Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995)

My Review

In “Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home,” Jesse learns that an oil spill is threatening his old friend Willy the orca whale. He enlists everyone’s help he can find to save Willy and his friends from the spill and the greedy businessmen behind it. Director Dwight H. Little (“KGB: The Secret War” 1985) put together a respectable sequel with an interesting story, good production values, and acceptable performances. The adequate screenplay was written by Karen Janszen, Corey Blechman, and John Mattson.

Returning cast members include Jason James Richter as Jesse, Jayne Atkinson and Michael Madsen as his foster parents, August Schellenberg as Randolph, and Mykelti Williamson as Jesse’s social worker. Newbies include Francis Capra as Jesse’s half-brother, Mary Kate Schellhardt as Randolph’s goddaughter, as well as Elizabeth Pena, Jon Tenney, M. Emmet Walsh, John Considine, and Joan Lunden as herself.

The watchable “Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home” was a modest hit at the box office for Le Studio Canal+, Regency Enterprises, Alcor Films, Shuler-Donner/Donner, and Warner Bros. Pictures. “Free Willy 3: The Rescue” was released in 1997. Filming took place at scenic spots in Astoria, Oregon, San Juan Islands, Washington, and in California with excellent cinematography by Laszlo Kovacs.

An interesting tidbit is that the film received nominations for “Worst Sequel” and “The Sequel Nobody Was Clamoring For” at the 1995 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards.