Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home MPAA Rating: PG Entertainment: +3 Content: +3

Two years ago, the original FREE WILLY movie featuring a 12-year-old runaway boy named Jesse and his friend Willy, a 7,000 pound whale, was a box office success. Now, Jesse and Willy are back in another adventure set in the Pacific Northwest. Willy is enjoying life with his whale family and Jesse (Jason James Richter) is growing up in the home of his foster parents, Glen and Annie Greenwood (Michael Madsen and Jayne Atkinson). Jesse now has to deal with a bratty little half brother who has come to live with them. When Jesse's foster parents take the bickering brothers on a camping trip, Jesse finds his old friend Willy in the waters offshore from their campsite. They renew their friendship against the backdrop of many spectacular shots of whales frolicking in the ocean. Soon, Willy and his family find themselves in peril when an oil tanker runs aground and unleashes a massive oil spill in the area. The action accelerates as emergency teams move in to control the spill and save the endangered marine life. FREE WILLY 2 will thrill today's action-oriented youngsters five and older, and adults will find it reasonably entertaining.

Jesse's wise, loving foster parents generously agree to take in Jesse's half brother when his mother dies. Although Jesse treats Elvis harshly at first, their adventure brings them together. Jesse becomes enamored with an attractive teenage girl (Mary Kate Schellhardt), and they enjoy being together and getting acquainted with Willy and his family. Although they kiss a few times, they do not become sexually involved. Jesse's father even warns him that kissing could lead to sex. It's also refreshing that the dialogue contains only a few mildly rough words. Jesse and Elvis have some mild skirmishes, and the action includes whales attacking boats with people in them and damaging boat docks. But this violence is not excessive or exploitive. It is disappointing, though, that the captain of the tanker and oil company executives are maliciously portrayed as irresponsible and greedy. One of Jesse's Indian friends explains his religious beliefs and chants over a whale to heal him. Although the Indians' religion is treated neutrally, these pagan religious views seem to be increasing in films. Overall, FREE WILLY 2 stresses family values and protecting marine life. It's exciting, wholesome family entertainment.

Preview Reviewer: John Evans
Distributor: Warner Bros., 4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91522