Short Circuit 2

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Short Circuit 2 is a 1988 motion picture, sequel to Short Circuit directed by Kenneth Johnson. It starred Fisher Stevens as Ben Jahrvi; Michael McKean as Fred Ritter; Cynthia Gibb as Sandy Banatoni; and Johnny 5 (the main character - a very friendly, self-aware robot), voiced by Tim Blaney.

1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Trivia
4 External links

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

An undisclosed amount of time after the first movie, Stephanie Speck and Newton Crosby are hiding out with the robot Number 5 (who has since rechristened himself Johnny 5), while Newton's co-worker, Benjamin Jahrvi, moves to New York City, New York in order to try and start a booming business selling toy versions of Johnny out on the street. One such toy makes its way into a nearby department store, where it's spotted by struggling associate saleswoman Sandy Banatoni. Enraptured by the ingenious little gadgets, Sandy works out an order for 1000 of them with Ben with the help of nearby street hustler Fred Ritter, who uses a loan shark to gain the equipment, temps, and housing needed to complete the order on time.

Unfortunately for the two reluctant business partners, the warehouse that Fred chose for them is the base of operations for a duo of thieves hired by bank teller Oscar Baldwin to tunnel underground to his bank's safe across the street; a priceless set of jewels is going on display in a week, and until the exhibit opens, they'll be housed in the bank for safe-keeping. As Fred's loan of the building for Ben's fledgling business will slow them down, the thieves attempt to scare the duo off by trashing their equipment, making it impossible for them to meet the deadline.

Fortunately for Ben, a large crate arrives from Stephanie and Newton, containing Johnny 5; wanting to help Ben with his business, they decided the best way would be to send Johnny, but warns him to keep an eye on the input-hungry robot. On cue, Johnny demonstrates how he can build the toys in rapid time, and both Ben and Fred are happy to let Johnny do all the work, allowing Ben free time to study up for what he would need to become a U.S. citizen. However, keeping in mind Johnny's thirst for knowledge, Ben makes Fred swear not to reveal the nature of their location to Johnny, believing (rightfully) that the robot would go nuts if he knew he was living in a major metropolis filled with input.

Learning of Johnny's presence, and his impact on their plans, the thieves attempt to destroy Johnny, but the former military robot proves too strong. To make matters worse, Fred accidentally lets it slip that Johnny is in a city the next day, and during his wild romps through the metropolis (including being duped into helping a gang steal car stereos), inadvertently makes friends with Oscar, himself. This gives Oscar an idea on how to get the jewels, but contacts his associates to discuss it.

Meanwhile, Fred is becoming more and more inquiring about Johnny 5 to a lovestruck Ben, who has fallen in love with Sandy over their business talks, and demands to know why they don't just sell Johnny and take care of their financial problems (as Johnny is worth well over $11 million). Ben staunchly refuses, only giving a vague "You wouldn't understand" as his explanation, but Fred doesn't believe Ben. After convincing Ben to ask Sandy out on a date, Fred uses that time alone to attempt to sell Johnny to a few high-profile businessmen (including some with knowledge about the SAINT prototype project). Fred and Johnny 5 are sidetracked by a short side-trip to a local bookstore, where Fred shells out for a pair of books for Johnny to get him out before they're caught by security due to Johnny's antics inside. Johnny gets wise to this, however, and inadvertently escapes through a window in the office building where Fred's deal was taking place.

Now alone in the big city, Johnny soon realizes through his interaction with passers-by just how lonely he is, because of his inability to convince anyone that he is alive. In an attempt to blend in, he steals a trenchcoat and beanie hat, but is caught by the police, who were informed of his actions in the bookstore. Johnny is later found by an angry and concerned Ben (angry at Fred for attempting to sell Johnny and subsuqently losing him, and concerned for Johnny's safety) in the NYPD's stolen goods warehouse. That night, Ben and Johnny have a heart-to-processor talk about Johnny's actions in the city and his reasons behind them, which reveals that they are much alike in their situations: Johnny is lonely because no one believes he's alive, while Ben is lonely because, try as he might, he can't seem to get Sandy interested in him, making him feel like she doesn't know he's alive beyond being business associates. Realizing that his encyclopedic knowledge about dating could help Ben, Johnny offers to help the struggling roboticist score with Sandy during their date.

