps' plan to get rid of the players and move the team to Miami fails once again.

Tags: comedy

Review:
I don't know why the harsh rating, I mean, despite the fact that a few actors were replaced, I thought that Major League 2 was a decent comedy.
I liked how they showed that most of the guys changed, it was so human and added a real story.The boys are back for the next season, this time Rachel has sold the team to Roger and he is in charge.
Major League 2 is a good comedy if you just let go of the first one, I know that most don't want to since the first was so original and a great comedy as well, but just give it a shot as it's own movie.
Okay, the original "Major League" (1989) was a great movie and the surprise hit of 1989.
Unlike alot of other sequels, most of the original crowd is back (including Charlie Sheen as Rick Vaughn and Tom Berenger as Jake Taylor), save for Wesley Snipes, whose role of Willie "Mays" Hayes is reprised by then-up-and-coming Omar Epps (who pokes fun at Snipes' then-rising career as an action film star in a very funny sequence with Jake Ventura).
The original film focused more on the story of a bunch of has-beens and never-will-bes trying to have "one last good day in the sun" playing for the struggling Cleveland Indians.
"Major League II" seems to like to jump quickly through the story, however, so you don't get as much of a sense of what's on the line for the team like you did in the original.
He appearance midway through the film (combined with alot of other mid-mark plot changes) makes it seem like the writers and director changed their minds on the story halfway through making the film and tried to weld it all together into something cohesive.There are alot of great lines in this film though and some truly funny parts.
Announcer Harry Doyle is outspoken as ever, but I think he made a bigger impact in the first movie.Charlie Sheen, Corbin Bernsen, Tom Berenger, James Gammon, Margaret Whitton and Bob Uecker reprise their roles with relish.
But aside from that, it really isn't as bad as it's being made out to be.In my opinion, the biggest flaw was that it was supposed to be the `very' next year, but in reality the movie was filmed five years later.
Instead, Major League did what was predicted and made a sequel that is (a) PG and not on par with the original and (b) doesn't include all of the original actors.I could tell from the beginning of the film that director David S.
Snipes is replaced with Omar Epps, who is decent, but not as funny as the way Snipes portrayed the character of Willy Mays Hayes.The plot: The Indians open up next season confident because of their big surprise last year.
Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn (Sheen), the team's star player, has quit sporting his bad boy image and now has a cleaner act.
And the team's oddball player Pedro Cerrano (Haysbert) has converted to Buddhism and is way more of a relaxed player.Major League II is more or less a remake of the first film with some new little perks.
When it comes to baseball movies there isn't a whole lot of originality.
As well as the character of the Indians announcer Harry Doyle (Uecker) who has a major alcohol problem throughout the season while announcing the games.
The obsessed, fair weather Indians fan played by Randy Quaid is nothing but annoying as well.Several things drag Major League II in the gutter, but it still is a fair sequel.
I feel this is the best sequel to Major League we're going to get.
Ward wants the film to be titled Major League III, even though chronologically it's Major League IV.Regardless, I feel Back to the Minors will conclude the series good or bad.
This could've all been avoided if we just left the film alone where it was; a funny and clever baseball comedy.Starring: Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Corbin Bernsen, Dennis Haysbert, Omar Epps, David Keith, Margaret Whitton, James Gammon, and Bob Uecker.
Also, this film is missing Wesley Snipes as he is replaced by Omar Epps which he would have been okay had he been in the first one, but after seeing Snipes in the role I did not really care for the recast.
The film focuses more on Charlie Sheen as Ricky and he has some funny moments as does Randy Quaid as a disenfranchised fan.
This movie is basically a dumbed-down version of the original.Most of the original crew is back, except for Willie Mays Hayes' sudden transformation into Omar Epps (who tries too hard to be Wesley Snipes).
Roger Dorn now owns the team, Jake Taylor is a coach and both Pedro Cerrano and Rick Vaughn have gone soft.
The premise of the movie is basically the same as the original "Major League." The team was good at the end of last year, starts out lousy and now is trying to get to the playoffs again.I won't go into the ridiculousness of a catcher who can't throw a ball back to the pitcher being on a Major League roster or a right fielder who practices yoga-type exercises in the field during play.
Like I said, I wanted to like this movie but I just couldn't."Major League II" is a rehashing of the original with the same basic plot and less comedy.
I personally loved the original "Major League," and feel it's a classic among sports movies.
You have no manners!"  And how can we have a kick-ass sequel without the return of Charlie Sheen as Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn?!!!
When Wild Thing finally returns to his old ways (don't worry, I'm not giving anything away) you just want to jump up and cheer like you're at the game yourself and sing along to "Wild Thing."  The coach (James Gammon) returns and has a funny subplot in which he passes out from a heart attack, getting sent to the hospital and not being allowed to watch baseball since doctors feel it'll be detrimental to his health.
