This is a very heartwarming film and has a very nice message that is perfect for a family film, though not quite as warm as the original, and is a tad predictable. And perhaps an adult may find the screenplay a little saccharine. But on the whole it is beautifully filmed, has nice music and the acting is very good, with Zachary Browne appealing as Marty and Scott Wilson great as the ever hateable Judd. Plus Shiloh was adorable. Also worth of note are David Moriaty, Rod Steiger and Caitlin Wachs, who bring their charming supporting characters to life. Overall, despite its flaws, Shioh 2 is a very pleasant family film, that is well meaning and not at all a bad way to pass the afternoon. 7/10 Bethany Cox
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jfgibson7331 August 2013This turned out to be a watchable little family film. It very much has a made for t.v. quality to it, and the actors are about on that level as well. The movie builds tension well as the real focus of the story, Judd Travers, becomes more and more of a threat. Like the first movie, Judd was the best performance in the story. It's strange how his character walks a fine line of being dangerous and threatening, but the other characters still show him some amount of courtesy and respect. I think we're meant to assume that because the setting is a small, close knit community is an out of the way village, that Judd gets away with things he wouldn't in another time or place. As I watched with my six year old daughter, I was very aware of what exactly was being shown as far as his anti-social behavior. In fact, the story does a good job of making him seem very scary and threatening without ever having him do anything truly wicked. Kind of like the Wicked Witch of the West, he is a safe villain for young audiences to experience some fear through without going too far. The last few sequences with Marty writing letters and helping Judd to bond with Shiloh were really well done and genuinely heartwarming. I'm glad I took the time to try this one. The payoff was worthwhile.
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Balto-29 November 1999I saw this movie by myself in a theater for no reason at all. What I expected was a drained out kids movie.. what I found was a kids movie that is good enough to be watched with parents. The movie is not anything spectacular, but it is a very good family flick. Don't be fooled by the idea of it being a sequel.. its better than those other washed up kids movie sequels.
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fxm19 August 1999The 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.
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gaoshan29 October 2023There is Nothing heartwarming or likeable about this film. It is Not about a boy and his dog - it's about the sociopath town drunk. For myself, I don't want my children watching stuff like this.
All anybody talks about including the children and the school teacher is the town drunk who is believed to be dangerous. This is not our idea of an appropriate children's adventure story. There is time enough in their lives for learning about such things.
And if the genesis of this errant behavior by the town lush is his abusive father who beat him for everything (apparently for amusement) and lousy childhood, kids don't need to see this. -
zparticles11 August 2003Unlike 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.
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mm-3930 May 2004Spoiler!
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 -
bookworm-137 July 1999This is one of the few movies made lately which the whole family can attend, without suddenly being shocked. If I had any criticism, it might be that it was almost too 'sweet'.
A very pleasant change from all the special effects around. -
Movie-1212 November 1999Director: 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. -
MarkP-314 July 1999I fully enjoyed this movie, just sad that it seemed to be in limited release in the theaters (not many theaters are showing this movie and the ones that are its a 1 time only show. But I like the people in the movie, I liked it because its kind and gentle, there's no killing, or sex or anything of that kind in this movie, its about learning how to teach a old dog new tricks (although in this movie the dog is Judd), just by being kind to them (its the same way you would treat a dog if you are kind to them they will be kind back to you) so I highly recommend this movie Mark
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We all have those classic movies about animals that we watched when we were little ones, and hopefully if you've got any senses about you, still revisit as an adult. Well, most people have a few of those... I've got at least like twenty. One couple of movies that are very dear to me are Shiloh, and Shiloh 2: Shiloh Season, two indisputable classics that I was pretty much raised on, and have a burning nostalgia for. Shiloh boils down to one simple, loving archetype: a boy and his dog. Or, rather, a boy who desperately wishes to save a dog from going down the same road of violence and abuse that it's currant owner has. Marty Preston (Blake Heron, and Zachary Browne in the sequel because they just can't stick with one actor) is a young rural lad with a wholesome life and family, wishing for a dog of his own. Local roughneck and hunter Judd Travers (Scott Wilson) owns a whole pack of mutts that he mistreats when drunk, and aims to turn them all into vicious hunting dogs. When one small beagle escapes, it makes its way onto Preston land and suddenly Marty finds he has a new best friend. His stern father Ray (inimitable Michael Moriarty) warns him that the dog is probably Judd's, while his mother (excellent character actress Ann Dowd) urges compassion from her husband. Soon enough Judd comes looking, and conflict arises between the boy and the bitter old hunter. It's a children's story so nothing too messed up ever happens, but there's some touching lessons and surprising gravitas from both Moriarty and Wilson that is nice to see from such a seemingly innocuous, kid oriented franchise. Judd shows beautiful complexity in the sequel, the writing allowing Wilson to illustrate that not all mean people started out that way, and that with a little kindness and a lot of patience, old wounds can be burrowed into and treated. I first became a fan of Scott through the Shiloh films and he will always be Judd Travers to me. Marty finds a friend in Shiloh, getting right to the point of what these movies are about: friendship. New friends, old friends, and letting people in who need someone and don't even know it. It's great stuff, timeless to be sure, and always guaranteed to draw forth a smile. Rod Steiger lends his famous kind streak to the role of Doc Wallace, a convenience store owner with sagely wisdom for Marty and his fellow friends, as well as compassion for Judd. Now, there's a third film, also with Wilson but yet another different actor for Marty, and Moriarty sitting it out as well, which is why I haven't checked it out so far. Maybe it's time.