User Reviews

The original Free Willy film of 1993 was a huge success to the point that there was a animated television series that ran from 1994 to 1995. Obviously not a huge hit but perhaps they were giving Willy fans something to hold the interest for the sequel which came out in 1995 titled: Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home. Much of the cast from the first film returns for this film and a lot of the same people also return. But, we have a new director this time around with Dwight Little in the director's chair this time around. Funny enough, some notable directing credits to his name are Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, an episode of Freddy's Nightmares, The Phantom of the Opera (1989), an episode of The X-Files, the Tekken movie, and various episodes for various drama TV shows (too many to name). This is very surprising seeing what this film is and looking at the other films and shows that this director has worked on. And the even funnier thing is is that Dwight Little is married to Jason James Richter's mom. Despite the original film being a success, this film bombed at the box office making only $30 million against a $31 million budget. It also was not as well recieved as the previous film. Notably, Roger Ebert, who gave the original film a positive review, gave this film a negative review.

Jesse has been living with the Greenwoods for a couple of years now. One day, Dwight (a guy from the foster care business who was in the first film) comes by the house to tell Jesse that his mom that he has not seen in eight or so years has died and that Jesse has a half brother named Elvis. Elvis is going to be staying with the Greenwoods for a little bit. Jesse is not happy with this. When Elvis arrives, the Greenwoods and Jesse bring Elvis along on a camping trip. Well, it just so happens that Randolph is there (I am sure there is a reason here) and he is with his Goddaughter doing whale stuff. It just so happens that they find Willy (along with his family) there. Then a big oil tanker comes buy and causes an oil spill and the whales are in danger. It is up to Jesse and co. to help save the whales.

My little plot description is essentially the whole film. I mean that because when you briefly describe a film, you have to include the conflict of the film. The conflict of this film is the oil spill. But that does not come up until the very end of the film. Which is a huge problem. The least that I can say that is good about this film is that it at least feels like a sequel even if large parts of what made the first film an enjoyable experience is gone. The cinematography is still fairly good here. There is one particular aerial shot (actually it is literally the first shot of the film) that does come close to rivaling the cinematography of the first film. But in all, it largely does not come close to the first film. Basil Poledouris does return to do the music for this film and while it is mostly the same music from the first film, it is still enjoyable to listen to. Aside from Basil Poledouris, Michael Jackson does return with another song called "Childhood". This is a song I am not too familiar with and it is not as good and as memorable as "Will You Be There". There are some other songs that make an appearance as well. There is the cover of Forever Young that I really enjoyed and might put that on a playlist at some point. Despite having the climax come really late into the film, I will say that it is at least memorable for a film that is largely forgettable. It is most definitely not on par with the original but of all of the things that I remembered from this film, it was the climax. Another thing is the special effects. I had no clue that they used fake whales for pretty much the whole entire film which blew my mind as the fake whales are really convincing. Now what are my mixed feelings about this film? The acting is one but there nothing new to say. Michael Madsen still looks tired in this film. The plot is another. While definitely something that is important in the real world, I would rather watch something else about the environment. In this film, it is not very subtle either. Plus, what can I do to prevent a big oil tanker from spilling oil and having the expertise that Jesse has in working with kilelr whales? Exactly. A well meaning story, but it just does not work well with this film. Now for my negatives. The characters from the previous film are not as interesting. The new characters are just horrendous. Elvis is the most annoying little kid that I have seen in quite some time. This was probably done on purpose that way he can go through some sort of character change at the end. Whether it happens or not, I don't care. He is annoying. He lies throughout the film and some of these lies just make me want to punch him in the face. Also, good job in finding a twelve year old to portray an eight year old. Jesse has a new love interest with Randolph's granddaughter named Nadine. It feels forced because Jesse is a teenager and he needs to have a love interest. With that being said, her character is not well developed and even I do not know why Jesse is specifically attracted to her. Perhaps shared interests in whales? There is supposed to be a "villain" but it is only touched on in one scene and it is easy to forget that there is a villain in this film. Another complaint (and this just came to me) is the title. First of all, not an adventure. What would be an adventure would be what I was promised on the DVD cover (I am certain that the cover is used on other releases as well) with Jesse riding on Willy with other killer whales surrounding. Yes he rides on a whale but not like on the cover. Second, the adventure home? Is Willy and his family lost? It seems to me that they are already home and it just so happens that it is near a camping spot. Oh and yes, Willy has a family which makes sense I guess.