Its basically a weaker version of the first film so I can't say its a bad movie but I can't say I liked it either
In addition, they have also acquired a veteran catcher by the name of "Jack Parkman" (David Keith) and a rookie at the same position named "Rube Baker" (Eric Bruskotter) to replace "Jake Taylor" (Tom Berenger) who has moved to a coaching spot.
However, things aren't necessarily as good as they seem as the players they counted on have all lost their spark and to make matters even worse Roger Dorn overestimated his investment and has had to resell the team to--of all people--Rachel Phelps.
All things considered then, while it wasn't a great film by any means, I suppose it wasn't necessarily that bad and I have rated it accordingly.
Major League was funny, engaging and exciting and the baseball was reasonably realistic.
Instead, he wrote, in my opinion, one of the most incisive and thorough looks at behind-the-scenes major league baseball that Hollywood has ever produced.If you approach this movie from a drama perspective, rather than solely a comedy one, you will see that it addresses what motivates (and hinders) big-league players, not only in baseball, but in all professional sports.Of important note was; the effect that romantic partners can have on the individual's performance, the role (and prevalence) of psycho-therapy as a much-resorted-to tool in the player's arsenal, the need for money as impetus-to-perform and the need to just be a a part of baseball (Jake Taylor's eventual concession to go from player to coach).
For Rick Vaughan, it was to live every moment like it could be his last.., and to forget about tomorrow.The skull-duggery and chicanery in M.L.B. were not shied-way-from in this movie: The general manager still had a vendetta against the team and wanted it to lose (probably for financial reasons).
The disgusting, vile hate that spews from some "fans" mouths is even worse that that displayed by Quaid.A brilliant-if-exaggerated example of the psychological role in athletic performance is that characterized by the catcher (Rube Baker, played by Eric Bruskotter): He needed a distraction to prevent him from thinking (and worrying) too much when he threw the ball back to the pitcher.Athletes use these devices all the time, and many infielders have lost their fear of the ball with similar psychological tactics.Vaughan decided to allow passion back into his life, and was all-the-better for it.
I wish they had given Hayes a bigger role in the movie, he perhaps learning a mnemonic to break a batting slump.The funny parts kept Major League II entertaining, but anyone who knows baseball can realize that this movie is much, much more.
James Gammon as the team's manager was the ideal casting choice, and his short scene when Tom Berenger visited his home is one of the most memorable baseball scenes I have ever seen in a movie.
I would have liked Major League II to have gotten a little deeper inside Vaughan's head...Just a couple more scenes where perhaps Nikki, perhaps the shrink, perhaps the kids.., help Rick find out why he started hedging his bets in life.
When he intentionally walked the utility player to get to the slugger Parkman, we knew he was again "throwing his A game".Without becoming melo-dramatic or insisting on turning the movie into a serious baseball drama, David Ward and R.J. Stewart gave us something of lasting value.
If you watch Major League II just looking for goofy antics, you'll probably rate it poorly.., or maybe your eyes are just getting old..
In movies like this, I personally don't really care how good the acting is or how corny the plot is (cheesy romance, ridiculous comebacks, etc) so long as it remains interesting.
Like, Will Gehring, Ph.D., I also played a character in this movie (White Sox pitcher on Opening Day who gives up long fly balls to Willie Mays Hayes (Epps)).
I think there were a few too many new characters trying to be developed in a short amount of time and it left the movie disjointed, which didn't keep the funny parts held together or the viewer continually interested.
I can't explain how anyone could get the idea that a near identical retelling of "Major League" Part I got actually be a success with any audience at all.I mean, the wisecracks and the sitcom in Part I worked - but you can't make a movie by just repeating them!!!The few new elements were quite lame, and what totally destroyed it was the terrible German dubbing job.So this a definite no no.
I like baseball movies, so after laughing wildly at "Major League" I thought i would give the sequel a try.
"Major League 2" does not have nearly as many laughs as the original, but it certainly does have it moments.
But overall this movie was fun to watch because most of the team was back from the original..
Charlie Sheen as Ricky "the wild thing" Vaughn has replaced Tom Berenger's Jake Taylor as the film's leading man, and centers around The Wild Thing basically being castrated and becoming more commercial and career seeking.
A recurring cameo by the ever funny Randy Quaid is totally wasted, Sheen and Berenger look bored.The original was hardly original (hmmm...) but it was well written and expertly performed; a real home run.
As far as I'm aware this didn't do nearly as well as the original in theaters and it's not hard to understand why.Most of the original cast returns - mainly Tom Berenger and Charlie Sheen though - to once again spoof baseball.
Major League 2(1994) never expands on that relationship thus making the film less enjoyable to watch.
