Back to the Future Part II

Back to the Future Part II is a 1989 science fiction film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Bob Gale. The film stars Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown, Lea Thompson as Lorraine Baines McFly, and Thomas F. Wilson as Biff Tannen. The film is the second installment in the Back to the Future trilogy and was produced by Amblin Entertainment and Universal Pictures, with a score composed by Alan Silvestri and cinematography by Dean Cundey, who also worked on Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Apollo 13.

Plot

The plot of the film takes place in Hill Valley on October 21, 2015, where Marty McFly and Doc Brown travel to the future in a DeLorean time machine, visiting a futuristic Hill Valley with flying cars, JVC video cameras, and Microsoft computers. They also encounter Biff Tannen's grandson, Griff Tannen, and Marty McFly's children, Marlene McFly and Marty McFly Jr., who are played by Jeffrey Weissman and Casey Siemaszko. The film also features a Pepsi-sponsored café and a Nike-sponsored shoe store, showcasing the futuristic vision of 1980s-era consumerism. The time-traveling duo must prevent Biff Tannen from stealing the sports almanac and altering the course of history, which would lead to a dystopian future where Biff Tannen has become a wealthy and powerful businessman, similar to Donald Trump or Bill Gates.

Production

The production of the film began in February 1989 and was shot back-to-back with Back to the Future Part III, with a budget of $40 million, which was relatively high for a science fiction film at the time, comparable to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. The film's special effects were created by Industrial Light & Magic, which also worked on Star Wars and Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. The film's score was composed by Alan Silvestri, who also composed the scores for Forrest Gump and Cast Away, and was performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony, which has also performed scores for The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter films.

Characters

The characters in the film are played by a talented cast, including Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown, Lea Thompson as Lorraine Baines McFly, and Thomas F. Wilson as Biff Tannen. The film also features Elisabeth Shue as Jennifer Parker, James Tolkan as Mr. Strickland, and Jeffrey Weissman as George McFly, who was originally played by Crispin Glover in the first film. The characters' interactions and relationships are central to the plot, with Marty McFly and Doc Brown's friendship and Marty McFly's relationships with his mother and father being particularly important, similar to the relationships in The Godfather and The Wizard of Oz.

Reception

The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with many praising its special effects, action sequences, and humor, similar to Ghostbusters and Beverly Hills Cop. The film holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 66%, with many critics praising the film's visual effects and performances, including Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel, who also praised The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark. The film was also a commercial success, grossing over $332 million worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing films of 1989, along with Batman and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Themes

The film explores several themes, including time travel, free will, and the consequences of one's actions, similar to The Terminator and 12 Monkeys. The film also explores the impact of technology on society, with the futuristic depiction of Hill Valley showcasing a world with flying cars, video phones, and virtual reality, similar to Blade Runner and Minority Report. The film's portrayal of a dystopian future where Biff Tannen has become a wealthy and powerful businessman serves as a commentary on the excesses of capitalism and the importance of individual responsibility, similar to The Matrix and V for Vendetta.

Legacy

The film's legacy is significant, with it being widely regarded as a classic of science fiction cinema, along with 2001: A Space Odyssey and Star Wars. The film's special effects and action sequences have been influential, with many films and television shows paying homage to the film's iconic scenes, including The Simpsons and Family Guy. The film's portrayal of a futuristic Hill Valley has also become a cultural touchstone, with many people referencing the film's vision of the future in discussions of technology and society, similar to The Jetsons and Star Trek. The film has also been recognized by the Library of Congress as a culturally significant film, and has been selected for preservation in the National Film Registry, along with Casablanca and The Wizard of Oz. Category:Science fiction films