The strange thing about this film was that I remember liking it when I was younger but now that about 15 years have passed, I don't seem to have the same feelings. Free Willy 2 is not anywhere on the same level as the first film. I know there are people who like this film but I just happen to be the one who does not.

My Take: Preachy, eco-friendly sequel, but has its moments.

Let go of your "Save The Whales" placards, allow FREE WILLY 2: THE ADVENTURE HOME do the job for you. If you thought the original FREE WILLY had enough "Free the Whales" slogans to match a 3-ton Orca's weight, FREE WILLY 2 is even bigger, with its environmentalist propaganda that is! In its story and characters, it lacks that certain oomph of the original, which elevated it from its predictable genre origins. FREE WILLY 2 is much more predictable, with a by-th-numbers storyline that might just entertain the kids and give adults a toothache from all its sweetness. Still, for what its worth, FREE WILLY 2 is enjoyable family affair. I say it's at least worth a rental. For the record, at least its a better bargain than FLIPPER or even, not that it has any connection, JAWS: THE REVENGE.

The storyline is more filled of "Save the Whales" slogans than ever before. After leaving Willy (Keiko, assisted by an animatronic and CG double) from his leap of faith in the original's finale, Willy faces a new threat, this time outside the confines of a small tank. Jessie (Jason James Richter), now grown-up, is out to save the day again. The story also provides him a sort-of-girlfriend (Mary Kate Schellhardt) with a deep concern for the environment (Couldn't this movie ever be more nature-friendly?) and even a little brother named Elvis (Francis Capra), who is just so... annoying. Not that the film is crowded with good guys, bad guys and beleaguered whales, but why did they actually think that this kid, annoying and a bit spoiled at some point, would deepen the film's emotional level? Why they think a kid as nearly annoying as Elvis (who's simply annoying quips are more than enough to drive you to the breaking point) would be a good way to stretch Jessie's character, I really don't know.

Still, as family entertainment, FREE WILLY 2 does just about enough for a mild recommendation. The photography is adequate, capturing on film a lively shot of its environments and, of course the whales. I've read a trivia about the film that it uses much more animatronic whales than the first film, yet it's really hard to spot in most scenes due to the rather seamless effect. The story is shallow, predictable, but actually quite believable, although the Jessie-Elvis brotherhood is something that can easily be removed without doing any harm to the story. As family entertainment, I at least give it a fair and easy recommendation.

Rating: *** out of 5.

I catched this on satellite before trying to watch a video from my watchlist collection.

Because of it's charm I couldn't get my self to stop watching it. Aware and knowing that it has a sequel-B movie vibe on it.

That being said I think this movie is pretty decent for it's level. Though not being the ambitious "I want to be a big franchise" type of movie. It still has a well thought plot. And I think those are enough for a good family moment.

For size, you can see how the camera works to find the emotion of Willy the whale. Making it live enough to enjoy.

A sequel to the money making blockbuster original about a runaway who befriends a killer whale and the adventures they face. While the original had some resemblance of a story and pacing, this one has none of the freshness and originality. The kids might like it but it is a disappointment..on a scale of one to ten...3

The boy is back. The whale is back. Most of the supporting cast from the 1993 cult classic "Free Willy" is back for the sequel, which hit theaters before an excited crowd of youngsters and their parents in 1995. But the cheer-inducing magic that I loved so much in the original has gone in "Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home" which isn't quite the adventure that the title seems to hint at. The title just seems more marketable and that's the way the movie feels, too. It's got the typical monotonous, rushed feeling that I tend to find most sequels have and while it's far from a disaster, it is a letdown from the warmness and nostalgia-stirring charm that I adored so much in the original film.

In the last movie, the beloved orca Willy (Keiko) leaped to safety from greedy marine park owners and escaped to the wild while the little boy he befriended, Jesse (Jason James Richter) finally came to peace with his foster parents. Two years later, Willy is still running free in the wild with his kin and the boy is reaching that age. You know. The age where girls send his heart pumping and the news that he has a half-brother strikes him like a ton of bricks. His estranged mother has passed away and so he and his foster parents have to take the unwanted, obnoxious brat from New York (Francis Capra) on their camping trip. Jesse's not so interested in camping, but more in meeting up with his old friend (August Schellenberg), his pretty goddaughter (Mart Kate Shellhardt), and of course, lovable Willy and his family. But things take a turn for the worse when an oil tanker runs aground in the cove where the whales are living and it's then that I realized "Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home" should have been titled "Free Willy 2: The Escape" because that's more of what it's about. Or why not just "Free Willy 2"? Oh, yeah. Marketable.

Everything that I loved so much in the first movie has been watered down here. First of all, the sheer awe and magic of the killer whales. Whereas I could really feel the majesty and the amazing presence of Willy and the other whales in the first film, here it seems more like placid outtakes from a rather cheap documentary, as if the cast cheering at the sight of Willy were doing so at pictures and not the real thing. Amazing as it sounds, but even though his namesake is the title of the movie, Willy has very little to do with the movie at all. He's really just there for more marketing value. It's not until the third act, the only energized moment in the picture, that he really comes into play and even though, just briefly.

Furthermore, the character dynamics are diminished. The sequel tries to explore the further complications of Jessie's life, but it only cracks open the doors of opportunity, never exploits them. The dynamic between him and his foster parents is just dimmed-down reruns of the same stuff we saw in the first movie. Even his relationship to the whale is dumbed away. But how about his new cast mates? Well, Mr. Capra does what he can, but he has one of the most aggravating characters in children movie history to play here. Even when his heart gets put into the right place, he's really hard to put up with and as a result, becomes hard to care about. And pretty and talented as she is, as Jesse's love interest, Miss Shellhardt does not have much to do and their romance is contrived, tiresome, tedious, and boring. As most teenage love stories are. Maybe that's just the key. Maybe the reason I've never bought teenage love stories in movies is because I don't believe in them. I don't buy the gimmicks they use here, especially considering the age. But that's a subject for another day. The point is: their scenes together go on forever but leave about as much impact as a speck of sand on the wing of a plane.

The first two acts of "Free Willy 2" are really slow-going. Not until the third act does the movie even pick up a little. The director, Dwight H. Little has talent. He knows how to use a camera well and he has skill with working around actors and his crew. The movie is well-shot...most of the time. The whale scenes aren't very well-staged. But what ultimately founders the movie is the severely diminished screenplay. Now I saw this movie more than ten years ago, as a child, having fallen in love with the original film. But whereas the first "Free Willy" stuck in my memory into my adulthood, this one did not. I only remembered flashes of it. Looking back on it again, I can clearly see why.

the best thing about this movie is that there are more scenes with the whales.other than that,i can't say i liked it very much.it is shorter than the first one,but feels a lot longer.this movie felt too much like an ecology lesson to me,and it wasn't subtle either.i just found the whole thing overwrought,and i though there was a bit of overacting going on.they had a subplot going on,which i didn't think was necessary,but that's just me.there were some emotional scenes,but i felt like i was being manipulated.towards the end,there are a few tense moments,but overall,the movie is disappointing.if it weren't for the scenes with the whales,this would be a 1 or 2 star movie.i guess for me,Free Willy 2 is a 4/10

Keiko, Richter, Schellenberg, Madsen, Atkinson, and Williamson all return for a new adventure about friendship and family. Two years after setting Willy free, Jesse is still rebellious, but nothing very bad. He enjoys girls and time with his adoptive parents. Things get shaken up when he finds out his mother died and he has a half-brother named Elvis that will be staying with him for a while. They go on a camping trip and contend with sibling rivalry. Not far into the vacation, Jesse is thrilled to see Willy again. But everything is put in danger when an oil spill traps Willy and his family and endangers their habitat. Jesse leads a group to put out crooked businessmen and save his best friend. Many people did not like this one. Many people found it better than the first. The first is a typical lonely kid that becomes best friends with a non-human and saves him. This is similar, but there is more danger that adds excitement and entertainment. And the subplot with Jesse and Elvis is great too. Regardless, all Free Willy movies are great for nostalgia sake, whether you originally liked them or not. Screw those dog and chimp family movies.

