Slap Shot 2: Breaking the Ice (2002)

If you like the original "Slapshot," good acting and a good plot, rent anything else other than this travesty of film-making. However, if you do enjoy bad VD jokes, monotone Steven Baldwin acting and a storyline a kindergartner could poke holes into, then by all means rent "Slapshot 2: Breaking the Ice." Seriously, the only good thing about this film was seeing the original Hanson Brothers reprise their roles, which was not nearly enough to save it. A life-size cardboard cutout of Paul Newman has more acting talent than Steven Baldwin. And I'm being generous. Only if you have a severely morbid sense of curiosity would I suggest you watch this film.

Slap Shot 2 i thought had to be incredibly weak compared to the original. I mean Paul Newman & Strother Martin made classic performances, something both Stephen Baldwin & Gary Busey couldn't do, I mean they were a team of ragtag misfits just like in the original but the difference is that the first one they played in a league and actually had heart, grit & determination when they were winning, this one is just bad, they lose either way and don't have a real rhythm, just like the New York Rangers. I mean this movie could have been a lot worse, and if this was How To Kill A Film Franchise 101, I guess the film makers succeeded because the original had an awesome thing going but this sequel is nothing compared to the original, hopefully they don't make Slap Shot 3 and destroy this once great film series even more then it already has!!!

the same formula that's used for alot of poor quality sporting movies a hopeless team has to battle against the odds to get some dignity. Had a few moments where it was kinda funny but other then that it was just the same old story that holds true to the fact that most sequels aren't as good as the originals

I went into this movie with very LOW expectations (after all, it IS a straight to video flick staring to the most marginal of the Baldwin boys). After viewing the film, I very happy to say I found the movie to be a worthy sequel to the 1977 classic (so long as you can overlook the cliché Hollywood sports movie ending). Over the years, people's fondness for the original has exaggerated the comedic aspect of the movie into more than it really was. I never really felt the original was a "comedy" (although with a few bits that are funny as hell). In line with that observation, this movie shouldn't really be labeled a comedy either. The thing that made the first movie great, was not the "comedy", but the fact that it captured a moment in sports history that (even at the time) has vanished. Combined with an ending that broke the rules for sports movies the original became a "classic". This sequel is not a classic (mostly due to its very predictable Hollywood ending), but this new version IS a good little sports movie that tells a good hockey story. Bottom line of this review is that I feel the movie was probably a bit cheated by not receiving a theatrical release, but it does shine as a top notch straight to video flick. At under $20, it's a good addition to the collection for fans of the original. As a newbe to the world of Slap Shot, it's worth a rent. Even my wife who hates hockey AND the original movie, liked this sequel.