SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie

SanEat A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

Robert Joyner The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Jonah Abbott There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

mnpollio The 1980s were crammed with pointless forgettable adolescent comedies and sequels of which this entry is a prime example. Contrary to popular thought, the original Meatballs was really no classic but merely a mildly amusing rude comedy which served as a launching point for Bill Murray's acting career. This in-name-only sequel has no returning cast members and only shares the summer camp setting, but manages some uniqueness for one weakness and one fascinating turn. The main "plot" centers on a rivalry between congenial Richard Mulligan's camp of likable losers and shrill Hamilton Camp's military camp, which builds to a climactic slapstick boxing match with representatives of each respective camp deciding the futures of the camps. Unfortunately, given that Mulligan is not much of a presence and Camp is such a buffoonish cartoon villain, it is impossible to have much rooting interest. Subplots galore come fast and furious. The unique weakness is that the film cannot decide whether it wishes to be a rude adolescent comedy directed to pre-teens or a smarmy sex comedy directed to older teens and thus fails at both. A wretched subplot with a forgettable cast of youngsters sheltering a cheap Yiddish-accented E.T. is included for the tots, but is so bad it would only antagonize them. Then we get numerous scenes where 30-ish horny camp counselor Archie Hahn and his buxom co-counselor Misty Rowe are constantly interrupted in their quest for sex by various chaos. The less said about John Larroquette's mincing gay caricature, the better. Kim Richards and John Mengatti are on hand as a virginal camp newbie and a reluctant reform school guy named Flash forced into being a counselor who naturally start a flirtation. The acting by both suggests that they are better than the material handed them. An interesting turnabout is that the more experienced female counselors decide to band together and help the sheltered Richards see her first naked man before the end of the summer. This is interesting as this is normally a subplot reserved for male characters and this is one of the few teenage movies of this decade that actually had the refreshing insight that female teens may be just as sexually curious as males. What a novelty! It is also the funniest subplot in that the girls various attempts naturally result in confusion, chaos and disaster. Unfortunately, the PG rating restricts any nudity from showing up, so guys looking for any skin from the busty Rowe will not get any and the big climactic scene where the hunky dreamboat Mengatti winds up stark naked in public is filmed with such ridiculous modesty that it ranks more as an anti-climax. For all that, the sequel is largely inoffensive and certainly is better than the dismal two follow-ups (one featuring a young and super-nerdy Patrick Dempsey).

Sandcooler While the original "Meatballs" was about kids dealing with everyday problems and talking to Bill Murray a lot, this in-name-only sequel takes a turn for the bizarre and brings in an alien. This might hurt the realism of the movie, but I just really don't care. The complete randomness of this silly plot line is actually one of the few things that keep this show on the road, because for the most part this is just as standard as they come. You get the same characters from every other summer camp movie, the same jokes, even the same look, things get pretty boring that way. Then they throw an alien with a funny voice in the mix and they manage to recapture my attention. This movie often runs low on ideas, but it's pretty fun to watch anyway.

Aaron1375 "I have an idea" someone said, "lets make a sequel to Meatballs and have it be completely moronic and groan inducing!". After the movie was made and released the person said "dude, I was making a joke". And so Meatballs 2 was made and while it is in fact about a summer camp and more of a sequel to the original than the third one is, I still think this one is the worst of the bunch. Granted a few jokes make me chuckle which is why I nicely gave this movie a three rather than a one or two. The plot? Why bother, it involves some dude who does not want to be a counselor, an alien, and a brawl for it all boxing match between two summer camps, one regular and a military type one. That is the gist of it, and if you are wondering, yes the alien is friendly and probably inserted thanks to the success of E.T. two years prior. Bill Murray is not in this movie and can you blame him, while they made this movie he was making Ghostbusters. Instead they got Richard Mulligan, who I like in some roles, not this one. They also begin easing this series of movies into more of a teen sex series, but only lightly in this one.

MAUREEN Meatballs 2 has nothing to do with the first Meatballs and does not have a strong lead like Bill Murray. Actually it doesn't seem to have any lead actor which to me is the film's main flaw. As other IMDb critics have noted, the opening scene was funny with Paul Reubens as the bus driver. He is very talented and one of the best reasons to rent the film. Kim Richards is also very good and does a great job with her part. The aerobics outfit she wears looks like a bathing suit so I can see why men everywhere go gaga over that scene. The film is basically about how a junior boot camp across the river tries to eliminate the kiddie camp run by Coach Giddy (Richard Mulligan). Mulligan is good but his script is very weak. He doesn't even touch the surface of the hilarity Bill Murray brought to the first Meatballs. The part of Flash by John Mengatti could also have been improved with a better script. Flash isn't nice to the kids and I never warmed up to him. Overall, the film has some funny scenes and the 1980s clothes and music provide some entertainment on a rainy day.