3/4

Plot close to unbelievable but absolutely stunning photography. Plus relatively fast-paced action still make superior family viewing for those with kids 10-14 range.

If you've seen my comment on the original "Free Willy", which is not a positive one, you might be wondering why I'm reviewing this sequel, why I would have bothered watching it. Well, the only explanation I can give is that I saw it at school back in 1996, on my last day of Grade 3. While I couldn't seem to remember that much of it from that first viewing, I clearly remember that the climax had my heart pounding, and it was a memorable way to mark the end of my years as a primary student. So, it's another film from my childhood which I decided to revisit, and probably wouldn't have ever ended up seeing at all had I not seen it before. Since I didn't like the original 1993 film when I watched it recently, it's no surprise I'm not too impressed with this 1995 sequel, either.

It has been two years since Jesse brought Willy, the orca whale, back to his natural habitat. The two haven't seen each other since then, but Jesse is happy living with his foster parents, Glen and Annie Greenwood. However, the teenager is not happy when he is informed that his birth mother has just died, and his younger half-brother, Elvis, is coming to live with them. Jesse and Elvis do not get along, and their conflict continues on a camping trip with their foster parents, on which they have to share a tent. On this trip, Jesse finally sees Willy again, and also reunites with his friend, Randolph. Randolph introduces his goddaughter, Nadine, whom Jesse quickly falls in love with. Trouble comes when an oil tanker crashes and spills its contents into the water, threatening the lives of the whales! While Jesse and others attempt to save these whales, Elvis has problems of his own.

I didn't care much for many of the characters in the original film, but this sequel introduces Elvis, played by Francis Capra, and he might be slightly worse than any character featured in the 1993 smash hit family movie. It seems Capra was given some poor lines in this role, such as what his character says when he realizes his foster parents aren't rich. Of course, not all cheesy lines in the movie come from him. Basically, most aspects of this movie weren't done so well, including the conflict between Jesse and Elvis, which may be a little extreme at times, and the teen romance between Jesse and Nadine. Like the original, there is some tension, and also maybe a few poignant moments, but at times, it may try too hard, or not hard enough. I have to admit, I actually found it mildly amusing when Glen and Annie go out looking for Elvis and Michael Jackson's song, "Childhood" suddenly begins. I'm sorry, I know it's a deeply personal song of Jackson's, about his tragic upbringing, and I know he is now dead, but in this movie, the song seemed to be thrown in, as a poor attempt to push the right buttons on the audience. I didn't even know the artist was Michael Jackson when I watched the film.

It seems "Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home" is less popular than the original "Free Willy", even though some critics considered it superior. Personally, I'm pretty much indifferent to both of them. I've explained why I decided to watch and review this sequel, but since I've never seen the final installment in the trilogy, 1997's "Free Willy 3: The Rescue" (which appears to be even less popular), to this day, I don't intend to watch it. I don't like what I've seen in the first two so much, so I obviously don't want to sit through another hour and a half or so of what is probably pretty much the same thing. Despite how long it's been since the last "Free Willy" movie was made, more than one source tells me that there will be a "Free Willy 4" released next year, starring Bindi Irwin, the daughter of late conservationist Steve Irwin (a.k.a. "The Crocodile Hunter"). Apparently, it will be a direct-to-DVD release. No offence to the Irwins, but I will definitely be passing on this one as well.

