Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)

Director: Ken Finkleman

Writers: Ken Finkleman, Al Jean, Mike Reiss

Composer: Elmer Bernstein

Starring: Lloyd Bridges, Raymond Burr, Chuck Connors, Rip Torn, John Dehner, Chad Everett, Peter Graves, Julie Hagerty, Robert Hays, Kent McCord, James A. Watson Jr., Wiliam Shatner, Stephen Stucker, John Vernon, Al White, Sonny Bono, Laurene Landon, Wendy Phillips, Jack Jones, Richard Jaeckel, David Leisure, David Paymer, Pat Sajak, Herve Villechaize, Kitten Natividad, Joyce DeWitt, George Wendt

More info: IMDb

Tagline: For the ride of your life... All you need for Christmas are your two front seats!

Plot: A faulty computer causes a passenger space shuttle to head straight for the Sun. Can Ted Striker save the day and get the shuttle back on track--again?

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? Yes.

There's no way you're going to be able to top the original AIRPLANE! (1980).  It's got more gags per minute than Madonna backstage after a concert.  The sequel is an admirable effort.  The first half hour is damn funny that includes jokes going on in the background as they happen in the foreground.  It's great to see most of the original cast back.  Lloyd Bridges just cracks me up and it was a nice addition with Chuck Connors.  Damn, he's funny.  I was surprised that William Shatner had far too much screen time...and he wasn't all that funny considering how much he was in the final half hour.  It's great how this feels like the first film but without the director or any of the writers.  It's just not as funny but it's still worth watching.  I love the kid's reaction to his dog, Scraps, getting shot.  Classic.