FX 2

Directed by Richard Franklin, FX 2 follows Bryan Brown’s Rollie Tyler and Brian Dennehy’s Leo McCarthy as they’re once again drawn into a conspiracy involving crooked cops and powerful mobsters. There’s ultimately never a point at which FX 2 doesn’t feel like a rather shameless retread of its admittedly superior predecessor, right down to the late-in-the-game initial appearance of Dennehy’s character, and yet the picture, for the most part, remains perfectly watchable and sporadically engrossing for the duration of its slightly overlong running time – with the entertaining vibe perpetuated by its predictably solid lead performances and a smattering of overtly spellbinding sequences. (There is, in terms of the latter, an absolutely terrific sequence set in a supermarket that ultimately stands as the series’ high point.) And although the movie does suffer from its fair share of sluggish stretches, FX 2 builds towards a genuinely compelling third act that does, in the end, cement its place as a decent-enough sequel that benefits from Franklin’s playful approach. (It’s difficult, for example, not to get a kick out of the recurring emphasis on Rollie’s robotic clown named Bluey.)

*** out of ****

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