Weekend at Bernie's II (1993)

Undescribable Perfection

That was an excellent one.

Blistering performances.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

It does not disappoint or disrespect the legacy of the original movie. Often, a movie will come out that receives so much hype from critics and moviegoers that if I don't see it within the first 48 hours of its release, I won't see it for quite some time. For this reason I didn't see ET for at least 10 years after it was released. But I have seen WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S II. There isn't enough room here to discuss plot points and most of you already know the gist anyway. Just know that this is a fantastic comedy. The twists and turns keep you guessing until the very end. I think the movie does a superb job of portraying the story and issues without preaching to the viewer. That being said, it's impossible for an educated viewer not to see the flaws.

It's right after the first movie, and Bernie (Terry Kiser) is now in the morgue. Larry (Andrew McCarthy) and Richard (Jonathan Silverman) is suspected of colluding with Bernie by the company's investigator Arthur Hummel (Barry Bostwick), and are fired. Meanwhile a couple of bad guys try to use Voodoo to get the $2million. They reanimate Bernie but only when rhythmic music is playing. Then they lose Bernie on the subway, and he's returned back to the morgue. At the same time, Larry and Richard discover where Bernie hid the money. Only Bernie needs to get it from the bank in person. That when they decide to get Bernie from the morgue....The first one was a one joke comedy, and it was only passably funny. This one is even less than that. The only funny thing is the sight of Terry Kiser bopping around at the sound of the music. That last about 2 seconds. Then it gets stupider and stupider. This was never a smart franchise. I'm not talking about the characters, but rather the comedy. It's a one joke concept without much to back it up. But the stupidity in this movie really piles up. For example, it seems much more simpler to just try to pretend to be Bernie instead of dragging his dead body to the bank. It never quite improves.

This sequel was more goofy-humor oriented than the original that had tongue in cheek humor mixed with black comedy.In this sequel you can't forget about quality because you will get insanity instead. There is no need to tell that the plot is a total joke that deals reviving Bernie with voodoo. Could that work?! Well, it does but the results are not very favorable. We get silly situations mixed with the main character's stupidity surrounded by a goofy vibe.This sequel should only be recommended for HUGE fans of the original. If not, stay away from it because it's not even half as funny as the original.At least, Jonathan Silverman, Andrew McCarthy and Terry Kiser are back. They're the best thing from this almost-mess.If nostalgia is a common denominator in your film experience, then you should watch it; otherwise, it should be kept as an obscure sequel.

"The smell of a dead body." That is what I used to describe how bad this movie stunk. I can't believe they were actually considering a third installment based on how weak the premise was for this dud. Bernie is up moving around thanks to the workings of some voodoo doings. Just play the music and Bernie is on his feet and moving about! What a lousy concept. I was willing to dismiss the fact that Bernie would be smelling ripe and attracting the green flies, but to have him up and about at the sounds of reggae, that is just too much. Weekend at Bernies was no classic, but it was a funny movie that can be enjoyed for laughs. Weekend at Bernie's 2 just takes the whole concept a little too far. On a side note, MAD TV once did a trailer for a spoof called, "Weekend at Tupac's". That was funnier than Weekend At Bernies 2.