Rick Vaughn (Charlie Sheen) returns but is no longer the Wild Thing.
Omar Epps is the new Willie Mays Hayes who's in love with the long ball and his B-movie role.
Major League II (1994) ** (out of 4) Lame sequel finds most of the original cast members back as the Cleveland Indians try to improve on their previous season.
To call MAJOR LEAGUE II a disappointment would be an understatement especially when you consider how great the original was.
They just casually slipped that in there like we weren't supposed to notice, but I never really could accept this as being the same character that I loved so much in the first film.As far as the comedy, it's a bit more slap-stick than the original.
They just casually slipped that in there like we weren't supposed to notice, but I never really could accept this as being the same character that I loved so much in the first film.As far as the comedy, it's a bit more slap-stick than the original.
You get "Major League II", a watchable but weak sequel to a classic film.Charlie Sheen carries this film, easily.
But the real selling point -- if there is one -- is Randy Quaid, whose "Wild Thing" taunts were just about the only funny parts in the whole film.Worse a look if you liked the original, but you might just be better off pretending this one never existed..
If you're looking for a baseball comedy, stick with the original Major League..
It's still good because of Charlie Sheen and David Keith's roles in the movie, but there's not enough baseball action.
Omar Epps wasn't bad, but he didn't have the stuff that Wesley Snipes had as Willie Mays Hayes in the first one.
Save your money and rent the original Major League movie instead.*.
(Check the ring on Taylor's finger.) But she only has 1 scene.Pedro & Dorn are both embarressments & Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn (Sheen) is riding down that road in the beginning of the movie but by the end, he comes to his senses with the help of an old biker flame & a bunch of could-be j.d.'s.
"Major League 2" brings back almost the entire cast from the original and adds a few new faces as well.
You got an All-Star cast of not only the BEST actor in any baseball movie ever created, yes, Tom Beringer..
(It's only fitting, because Major League 2 is itself a fun and care-free movie.)  But that's not all!
(And my grandmother could have played a better Jake Taylor than the hypnotically boring Tom Berenger.)  Still, I am thinking of buying this movie because I never tire of watching it..
Not nearly as funny as Major League this is still a decent enough sequel.
Omar Epps replaces Wesley Snipes and while I like both actors Snipes was better as Willie Mays Hayes.
I know some people are reading that title and thinking, "Wow, this guy's an idiot." But please, hear me out."Major League II" is the best of the trilogy, and is an absolutely hilarious baseball film for those who know the game well, and know how truly outlandish this movie is.
Outlandish, however, in a good way.First let me tell you that "Major League II" is a cult classic amongst young baseball players on Long Island.
For example, a pitcher might come in out of the bullpen to face a couple of batters, perform poorly, and then immediately get yanked out of the game...Cue someone on the bench saying, "Nice game." Others on the bench will instantly begin laughing, and then talk about another scene they think of from "Major League II." The "nice game" line is a reference to manager Jake Taylor taking Roger Dorn out of the game following his only at bat of the season...a hit by pitch.
After a hilarious "oh God!" and tumble to the ground, Dorn temporarily refuses to be relieved by a pinch runner.He eventually gives in and is greeted by Taylor, who pats him on the butt and says, "Nice game." Of course there are other classics like: "He'd need a rocket up his a$$ to get to that one!"; Jack Parkman mimicking Taylor's bad knees during the preseason; "I think I'll call it the 'Masterbator'; 'Kamikaze' Tanaka's many amusing contributions; 'Wild Thing' Vaughn's "that's enough for today" after five pitches in Spring Training...and more.Look, with "Major League II," you can't take it seriously.
Just take this film for what it is...The funniest baseball movie of all time, and quite simply, the best..
The original "Major League" had a distinct heart that's all but gone this lackluster sequel.
Retreading the first movie in nearly every way, "Major League II" takes the lazy way out and turns these great characters into cartoons for cheap laughs.
Major League II is still a good movie but by no means is it in the same league as the original Major League.The first movie ends with the Indians finally making the playoffs for the first time in 40 years.
They went onto being swept by the White Sox in the ALCS so the enemy team of this movie is now the W.Sox. The Indians big free agent pickup in the off season was a guy named Jack Parkman who while a great player ends up being a real prick and causing dissension in the clubhouse.
For people not on the team you have Randy Quaid in a good role as the heckler in the outfield, very funny.
I don't know why there's so many negative reviews for this film when I think it's just as good as the original and in some respects, even better.
It makes sense to have Charlie Sheen be the focus this time as his story is more interesting than Tom Berenger as the focus in the original.
There were enough changes in this film to make it a little different but still keep it like the original.
Then the movie actually kept its consistency when the Indians started winning, and I believe it was great all the way to the end.