Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
Robot Johnny 5 moves to the city to help his friend Ben Jahrvi with his toy manufacturing enterprise, only to be manipulated by criminals who want to use him for their own nefarious purposes.
Short Circuit 2 is a by-the-numbers sequel that transplants Johnny 5 into an urban crime comedy without meaningfully expanding on the original's ideas. The plot is formulaic—robot gets exploited by criminals, learns about human betrayal, ultimately triumphs—hitting familiar beats without surprise. Acting is serviceable but unremarkable, with Fisher Stevens's Ben Jahrvi characterization drawing criticism for ethnic caricature. Cinematography is competent but purely functional late-80s studio work. Novelty is low given it recycles the first film's premise with little fresh invention. The ending earns a slight bump as Johnny 5's near-destruction and emotional recovery gives the film a surprisingly affecting dramatic moment that rises above the rest of the material.