At the date, Ben tries to wing it with Sandy, while Johnny gives him prompts using his handy-dandy transmitter to send messages to Ben via a billboard in the distance within Ben's line of view. This attempt fails miserably, and Sandy feels that Ben is just messing with her head, until he finally comes clean about his and Johnny's little ruse, and the two lovebirds find something in common to build their relationship around: oldies music.

The next day, Oscar and his goons, pressed for time and running out of options, agree to allow Oscar to use his friendship with Johnny to distract and persuade the robot into helping them finish the tunnel, while the goons take care of Ben and Fred. The plan goes like clockwork, with Ben and Fred being transported to a Chinese restaurant across town and locked in its freezer, while Oscar convinces Johnny that the tunnel could be used as an escape route for Ben in case the thieves come back. Oscar has Johnny complete the tunnel, break into the safe, and unlock the safe deposit box that holds the jewels. Unfortunately for Oscar, Johnny is not quite as naive as he thought, and after a brief chase through part of the city, Oscar and his goons finally get the drop on Johnny; to prevent him being a witness to their crimes they severely damage him. However, before they can 'kill' Johnny, he takes control of a large remote control model airplane and successfully chases them away.

Although Johnny manages to survive, he is damaged enough to be technically dying. He jury-rigs a car battery to himself in order to extend his life. Ben and Fred are also spared their icy fate, after transmitting to Sandy's answering machine directions to the restaurant they are being held in the form of short musical clues. However, when returning to the warehouse to find Johnny, Ben and Sandy are captured by the police, while Fred escapes and manages to find Johnny in an alleyway. Having realized the error of his ways during his time with Ben at the restaurant, and startled by just how smashed up Johnny is, he becomes Johnny's novice saviour. He uses a nearby Radio Shack and Johnny's typed-out instructions on a computer to patch him up enough to reconnect his main battery and memory, which - along with repairing his broken arm - is enough for Johnny to make the remaining repairs himself.

Things are looking bad, however; despite Fred's best efforts, Johnny is still not repaired enough to save his power supply from fading within the hour, and Oscar is almost long gone, packing the jewels in plastic dinosaurs for transport past customs and over the border. Despite this, Johnny is determined to bring Oscar and his cronies to justice, and, after a brief chase, finds and corners them at a construction zone near the Hudson River. Oscar and his gang are rounded up, but the effort drains Johnny's remaining power reserves, causing Ben (who, with Sandy, was released and used to help track down Johnny, after the owner of the Radio Shack Johnny and Fred broke into for the repairs reported seeing them) to frantically use a defibrillator in an effort to bring him back from the brink. He succeeds, to everyone's delight, and manages to keep him alive long enough to make full repairs on him.

At the end of the movie, Johnny has become a celebrity overnight, his face and tale with the jewel thieves adorning the front page of newspapers and magazines everywhere. As a result of this newfound fame, his look-alike toys have become a hot commodity, allowing Sandy, Ben, and Fred to go into business for themselves as a multibillion dollar corporation known as Input, Inc. Most exciting of all, however, is Ben's inauguration into U.S. citizenship, which he shares with a newly-restored - and golden - Johnny, officially recognized as a living, thinking, citizen with all the rights and privileges of any human being in the country. Asked how he felt about his new status, Johnny enthusiastically jumps into the air, shouting that he feels - what else? - alive.

[edit] Cast

Tim Blaney as the voice of Johnny 5
Fisher Stevens as Ben Jahrvi
Michael McKean as Fred Ritter
Cynthia Gibb as Sandy Banatoni
Jack Weston as Oscar Baldwin
Dee McCafferty as Saunders
David Hemblen as Jones

[edit] Trivia

Ben Jabituya became Ben Jahrvi because his original Short Circuit name was intended as a joke. When the sequel had to be centered around Ben, it was decided that he would need a more realistic name.
Although the film is set in New York, it was filmed in Canada, and features numerous Toronto landmarks, including script references to Simpson's and the World's Biggest Bookstore. The final American citizenship ceremony scene was filmed in front of the Ontario Legislature, Queen's Park.
Ally Sheedy, who played "Stephanie Speck" in the first film, lends her voice to this movie in one scene as Johnny 5 reads a letter from her to Ben.
A clip from this movie was seen in an episode of Muppet Babies, where Johnny 5 goes "To the moon, Alice!".
The box van (painted in the Nova Robotics colors) is seen in Ben's warehouse - instead of a GMC Vandura (used in the first film), a Ford Econoline is used instead.