Smokey and the Bandit II (1980)

In many ways I actually prefer this film to the first. The script isn't quite as snappy as the original, but the cast are back along with a few new faces and it's a great fun ride. The theme of washed up celebrity is quite a clever one and it's played out nicely in the film, although maybe not as strongly as it could have been.The jewel in the crown is the end set-piece in the desert, because it's huge, magnificently choreographed, and it really is a sight to behold. It blows the socks off the first film's ending and is definitely one of the best "trucker film" sequences ever put on celluloid. The elephant story is sweet too, and it's nice how it manages to help the Bandit find himself again.Honestly, this is a great film and a worthy sequel. Overall it's not quite as good as the first film, but in a lot of individual places it's far stronger and is definitely worth checking out, regardless of what the sea of negative sheep out there say.

Following in the footsteps of the popular first "Smokey and the Bandit" movie, "Smokey and the Bandit II" is a very average sequel that follows the trend of most sequels; let's cash in on the success of the first movie and make more money.Even the storyline is very similar to the first movie, just thrown in a different cargo to be transported. That being said, don't get me wrong, because the movie is still entertaining.The Bandit (playd by Burt Reynolds) has fallen on hard times with alcohol, but as a business opportunity comes around, The Snowman (played by Jerry Reed) and Frog (played by Sally Field) persuade The Bandit to sober and clean up and drive a 400.000 dollar cargo. But the police, led by notorious Sheriff Buford T. Justice (played by Jackie Gleason) is in hot pursuit.It was nice to see the original cast return for this 1980's sequel, that being Burt Reynolds, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Sally Field, Paul Williams, Pat McCormick, Mike Henry and the dog Fred. But "Smokey and the Bandit II" also brought the wonderful Dom DeLuise into the frame."Smokey and the Bandit II" is entertaining enough for what it is, and it should be seen if you enjoyed the first movie. It does, however, suffer under the pressure of being a sequel.

Released in 1980, "Smokey in the Bandit II" is (naturally) the sequel to the good ol' boy hit "Smokey and the Bandit" from 1977. Burt Reynolds stars with Jerry Reed as Bandit and Cledus, two Southern truckers who take a gig hauling an elephant from Florida to Dallas. Sally Field co-stars as Carrie, aka "Frog," a literal runaway bride (again) picked up by Bandit. The father of the groom, Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason), ain't happy and goes on the pursuit. Mike Henry, Paul Williams and Pat McCormick are also on hand. Also, several of the champion Pittsburgh Steelers have cameos, like Terry Bradshaw, Mean Joe Greene and Joe Klecko.People tend not to like this sequel because Bandit starts out as a drunken bum and the movie's not as kinetic as the previous one. However, Bandit gets back into the swing of things and there are enough motorhead antics to please car chase aficionados. No, it's not as good as the first (which wasn't all that good in the first place), but I enjoy the elephant shenanigans and the subplot about nobly sacrificing an incredible amount of money for the welfare of an elephant and (maybe) her bambino. Moreover, I appreciate the warmhearted tone and redemptive subtheme.The female eye-candy is pretty much limited to Field, but there are a few peripheral cuties.The film runs 101 minutes and was shot mostly in Florida, but also Georgia (the race track) and southern Nevada, the latter of which they try to pass off as East Texas. Why Sure! GRADE: C+

Burt Reynolds is back as the Bandit, along with Sally Field as his girlfriend, and Jerry Reed as friend Cledus. Jackie Gleason, Mike Henry, Pat McCormick, and Paul Williams also return as Bandit must transport an elephant from Texas to Florida, while still being chased by not only Sheriff Buford T. Justice and his son, but also Buford's twin brother(a Canadian Mountie).Bad sequel starts off strangely, with the two leads embittered and apart, before the story begins, which is utterly absurd and dreary, not to mention unfunny, though costar Dom DeLuise tries. Final action/crash up is dreadful, and film far too silly for its own good.