"Intro to review"

Are you kidding me! There is not one review so far of this fantastic spoof movie. Nowadays you get crap thrown around the movie business such as epic movie, date movie and meet the spartans. Hot Shots and specifically Hot Shots Part Deux are the perfect spoof movies. Why??...Because it has a great storyline and a fantastic cast. Writers of spoof films should go back to the drawing boards, sit down and watch this film several times, over and over again until they realise where they have gone wrong on all these crappy spoof movies they have been making. There have only been a few 5 star spoof films; aeroplane, scary movie 1, and thankfully...Hot Shot and Hot Shots Part Deux. This review is of the latter.

"Background Information"

Hot Shots part deux is a 1993 spoof comedy released by 20th century fox, a sequel to the infamous movie Hot Shots in 1991. Again directed by Jim Abrahams, Hot Shots part deux became a financial success grossing over $130 million worldwide. This is down no small part to the fantastic cast, including Charlie Sheen, Lloyd Bridges, Richard Crenna, Valeria Golino, Rowan Atkinson and more. Current spoof films only manage to mock a maximum of 5 films. Hot Shots part deux managed to parody 22 films and an advert of an energizer bunny. The main parodied films are Rambo, Apocolypse now, predator, commando, and missing in action. Charlie Sheens role of Topper Harley however typifies Rambo. Richard Crennas role is actually a homage is to his former role in the Rambo film series. Charlie Sheen's father Martin makes an appearance to parody his film role in Apocolypse now. The film also has parody references to governmental history, mocking the time US President George W Bush sr vomited on the Chinese priminister and also Jimmy Carters failed mission called 'operation eagle dawn'. The result being in the latter that a rescue mission had to be made to rescue the American hostages who were sent to rescue the hostages before that.

"Plot - Only storyline - not telling you any hilarious moments otherwise I will spoil a great film"

This is one spoof movie that had a concept, an actual idea of a plot, and didn't just steal a plot from a film like current spoof movies. The start of the film sees a rescue mission taking place to try and capture the hostages from a prisoner of war camp located next to the mansion of Saddam Hussein. However, the rescue team is ambushed by the Iraqi soldiers. Upon hearing gunfire, Saddam is woken. The first time we see Topper Harley (Sheen) we see that he is living with Buddhist monks, finding out he has retired from the navy. After watching a Muay Thai fighting competition which includes Topper, Col.Walters (Crenna) and Michelle Huddlestone (Bakke) attempt to convince Topper to come out of retirement and go on the mission to bring back the hostages who went in to get the hostages in the first place. After denying this proposal the first time, he was finally convinced to help on the next mission after he found that the Iraqi's captured col. Waters. Just like in Rambo, Col. Walters is the man who practically raised Topper into the killing machine that he is, therefore like a father figure.

When Topper lands with the new soldiers on the rescue mission they go to meet their contact. Funnily enough it is his former love from the first film, Ramada. Don't worry if you have not seen the first film. The flashbacks they provide are definitely suitable enough to explain their relationship. After going through houses and travelling across the river, which trust me you cannot imagine how that turns out, Remada tells Topper that she is married and that her husband is one of the hostages. When they reach land, and some in most extraordinary ways, Remada finds a mole that Topper dropped, yes a mole. This belonged to Michelle Huddlestone, given to him after they slept together. She does not give it back to him and instead keeps it without anybody seeing that she has taken it.

When they finally attempt to retrieve the hostages, Sheen ends up having a sword fight with Saddam Hussein before President Benson swings in to save the day. Sheen finds Remada's husband Dexter (Atkinson) and carries him back to the helicopters so they can all make an escape. Remada however recognises Michelle and the two end up having a gladiator (not the film, the programme) style fight. It turns out that Michelle may have been a Saboteur to all the previous missions. There is a happy ending as Topper and Remada fly away together in the helicopter. What happened to Dexter you may ask. Let's just say he got the perfect picture.

