Major League II Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		2.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		2.0

Major League II Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 5, 2019

As the Cleveland Indians battle the Minnesota Twins for first place in the American League Central and at least look to lock down an American League wild card spot in the final few weeks of the 2019 season, it seems like a good time for Sony to release Major League II to Blu-ray, allowing fans to squeeze in a little more Tribe action once the team's season comes to an end, hopefully in late October for the Lake Erie faithful. The original Major League, one of the most iconic and quintessential sports comedies ever made (and one of this reviewer's favorite films), has been on Blu-ray for over a decade now. The sequel returns the same core of characters and mostly the same roster of actors portraying them for another run through the ups and downs of a tumultuous baseball season, following the boys of Summer chasing Fall glory.

It's a new season of Cleveland Indians baseball and things should be looking up. In the previous season, the team went on a miracle run to make the playoffs in spite of a ragtag roster and an owner actively trying to ensure the team piled up the losses so she could relocate the Indians to Miami. Ex-third baseman Roger Dorn (Corbin Bernsen) has purchased the team from the fiendish Phelps, seemingly putting the club on more stable financial footing. He's brought in slugging free agent catcher Jack Parkman (David Keith), a middle of the order replacement for the aging and broken down Jake Taylor (Tom Berenger). Returning to the roster are ace pitcher Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn (Charlie Sheen), power hitting outfielder Pedro Cerano (Dennis Haysbert), leadoff man extraordinaire Willie Mays Hayes (Omar Epps, previously Wesley Snipes), and skipper Lou Brown (James Gammon).

But a miserable spring brings a terrible start to the season. “This team has completely lost its focus,” Lou laments as the season is about to begin. And he's right. Ricky Vaughn has cleaned up his act off the field at the expense of his performance on it. He’s added a number of hybrid off speed pitches to compensate for a heater without much heat on it. His new girlfriend, Rebecca Flannery (Alison Doody), is trying to build his image, not his velocity. Willie has bulked up in the offseason and spent another part of it shooting a new action movie, Black Hammer White Lightning, which has left him with an injured leg; he's hoping newfound power will mask his hobbling foot speed which is preventing him from being the player his skipper wants him to be: a leadoff hitter who gets on base and swipes bags. Pedro has returned to the lineup not as a man of aggression but rather as a man of peace who finds the silver lining in all things. His big heart means big losses for the Tribe. Taylor is asked to mentor a young, raw backup catcher named Rube Baker (Eric Bruskotter) who is a quality backstop except for one problem: he cannot throw the ball back to the pitcher. As the team's struggles continue, as the losses mount, and as Dorn runs out of cash, the team with high expectations finds itself in desperate straits with no choice but to turn to its dark past in hopes of sparking another run for a future pennant.

Major League II fields some momentum in its opening minutes as the franchise's most popular character, the loquacious and unfiltered play-by-play drunkard Harry Doyle, portrayed by real-life Milwaukee Brewers announcer Bob Uecker, recaps the previous movie by way of a radio talk show segment getting fans ready for the season to come. It's a smart introduction that accomplishes three items: it sets the stage for this film, gets newcomers up to speed, and puts the best character in focus from the beginning. The movie does little more than rework the original. All of the same basic pieces are in place, but the characters have changed. Some have moved off the field and into the front office or the dugout while a couple of key personalities have changed. Of course, the lesson in the movie is that change is not always a good thing on the diamond, and the team will have to reassume its winning identity if it's going to put a miserable start to the season in the rearview mirror. This film generates fewer laughs and features a much smaller collection of classic one-liners when compared to its predecessor. It's a rehash but still a fun little excuse to revisit the characters and have some fun at their expense. The baseball action is enjoyable but as with the first film it's the off-the-field drama -- and a bit of a brouhaha on it -- that carries the movie to modest success.

Major League II Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Major League II could look better on Blu-ray. Sony's pressed MOD (Manufactured on Demand) 1080p presentation shows signs of digital processing. Grain looks to be frozen in place and the image appears smoothed over and waxy. Details are rather flat, leaving only essential facial features in close-up to be seen. Meshy batting practice jerseys, official caps and jackets, and odds and ends around the clubhouse lack the sort of tack sharpness viewers would rightly expect from a movie shot on film and released by Sony. This looks like an upscaled DVD image, and its only benefit is the sharpness and clarity the 1080p format provides. Colors are dull and pasty. Indian red and blue find a fair amount of saturation but there's no real feel for punchy contrast and deep and natural tones. Skin tones are pasty. Black levels appear fair enough. Some stray speckles appear here and there, and signs of light edge enhancement are also visible. This is not an image that is up to Sony's usual level of visual excellence.

Major League II Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Major League II's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack handles core duties well enough, with the only major flub being dialogue that comes across as tinny and uneven. It's not a constant issue but it is evident, notably early on. Fortunately, placement is maintained in the center for the duration. Music enjoys good prominence and sufficient clarity. A winning streak montage around the hour mark is a highlight, with score blasting through the front with pleasing clarity and stretch. Surrounds are not used to excess but do fold in some light support. Small examples of atmospherics are handled well enough, whether light locker room chatter or more engaging crowd applause at a Jay Leno taping in chapter three. On-field action is heard with decent clarity, including sliding runners and bat hitting ball.

Major League II Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

All that's included with this Blu-ray release of Major League II is the film's Theatrical Trailer (480i, 1.78:1, 1:49). No DVD or digital copies are included. This release does not ship with a slipcover.

Major League II Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Major League II has "obligatory sequel" written all over it. A least it's not "in name only." It returns the same core characters, the same themes, and much of the same humor. It's effective as a continuation, even if it's a regurgitation. It has some fun moments, none of which amount to much of anything close to the humor and excitement of the original, so go in with low expectations and find a decent enough return to the Majors. Sonys MOD Blu-ray is all but featureless. Video and audio are passable at best. Only for fans.