mm-39
Spoiler! A surprise ending about hope. I watched this movie with my wife and nephew Austin. Austin enjoyed the movie. Austin liked how people can change. My wife liked the dog. Myself found it a little long at the beginning, but as the movie progressed the pace and flow melded into a entertaining movie. The guy from Law and Order played a good part. It was different seeing him in such a different role. The movie gives you a feeling of country life. They even had the nasty neighbour. The other dogs in the movie were mean because they were mistreated, but with a little love and kindest, they can change. Overall it is a good movie for the family to watch. 8/10
zparticles
Unlike most sequels, I was surprised to find "Shiloh 2: Shiloh Season" better than "Shiloh". Maybe it was the more developed story, or maybe a better actor playing the part of Marty Preston. Normally seeing a different actor in a leading role turns me off sequels, but in this case it just wasn't like that. And even though this movie deals with some hard issues, it seems like even more of a nice, warm family film. I'm so glad I decided to watch it because now, it's one of my favourite "nice" movies.
Movie-12
Director: Sandy Tung Running time: 96 minutes Rated PG (for mild substance abuse and violence)The novel by Phyllis Reynolds Taylor, "Shiloh," has never been a successful screen adaptation. It wasn't originally, and it isn't now, thanks to the current sequel released by Warner Bros. "Shiloh," that was discharged several years ago, suffered from a tedious first two acts, then took off immensely during act three. That last act was touching, inspiring, and heartwarming, just like the book and message of the film. "Shiloh 2: Shiloh Season," suffers from that exact same syndrome; it really turns into something the last thirty minutes, but until then, the film tries to develop something that doesn't take two acts to develop, the conflict. Plus, even more to the film's discredit, we receive the same plot clichés as we did in the first film, giving the audience a sense of the "been there, seen that" feeling, resulting in a production worse than the original. For the most part, "Shiloh 2: Shiloh Season" is a dead-zone of family entertainment.The setting once again takes place in a small country village. The story centers on a family by the name of Preston, consisting of Ray, the father, Louise, the mother, and their children, Dara Lynn, Becky, and Marty whom all attend a school named Friendly Elementary School (can't get over that one). In the first film, young Marty made a deal with his alcoholic and inhumanly cruel neighbor named Judd Travers; if he'll work for Judd for so many hours, Judd will give Marty his dog that he so deeply desires, Shiloh. Pretty simple concept. Quite complicated composition of a moral idea, though, because in "Shiloh 2: Shiloh Season," the only difference between the two films external problem is that in this movie Judd wants Shiloh back from Marty, in the other film Marty wanted Shiloh from Judd. Doesn't offer much variety, does it?In this story, Judd is presented as the absolute scum of the universe, and the filmmakers certainly carry his snarling personality a little too far. At least in the original "Shiloh" he had a hint of humanity in him. Here, Judd is the talk of the town. He is the topic of discussion in homes, the workplace, and even in elementary school. The characters mention a change in his attitude toward life so much, it's obvious that they are foreshadowing a pleasant ending, and before the closing credits roll around, Judd may or may not become a classic example of a dynamic character.I saw "Shiloh 2" at a special family film festival, and while seated in the audience, I noticed an awful lot of fidgeting, chattering, and even sleeping, much done by the children themselves--something unimaginable in productions like "Toy Story" or "A Bugs Life." And the deserving performance by Scott Wilson, again, is such a tickle to the soul that it is a shame his character is so dreadfully underwritten that it is hard to do anything but hate Judd Travers.I disliked the film for the various reasons I have mentioned, but mostly because of lack of tension in the plot, lack of surprise in the conclusion, and lack of irony in the characters. The overall movie was missing a necessity required in every family film: interest. So even if you're a realist person and listen not to the critics, listen to the kids: I'd say that kids under the age of eleven have about a 25% chance of enjoying this picture. That is far more than the restless group I screened the movie with.Brought to you by Warner Bros.
fxm
The first Shiloh film was enjoyable by adults as well as children. This one starts with about an hour of filler where not much happens, with stilted dialogue; only in the last act is there any significant action that really moves the plot along. The dog is still cute, though, and young kids may enjoy it.