Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

The sequel to the highly successful culture-clash comedy Crocodile Dundee, this second film actually has enough to recommend it to be worth watching. As you may already know, in the first film famed croc hunter Mick Dundee showed reported Sue Carlton round the Outback, and then came back to New York with her . They are now very much a couple in the film (the actor/ actress involved – Paul Hogan and Linda Kozwalski – were married in real life a couple of years later). This time their travels are reversed – the action starts out in New York but is taken to the Outback.

Sue’s ex-husband has got himself into some serious trouble with a drug baron in Columbia, and has photographic proof – which he sends to Sue in desperation. She then finds herself in trouble with gangsters in New York associated with the drug baron, and Mick has to rescue her, forming a very unlikely alliance to do so. Where would be the safest place for her? Why, no other place than back in his home country, among the crocs and kangaroos! Trouble is… the gangsters aren’t going to give up that easily. So it’s up to old pals Wally (John Meillon), Donk (Steve Rackman), Nugget (Gerry Skilton) and of course some modern Aborigines to help out Mick Dundee in his own back yard. Once again it’s often the Aborigines that provide the funniest elements in the film.

Despite the somewhat derivative plot and traditional weaknesses suffered by sequels, Crocodile Dundee 2 still delivers laughs to be enjoyable. There are some new characters, some of which are very strange indeed, and in fact there is quite a surreal element to the second third of the film where Mick breaks into a mansion with the help of some… interesting people. Once they get to Australia though it’s just a straight comedy, and not as funny as first. There is much more reliance on sight gags and slapstick here, which weakens it overall. Still, Paul Hogan’s performance as Dundee is still charismatic enough to hold the film together, though his character is a lot less laid-back than in the first film. The romance element between Mick and Sue is a stronger part of this film, though they seem to have less screen time together. Odd!

Overall there’s really not much to say about Crocodile Dundee 2 except that it’s reasonably funny and entertaining, has a good cast, and a nice soundtrack. Worth watching if there’s nothing else on. It’s certainly not as good as the original, but really it’s not that disappointing by sequel standards.

Other Information

Year of release: 1988 (2 years after the first film)

Director: John Cornell (Co-writer for the first film, he went on to direct Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles and Almost and Angel, also starring Hogan and Kozlowski)

The screenplay was written by Paul Hogan and his son Brett

Runtime: 110 minutes (probably a bit too ambitious considering the somewhat sketchy plot)

Rating:PG

Peter Best won the BMI Film Music Award for his score, while the film won a “Golden Screen” award in Germany.

Quotes

Mick: What did you do last night?
Punk: We didn't do nothing.
Mick: That's what you call cool, is it? Well, tomorrow, if someone asks you the same question, you can say: "We didn't do nothing,"... or you can say: "We went out to Long Island to help this lunatic storm a fortress!" Least you can do is come and see me get my head blown off...

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[Aborigine speaks in Aborigine]
Teddy: No mate we just hold them.
Sue: What did he say?
Teddy: [winking] He wants to know if we're allowed to eat these men.

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Teddy: Mick's bloody lucky you can't shoot straight, Wal.

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Walt: See, the Aborigines, they can find there way in the dark. They just feel where things are.
[Off screen thump]
Off screen Aborigine: Oh, bloody tree!

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Fuji: [speaking about 'Crocodile' Dundee] Do you know who that was?
Cato: No.
Fuji: Clint Eastwood.

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Sue: Do you know where they are?
Mick: Yeah. About 500 yards that way, over that ridge.
Sue: How do you know that?
Mick: Can't you smell it?
Sue: Their sweat?
Mick: Wally's aftershave.



Related Links

Crocodile Dundee - the superior first film.

Top Ten Comedies
Top Ten Romantic Comedies


Recommended: Yes

Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day