Mannequin Two: On the Move Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		2.5

Mannequin Two: On the Move Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 20, 2015

When “Mannequin” debuted in 1987, little was expected of the romantic comedy. Leading with the charms of stars Andrew McCarthy and Kim Cattrall, and riding on the wave of a hit theme song in Starship’s “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” the feature managed to beat the competition and becoming one of the top-grossing pictures of the year. Of course a sequel was going to happen, but just how could there be a second chapter to the story of a window dresser falling in love with his enchanted mannequin? Well, there isn’t one. Instead of expanding the original saga, the producers go the remake route, simply reviving the original plot with a new pair of lovers, only investing in the return of Meshach Taylor as Hollywood Montrose, who revives his flamboyant ways to act as the bridge between the movies. 1991’s “Mannequin Two: On the Move” (titled simply “Mannequin: On the Move” during the main titles) is a production that certainly isn’t difficult to understand from a financial point of view, but creatively, it’s a mess, shamelessly rehashing the original film with a new round of magic, montages, and cartoon villainy.

In the German kingdom of Hauptmann-Koenig, Prince William (William Ragsdale) is eager to share his life with peasant lover, Jessie (Kristy Swanson), though their union is denied by royal officials. As punishment, an evil sorcerer (Terry Kiser) freezes Jessie with a cursed necklace, giving her 1,000 years to find a true love kiss. Living through a millennium as a statue, Jessie’s saga has made her legendary, with the Philadelphia department store Prince & Company looking to welcome the statue to America with a celebration featuring Count Gunther Spretzle (Kiser), who’s been waiting a long time for Jessie to break her spell. Festivities are overseen by Hollywood Montrose (Meshach Taylor), who welcomes assistant Jason (Ragsdale) to his team. Under pressure from store manager Mr. James (Stuart Pankin) to wow the city, Jason personally tends to Jessie, removing the necklace in the process. Coming out of her wooden slumber, instantly smitten with her liberator, Jessie is handed an education on modern life by Jason, who can’t believe such magic is real. Trying to make sense of the situation, Jason is hounded by Gunther, who wants to claim Jessie for himself now that she’s real again.

With most of the elements that turned “Mannequin” into a hit long gone, the production attempts to rebuild what was lost, introducing yet another harried department store window artist and a second wooden lady. However, for “On the Move,” the lovers are of the star-crossed variety, with their tender feelings dating back 1,000 years, lost to an act of German cruelty that separated the dashing prince from his one true love. The picture spends a little money on the opening, introducing the characters in Hauptmann-Koenig, adding a splash of swashbuckling as the Prince makes an effort to defend his lady from royal forces. It’s a brief sequence, but necessary, setting up future antagonism from Gunther and Jessie’s simplistic devotion to Jason once she’s freed in 1991. The action soon moves to Philadelphia, reviving the “Mannequin” formula with Jason’s infatuation with Jessie and her hasty education in the ways of urban living.

Directed by Stewart Raffill (“Mac and Me”), “On the Move” has a to-do list of sequences, and nothing’s gonna stop it now. It’s a paint-by-numbers effort that recycles what’s come before, laboring to find the same chemistry with different performers, while Taylor graduates to co-lead status, going even bigger with Hollywood’s mincing ways and strange stability with a second mannequin coming to life (his reaction is a remarkably plain, “This has happened before.”), trying desperately to inject some fun into a largely flat creation. It’s hard to blame the cast for the overall inertia of “On the Move,” with Ragsdale fighting to sell the awe of the moment, matching McCarthy with acts of awkward physical comedy and lovable sap behavior. Swanson has her moments as Jessie, though she’s little more than a Barbie to Raffill, keeping the actress in tight, tiny dresses and long, brushable hair, making the character more about blindingly blonde sex appeal than adorable naiveté. The only moments that manage to find oxygen in the movie feature Jessie’s education, learning the ways of make-up, cheesesteaks, and nightclub dancing as she gets used to her surroundings.

If “Mannequin” was made to make teenage girls swoon, “On the Move” was created to entertain pre-pubescent slumber parties. Everything is the picture is non-threatening and broadly staged, finding Gunther the type of villain typically found in a Hanna-Barbera production, with Kiser doing whatever he can to stand out from the crowd. The German baddie is backed by three beefy escorts, with their Stooge-style antics sustaining eye-rolls as Raffill fills the effort with needless slapstick. There are chases as well, including one that has Jessie and Jason evading capture while speeding through the store on a go-kart. I’m sure younger viewers won’t mind the amplification of “On the Move,” but a little silly business from this production goes a long way.

Mannequin Two: On the Move Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.84:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "On the Move" does encounter limitations with period cinematography and an aged scan, giving the viewing experience a softer look. Detail isn't great, but it isn't completely cleared away, retaining adequate textures on store decoration and facial close-ups, with Jessie's transformation from wood to flesh showcased clearly. Colors are a priority for the production, and register with some flatness here, leading with satisfactory primaries that emerge from Hollywood's costuming and set decoration. Grain is present and somewhat noisy, never pronounced. Delineation is acceptable, keeping dense costumes and hair open for inspection, while evening sequences are comfortable. Source retains some speckling but no overt damage.

Mannequin Two: On the Move Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix is straightforward in design, with emphasis on dialogue exchanges, which sound adequate, holding to comedic delivery and broad accents. Soundtrack selections are more pronounced, adding support where the tinny synth score can't reach, but never smothering performances. Store atmospherics are preserved, with pleasing group activity, while outdoor adventures retain a sense of street life. A minor amount of hiss is detected.

Mannequin Two: On the Move Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this disc.

Mannequin Two: On the Move Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

What should come through clearly is romance, but "On the Move" is limited when it comes to the sweet stuff. Raffill would rather have a hot air balloon fight than stage a basic scene of warmth between the lead characters, which is a shame. When dealing with storybook kingdoms, curses cured with a kiss, and magical unions, it wouldn't hurt the sequel to have a moment of tenderness to secure the fantasy. Instead, "Mannequin Two: On the Move" plays like a television pilot, with emphasis on shenanigans instead of heart. It's hard to imagine anything about this fluffy film series emerging as a disappointment, but here we are.