grantss After winning the division the previous year, the Cleveland Indians return the following season with a new-found confidence. Their previously-ragtag players are now stars. Roger Dorn has gone from player to owner, removing the unhealthy management and influence of Rachel Phelps. New players have been contracted and the team roster looks stronger than ever. What could possibly go wrong?A pale imitation of the first movie. Major League was funny, engaging and exciting and the baseball was reasonably realistic. On the other hand, Major League II feels very clichéd and contrived. Engagement is limited – there's really no story to carry you along, it's just a (dysfunctional) team playing baseball. Furthermore, the baseball is sometimes quite farcical, and not realistic.There are some very funny moments – e.g. the Rick Vaughn 87-take commercial was side-splittingly funny – but the humour is generally less intelligent and mostly on the cheap side.

John McDevitt I don't know why there's so many negative reviews for this film when I think it's just as good as the original and in some respects, even better. Major League II is a logical progression from the original with the team losing their focus and enjoying the spoils of fame. A lot of what happens is this film happened to the 2008 Philadelphia Phillies after they won the World Series. This movie is blasted for predictable, clichéd writing when there was just as much in the first one. At least this movie doesn't have the maudlin Randy Newman songs and dreadful romance between Tom Berenger and Rene Russo. It makes sense to have Charlie Sheen be the focus this time as his story is more interesting than Tom Berenger as the focus in the original. The new characters are all worthwhile and interesting, especially David Keith as the formidable Parkman and Randy Quaid as the irate fan who won't go away. There were enough changes in this film to make it a little different but still keep it like the original. And who doesn't get excited when you hear Wild Thing at the end when Rick Vaughan has even more at stake this time to strike someone out? Don't believe all the negativity regarding this film. It's a very enjoyable, worthwhile sequel that I feel is criminally underpraised while the original may be a tad overcelebrated.

SanteeFats Not nearly as funny as Major League this is still a decent enough sequel. To9m Berenger is back as the almost washed up catcher and team leader. Charlie Sheen is back as Wild Thing, the heat throwing pitcher. Unfortunately he has become extremely corporate in his actions and his image. This is due to a marketing ploy to increase his marketability quotient. Towards the end he returns to reality and to his successful on field persona dumping the agent and her requirements. I really like the character of the manager played by Gammons. I don't know if it is just his voice and mustache but his presence his powerful. Alison Doody is back as the ogre of an owner and does it well. David Keith has a almost minor role as an irascible mercenary slugger. He gets his comeuppance when Sheen strikes him out to win the game. Dennis Haysbert is very good as the voodoo worshiping (?), superstitious, and now a pacifistic do gooder who gives it up when he realizes it doesn't work for him. Omar Epps replaces Wesley Snipes and while I like both actors Snipes was better as Willie Mays Hayes. The appearance of Tanaka is a nice touch and his samurai(?) principles eventually brings Cerrano out of his funk.

Steve Pulaski Major League II is a lost cause at best. It's one of those films you know will have a sequel, but you don't want there to be a sequel. You want the film to leave off on a good note and not be inhabited by sequels of lesser quality. Instead, Major League did what was predicted and made a sequel that is (a) PG and not on par with the original and (b) doesn't include all of the original actors.I could tell from the beginning of the film that director David S. Ward, also director of the first film, really wanted to get everyone back to do a great sequel. Rene Russo and Wesley Snipes, big names in the first film, are now absent. Snipes is replaced with Omar Epps, who is decent, but not as funny as the way Snipes portrayed the character of Willy Mays Hayes.The plot: The Indians open up next season confident because of their big surprise last year. But some changes have been made. Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn (Sheen), the team's star player, has quit sporting his bad boy image and now has a cleaner act. Jake Taylor (Berenger), the Indians catcher, still has serve knee problems and is on his last leg (no pun intended). Roger Dorn (Bernsen) retired from the Indians to later buy the team from Rachel Phelps. And the team's oddball player Pedro Cerrano (Haysbert) has converted to Buddhism and is way more of a relaxed player.Major League II is more or less a remake of the first film with some new little perks. The screenwriter didn't want to experiment with much so the film is just the Indians struggling at the beginning of the season to become respectable players by the end once more. When it comes to baseball movies there isn't a whole lot of originality. The end will surprise virtually no one.The character I still find hilarious is Lou Brown (Gammon). As well as the character of the Indians announcer Harry Doyle (Uecker) who has a major alcohol problem throughout the season while announcing the games. Absolute hilarity in both of these actors.One character I grew tired of fast was Isuro Tanaka (Takaaki Ishibashi). His on screen actors are utterly atrocious and just unfunny especially when he gets into fights with Pedro Cerrano. The obsessed, fair weather Indians fan played by Randy Quaid is nothing but annoying as well.Several things drag Major League II in the gutter, but it still is a fair sequel. I feel that this is a beginning of an end though. I feel this is the best sequel to Major League we're going to get. It's sad. But most likely true as I've heard nothing but average to poor reviews of Back to the Minors.Director David S. Ward wants to get Berenger, Sheen, and Snipes back for a third film but I find that highly unlikely. Berenge has gotten too old and probably lost interest. Good luck getting Sheen to put a pause on his Two and a Half Men drama to do it, Snipes is in prison till 2013, and Gammon is dead. Major League III, if it will happen, is highly unlikely. That is no error. Ward wants the film to be titled Major League III, even though chronologically it's Major League IV.Regardless, I feel Back to the Minors will conclude the series good or bad. It looks like Major League II will be the best Major League sequel out there. This could've all been avoided if we just left the film alone where it was; a funny and clever baseball comedy.Starring: Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Corbin Bernsen, Dennis Haysbert, Omar Epps, David Keith, Margaret Whitton, James Gammon, and Bob Uecker. Directed by: David S. Ward.