First of all, I have to say what I liked original Free Willy movie. In fact, I fall in love with it. I suppose it is one of the best family movie and best animal movie so far. For some reasons Simon Wincer, who directed the first movie didn't return for making this sequel, though we can see again all major characters from Free Willy. Our main hero, Jesse is now fourteen years old and he finds out that his mother passed away and he has a stepbrother named Elvis. Elvis hasn't got any relatives except Jesse and he arrives to Greenwood's home. The whole family goes to the holiday trip in a camping near an ocean's cove where Jesse again meets his friend Randolph and Willy. Willy found his family and all seems perfect for the friends but suddenly another danger threatens their friendship. But now it's even more serious. The movie was released in 1995, eight years before notorious tanker "Prestege" shipwrecked near Spanish coast and ruined hundred of miles of coastline, not to mention that millions living creatures got killed in the result. It was a real message and it passed absolutely unnoticed because for many people these movies are just cheesy movies for kids only. And in the real life the main reasons of the monstrous disaster was absolutely same – money. The other problem point of the movie is rather difficult and complicated relation between Jesse and his much younger stepbrother, Elvis (played by Francis Capra). Elvis, who has lost his mother, also feel himself very uneasy about the situation and now both boys have to decide how to deal with this difficult situation. The story is basically good written and leaves some place for action and excellent scenes in the cove, including underwater shots. This time we can see whales in their natural habitat, not in the small pool. Whole movie is well shot and locations for shootings are very suitable and good selected. Jason James Richter is as good as in original movie and Francis Capra also did a very good job as rather annoying Jesse's half-brother. The soundtrack (again written by Basil Poleydoris) is worth mentioning alone because of its rather good musical themes and songs. A very good movie for whole family and not a brainless laughable family entertainment that very often bring to us Hollywood studios. A nice message for young audience that you must always think about defending the wild nature and what in real life there are more important things than money.

My vote 8,2 out of 10 or between B+ and A-.

I really enjoyed the first film, it was sweet and cute, and elevated to a greater level by that wonderful killer whale Keiko who played Willy. This sequel is not as good, but it is decent. I do agree the story isn't as good or as believable this time around, the script lacks sparkle and the direction isn't as clever. But it is beautifully filmed, with lovely cinematography and scenery, and the score is really pleasant. Free Willy 2 mayn't be the most fast-paced movie ever made, but it moves briskly, and the message is admirable. What makes the movie charming though is the cast, Jason James Richter is still very likable and Francis Capra is funny and natural here. Mary Kate Schellhart and Michael Madson also do nice work, however it is the orcas that steal the show, every scene with them in is utterly riveting. Overall, inferior but nice and pleasant. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Compared with The Big Blue, Free Willy 2 just have the ocean in common . The rest is more related with Baywatch, except in Baywatch when you're bored you can check out pieces of meat and here it rather deals with fish . Even if the commercial target is the young audience, must the screenplay be a total nonsense ? However, some scenes are so much ridiculous (the guy chatting up the girl by smooching a whale, or recognizing Willy just by hearing his ultra-sonic waves, or practising rodeo on the whale) that you sometimes forget a little how much you're bored . The wreck of the oil tanker is so credible that we can wonder if James Cameron wasn't inspired by it to make Titanic . As for the suspense at the end ... it's unbearable : will the kids die by burning slowly and atrociously in the oil fire or not ? Really, it's terrible . I don't even explain to myself why this movie isn't forbidden to people over 8 .

I need to explain why I gave this movie a rating of one star. It was the advertisement before the film starts for the glorified fish tank that they were building in Seattle to house (detain) orcas and other marine mammals. These mammals are dependent on their natural habitat for survival, and languish under captivity. I find it appalling that the lead actors in Free Willy 2 were paid off to express their support for such a jail for orcas. I find it doubly reprehensible because in the advertisement (as in the movie), it is acknowledged and repeated that these animals spend their entire lives in the company of their families. Many die in captivity, and the state of depression that these whales go into is so profound that even the ones who survive have a dorsal fin that is curled down. The character of the oil company representative in the film said it best in the coffee shop at the dock: "Just as long as we make it seem like we have the whales' best interest in mind". I would have given this film a seven-star rating because of the decent acting, good direction and potent environmental message. Apparently, the actors in this movie are nothing more than actors: Their forked tongue disgusts me.

This Was A Disappointing Seqeul I Didn't Like It At All its been 25 years since it's release and it doesn't hold up at all

If I can say that I really enjoyed the first film in this trilogy, I can't say the same for any of the sequels. The first film, even with all the flaws, was quite good and was so enjoyable that it became a milestone for many people's childhood and adolescence. This one, in addition to not bringing anything really new, has more flaws and problems than its predecessor.

The film's biggest problem turns out to be the script: the action takes place some time after the events of the first film, but we continue to see Willy, the released orca, playing a heroic role in saving several other animals after an oil spill resulting from an accident with a tanker that passed too close to the shore. Of course, as it is predictable in a film like this, there is life danger to the orcas, but in the end, everything goes well.

The script really ends up depending on each person's ability to turn off their brain and watch the film without asking questions. On the one hand, we are dealing with an orca whose release was amateurish, unforeseen and unprepared, as we saw in the opening film. In addition to this being something that goes against all the basic norms of those who deal with these animals, it increases the chances that a wild animal simply does not want its freedom, preferring the human contact it is already used to. It would help to understand how Jesse and Willy's relationship continues to be strong and important in this film, and the film that would follow.

However, believing that the orca could hear Jesse's harmonica, even if it were far away, is as foolish as believing in Santa Claus, and is simply forgetting that these animals travel thousands of miles, and that the orca is one of the few marine mammals that can be seen in any sea in the world. Willy would never hear the sound of his friend's harmonica if he was that far away. And although the film touches on an important ecological and environmental point - the damage caused by oil spills - the way it does so is far from realistic. Oil spills are a serious matter, they mobilize a lot of technicians and there are specific ways to contain and clean them up, as well as to save the affected marine life. A bunch of amateurs just couldn't do much.

In addition to the logic problems and holes in the script, the film has some very underwritten characters, although some of the heavy clichés of the initial film have been polished. And it is still pleasant to see the most important faces of the initial film return: Jason James Ritcher continues to work well as Jesse and is well supported by Michael Madson and August Schellenberg, who also return to the characters they already know. Francis Capra is doing very well, and Mary Kate Schellhart does what she can with the material she's been given.

Technically, the film continues to bet heavily on good cinematography and the choice of beautiful filming locations. As with its predecessor, it's a film that doesn't look the age it already is, and if we saw it without knowing when it was released, we wouldn't give it more than ten years. Good sound effects, good special effects, a realistic and effective animatronic whale, are some of the values that this film presents to us and that deserve a positive note. The soundtrack is pleasant, skillfully recycling material from the early film.

A sentimental and enjoyable movie with charming scenes and attractive messages ; displaying an emotive musical score by Basil Poledouris,. Teenager Jesse (Jason James Richter) becomes reunited with Willy , the enormous killer whale, two years after the whale's jump to freedom as the teenager tries to rescue the killer whale and other orcas from an oil spill. Meets an but the villagers want to kill the giant animal . Along the way, the good-natured boy makes a good friend, an adorable little girl , Nadine (Mary Kate Schellhardt) . While he follows under the tutelage of his foster parents (Michael Madsen, Jayne Atkinson) and Haida Indian Randolph (August Schellemberg) The adventure is back. The fun is back. Willy's back. And this time he's brought his whole family to meet an old friend ... and take on a new challenge. Make room in your heart for a six-ton pet ! . When you are six tons and they call you killer, it is hard to make friends !. He is the biggest animal in the whole wide world of aventure !.

This is an enjoyable family drama with emotion, ecologism, gorgeous outdoors and high sensibility . This is a kind of remake to Namu, the Killer Whale (1966) by Laslo Benedek , as the Orca saga to be continued in similar style by the famous "Free Willy" and its various sequels. It contains ample and gorgeous sea vistas, being very well photographed the exterior scenes, as well as undersea images with the great killer whale jumping and diving. StarsJason James Richer as the compassionate teen who forms an unlikely friendship with the giant whale , he's a good actor who has a few starring roles , Michael Madsen Jayne Atkinson , Mykelti Williamson , Elizabeth Peña , Jon Tenney and August Schellenberg with a long career as ordinary secondary actor . An agreeable and sensitive film , including good messages : love for animals, environmentalism , fraternity, fight for survival, need for family coexistence friendship , while boy and whale get on because they are both looking for a family .Special mention for excellent musical score by magnificent composer Basil Poledouris , including sweeping strings accompanying the opening sequence of balletic whales cavorting in brilliant blue sea , changing abruptly to cacophony as the bad guys with nets chug up in their tugs . Adding catching songs composed or performed by Michael Jackson , Bob Dylan, The Pretenders. As well as colorful and brilliant cinematography by László Kovácks . The motion picture was professionally directed by Dwight H. Little, though it has some flaws . Dwight has directed studio movies for Warner Brothers, 20th Century Fox, and Columbia Pictures, and has also directed multiple independent movies with wide theatrical release. Mr. Little has also made three prime time television movies and 90 hours of Network series television. Director Dwight H. Little gave credibility to Wesley Snipes in 'Murder at 1600' and teams up with Aikido expert Steven Seagal for ¨Marked for Death¨and this ¨Rapid Fire¨ with Brandon Lee . The result is fun to watch .Rating : 6,5/10. The picture will appeal to children and animal lovers.

"Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home" is an Adventure - Drama movie in which we watch Jesse and Willy reunite after two years from its rescue. He tries very hard to save Willy and some other orcas from an oil spill.

I have to admit that I had high expectations since I had already watched the first movie so, I expected something better than what I watched. It had an interesting plot but I believe it did not reach its potential. The direction which was made by Dwight H. Little, it was good but not enough. The interpretation of Jason James Richter who played as Jesse, it was equally good with the first movie and it was obvious in the whole duration of the movie that he did his best. In conclusion, I have to say that "Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home" is an average family movie and if you have already watched the first movie I advise you to lower your standards and your expectations otherwise be prepared to be disappointed.

This isn't a perfect film. But it is a good family film. I like how Free Willy doesn't oversimplify the complexities of attachment trauma and non-traditional families. If you were to compare this to most family films I think you would be pleasantly surprised. It knows how to take its time and the filming and acting is decent. I like it for similar reasons to movies like Air Bud except I would say the characters are more complex than that series.

Does it deserve an Oscar? No. Are you looking for something to watch with your kids on a family movie night? I think you'll find it a good experience, and you may even be able to have some great conversations about it afterwards.

This movie is just as good as the original. It presents a more complex theme, and one that is a common problem with all marine animals. It was funny seeing Jesse impress Nadine by showing off his relationship with Willy. Plus, I think that Nadine, aka, Mary Kate, is a cutie! I want to marry her! The problem with the oil spill isn't original, but it reminds us to always keep a look out for the orcas' safety. This movie differs from the first movie in the fact that it shows willy with his family, it shows orcas in a pod, and it shows their relationship as a family. How sweet! Willy is a very sociable whale. If you want the excitement and thrilling adventure that you got in the first movie, check this one out asap. Safe for the entire family!

Two years after the events of the previous film, Jesse (Jason James Richter) has settled in with his adoptive parents Glen and Annie Greenwood (Michael Madsen and Jayne Atkinson respectively) and is preparing for a camping trip with them to visit his friend Randolph (August Schellenberg) who has since taken a research position with the Orca institute and is now tracking Willy's pod in the San Juan Islands. The plans are interrupted when Jesse is visited by his social worker Dwight (Mykelti Williamson) who informs him that they've found his birth mother who's since passed on, but Jesse also has an 8-year-old half-brother, Elvis (Francis Capra), who is placed with the Greenwoods due to Jesse being his closest kin which Jesse is none too pleased about. As they adjust to Elvis' presence who has a similar abrasiveness to Jesse in addition to constant lies and exaggerations, Jesse happily reunites with Willy who still remembers him and is introduced to Willy's siblings Luna and Littlespot while also forming a friendship with Randolph's goddaughter Nadine (Mary Kate Schellhardt). However the happiness of the reunion is short lived when oil tanker Dakar runs aground near by causing an oil spill that leads to an ecological disaster that threatens Willy and his siblings and cuts them off from the rest of their pod.

Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home is of course the sequel to 1993's surprise hit Free Willy which despite opening if fifth place behind juggernauts like Jurassic Park was able to become a solid success thanks to strong holding power at the box office and a thrifty budget. Executive producers Richard and Lauren Schuler Donner made clear their intention to produce a sequel to the film a few months after the first one's release, and even renegotiated with star Jason James Richter giving him an increased salary with an option for a third film. Produced on a significantly larger budget and promoted as a big Summer movie, Free Willy 2 also opened modestly but unlike its predecessor didn't maintain the holds that allowed the first film to become a hit and the film only made $30 million domestically against its $31 million budget, significantly down from the $77 million its original brought in. Thanks to the international market the film managed to gross $68 million worldwide, and as movie studios were still riding high on the record profits yielded from home media sales of children's films Free Willy most likely generated a respectable profit once it hit home video. While the fact this movie exists is pretty standard "business as usual" sequelization, it's honestly a better movie than the first one in my opinion.