"What I didn't tell you"

I could not give away any funny moments in the plot I am sorry. This is one review where I shall not spoil the film for the audience. In my opinion you should have all seen it, and if you haven't then I really cant understand why. The film is absolutely hilarious, side splitting, comical, undoubtedly funny. I don't care if you comment and whine and say in comments that "You should say more about why it is funny". Im not going to bother to explain why this film is so funny. For crying out loud it is a spoof. It will take forever. But I can say why in a couple of words…Sheen is great. He is bold, and he does not play for laughs. None of the characters play for laughs which is what most spoofs do nowadays. It is the actors expressions, the script, the background props, the action sequences, the references to the parodies. Every single thing = genius film.

There is not any features on this DVD that I know of. There may be however some on the boxset edition.

"Character Opinions"

Topper Harley (Charlie Sheen) was given this role for one reason, because the directors knew he would not play for laughs. In Sheen, when he was younger, you got a stern man with a great physique, someone who could make you laugh with a straight face. He seems so innocent in his character which is a great juxtaposition to the fact that he is a fighting/killing machine. He knows how to make a straight script funny without milking a line.

President Tug Benson (Llyod Bridges) is the ultimate spoof actor given recognition for his roles in Airplane and Jane Austen's Maifa. Add this to his list. Tug Benson is the president that seems to have fought in as many wars as possible in his lifetime. He is dim witted and has the brain of a child. Courage however is one thing that this man does not lack. Every one around him however always gets the worst luck. You'll see what I mean. He delivers his role with great slapstick and humour. He has a small role in the film but he is one character that cannot go uncredited.
Im not going to talk about every character because there are way too many and they are nearly all deserving of praise. What do I need to do though to convince you that the actors are funny. Well, Rowan Atkinson has a small role. He is one of the funny men of Britain. Ryan Stiles is also in the film as one of the fellow soldiers. He is the famous comedian on Whose Line is it anyway?, the awesome improvisational comedy show. The cast has a proven background of being funny, and even those who don't do a great job. Some characters are hilarious for just having a serious role. Colonel Walters is a good character in the film and even during castration and beatings he admits he is no stranger to pain because he has been married. From the scenes involving Saddam Hussein to Buddhist monks, nearly everything in this film deserves praise for being funny.

"Opinion"

I think you may have got inkling from what I have written so far that I may like this film. You're wrong. I don't like, I love it with a great passion. There are reasons why you will love it too. I watched it for the first time when I was about 8 years old. At that age I loved it just for being a comedy film. It made me laugh so hard and I had no idea of what some of it meant. Okay there is a small gratuitous sex scene in the film, but nothing that is seen in that scene is unnecessary. Remember this is a family spoof film which is the great thing about it, not one filled with sex jokes flying out from all cylinders. Anyway, I watched it when I was young. I had not seen any of the films that made fun of in the movie, yet I still loved it. As I grew up and watches those films, Hot Shots Part Deux made more sense to me, and instead of becoming a great comedy I would watch all the time, it became an insanely smart comedy I would watch any time I had the chance to.

Therefore, if you have not seen any of the films that are parodied in this movie you don't have to worry. This film still hits all cylinders as a pure comedy movie. You don't have to see those films like Predator or Apocolypse now to watch. It does help if you do but it is not like the film depends on you seeing them. Current spoofs are actually only funny if you see the mocked films. For Hot Shots Part Deux you can see none and still laugh your asses off for a full 86 minutes. The film is slightly less than an hour and a half. It is the perfect length. You laugh the entire way through the film and are not bored for a second. This is the reason that the film grossed so much money and received so much attention from the audience.

"Conclusion"

1)Rabinowitz: Know what I'm gonna do if we make it? I'm gonna go back to Eagle River and marry my gal, Edith Mae. Gonna get us a nice little place with a white picket fence. You know the kind. Two-car garage. Maybe a fishing boat. And in 15 years, when they're all paid for... I'll set my charges and blow the shit out of them.

2)Topper Harley: Colonel, who are they?
Col. Denton Walters: She's CIA. The other man's an extra.

These are two of the smallest jokes of hundreds in this film. If I gave you the script of this film, you would cry with laughter. So…what do you think you will do when you finally watch this film??
5 stars - watch Hot Shots and Hot Shots part Deux. I think the latter is better but they are both pure genius.

Please, oh God please watch this film if you haven't. I am aiming this recommendation at the majority of the audience. If you come back and say you hate it then you will have to realise one thing….you should be thinking… "Oh My God, I have no sense of humour."

Enjoy,

Jelboy