Phenomenon II (2003)

Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Don't listen to the negative reviews

A Disappointing Continuation

I have absolutely never seen anything like this movie before. You have to see this movie.

While this TV movie is based on Phenomenon (starring John Travolta), and while a lot of the lines are the same, I did find the original movie quite sad and without hope. I think we need to see more hope in "TV movies" and "movies" in general. This was a very positive movie on every level. Like "a beautiful life" it touched on the connectedness of all things, and that our brains are hardly ever utilized to its full extent. Liked the spin on relationships - with the Autistic child "Jay", how George understood and could get through to him, when so many could not. Would have loved to have seen this become a TV series - its not too late for it to happen - with say someone like th SciFi channel (syfy), who pick up series like this when many other channels don't. (Surface was one such example). This movie went further than the original so to that extent its both a remake and a sequel.

I really liked Phenomenon number one. I thought it was very well done and made good sense. Today (7-23-07), I watched Phenomenon 2. It was on the Lifetime Network and this is probably the one and only show or movie I have ever sat and watched on that network. I liked this movie quite a bit because it followed in the vein of the first movie but carried it further. Chris Shyer does a pretty good job with the George character although he doesn't seem to build the in-depth relationships with his radio buddy and the Doc like Travolta did. There are differences: George's attempt at a relationship with the "new woman in town" falls through and the only person he heals is himself. He does learn Spanish, predict and earthquake and mess with the government's secret codes. This second movie I think was just a pilot for a weekly series spin off that could have been , but wasn't. It focuses way too much on a cat & mouse game between George and his adversary in the govt who is trying to catch him (O'Quinn).If you can catch this movie on cable, take a look at it. Its definitely NOT a sequel as the name would imply, sort of more like a cable TV revisiting. Not bad at all, just a little different take on ole' George O'Malley.

I loved the theme of this movie and would love to see it turned into a series along the lines of the fugitive. Lead character only wants to exist in peace and use his powers for good but people's fear of him drives him into hiding. The theme of people fearing anything they can not understand and the governments attempt to control everything. The acting is superb and believable and the writing warm and intelligent. This version was more family friendly and lest dark than the Travolta version. The relationships between the lead character and the local residents are special and touching. Again the charm of these relationships would play well in a weekly series. The ending leaves opening for further stories.

I really enjoyed the first Phenomenon movie, John Travolta carried the part well enough to surpass the somewhat obvious Hollywoodisation and gave a truly heartfelt performance.This movie is nothing like that movie, yet it is exactly the same; and this is why. Phenomenon 2 is pretty much word for word, scene for scene, storyline for storyline as the original, but without any emotion. I don't know what the producers were thinking here but I bet they thought "Hmm, Phenomenon got a good review and net income, lets make another one exactly the same so we don't have to write a new story, the public will buy that right?" No they won't. Oh no no no. If I wanted to watch a rubbish version of Phenomenon I would of gone to a high school musical version of Phenomenon and even then I have the option to throw things on stage. Unfortunately, this movie stole from me approximately 90 minutes where I could of been doing something more constructive... like licking broken glass.