Much like the previous movie, the acting is really good with performers still giving committed performances even if the material isn't all that rich. While the Jesse character still hasn't had all of his more abrasive qualities dialed back it does feel like the filmmakers understood the flaws present in the character and made an attempt at showing the character in a manner where he exhibited more emotional intelligence and compassion rather than anger, spite, and sarcasm as he had done in the previous film. Jesse's relationship with the Greenwood's isn't much more substantive here than it was previously, but at least they share more positive interactions this time around. Francis Capra's portrayal of Elvis is one of those issues that like the previous film, lands more on the writing than the acting. While the movie sets up a rift between Jesse and Elvis they're supposed to overcome, it really doesn't feel like it is and the way the character is written to be as abrasive as Jesse was in the first film but with the added running trait of every other word he says being a brazen lie it makes it hard to sympathize with the character. Maybe this could have been addressed if they'd gone into more detail about Jesse and Elvis' mom and what actual issues she had but because this is the kind of movie it is we know it's not going to do that so Elvis is really only here to give the Greenwoods some reason to be in the story because if it weren't for Elvis they'd be bereft of things to do.

Unlike the original film that used a combination of a real whale and animatronics, Free Willy 2 uses fully animatronic whales for the three whales and for the most part they look pretty convincing and do the job well. The scenes where the film is evoking the Exxon Valdeez oil spill are quite harrowing and there's a sense of weight and investment to the film that features some impressive set pieces such as an oil fire in the third act. On paper it seems like a solid conflict but the movie also adds on a completely unnecessary tangent (I would say sub plot but it's honestly too thin to qualify for that) and we introduce some human antagonists who want to sell Willy and his siblings to aquariums and amusement parks and it feels unnecessary because A) in a disaster movie like this, the "disaster" is adequate as your main villain and B) it's just retreading subjects that were already covered by the first film and feel like unnecessary padding.

Free Willy 2 didn't need to exist and does fall mostly in line with what was done with the first film, but it does feel like a better movie on the whole thanks to dialing back some of the more abrasive aspects of Jesse's character and creating a legitimately engaging scenario. I did find myself hard pressed to like the Elvis character and the addition of unnecessary human antagonists to this story did feel like an unnecessary distraction but for the most part I did think Free Willy 2 was an okay movie that didn't overstay its welcome.

I remember enjoying it when I was 12 years old, but the first film is better.

free willy 2: the adventure home i think is a good movie, but i still prefer the first free willy movie. This movie was made in 1995. The movie starts with Willy with his family, Randolph (Now a best friend to Jesse) hears willy's whale voice, he records the voice and is chuffed to show it to Jesse when ie sees him. Jesse is know grown up by 4 and a half inches. Randolph sets out to collect Jesse to take him to the sea and to see Willy again, Jesse can't believe his eyes when he sees willy and is amazed to see him as a bigger whale. Jesse meets Randolph's god daughter Nadean. They both become friendly to each other and get along together very well. Things become worse for the whales as oil is spreaded all over the sea, Luna (Willy's sister) is in danger as the oil gets into her lungs, Jesse starts to panic and calls Randolph, Jesse alos has a half brother called Elvis who is an 8 year old kid, He always wanted to help the whale but jesse's foster parent say that he is too young, he then runs away and then comes back. Things become eveen worse when fire spreads with the oil still, in the sea, nadean and elvis are rescued but jesse loses grip of holding onto the ladders, Willy saves him by going under the flames and bringing him to safety. I give this movie 10 out of 10.

In the original film, Willy jumped to freedom and is out in open water. Yet, it didn't end there. Jesse and Willy have a touching reunion in a cove and face escalated danger threatening the entire ecosystem along with two of Willy's siblings

Set against a shady exec for an oil company and lots of eco friendly messaging, I feel the sequel manages to do what good sequels do: Continue the overall story, but stand on its own.

We have a new addition named Elvis who lived with Jesse's Mom. He comes to live with the family as Jesse's mother passed. He tells a lot of grandiose stories and is unsurprisingly greeted with skepticism when he's actually telling the truth (verified by corroborating outside information)

With elevated danger, most of the cast returning, eco friendly message and overall great look and tone of the film I highly recommend it as a great family movie that all can enjoy.