Watch Hot Shots! Part Deux

Hot Shots! Part Deux is a 1993 American comedy-military film directed by Jim Abrahams, written by Abrahams and Pat Proft, and starring Charlie Sheen, Lloyd Bridges, and Valeria Golino. It is the sequel to the immensely popular Hot Shots! from 1991, which was a parody of Top Gun, making fun of the high-octane, adrenaline-fueled action movies of the mid-1980s.

The film opens with Topper Harley (Charlie Sheen) living a peaceful life in a Buddhist temple in Thailand, trying to leave his past as an elite Navy pilot behind him. However, he is soon called back into action by a group of rogue CIA operatives, led by Dexter Hayman (Rowan Atkinson), who want him to lead a rescue mission to free American hostages held captive in Iraq. Reluctantly, Topper agrees to take on the mission, knowing that he must face his fear of flying and the ghost of his former commander, Admiral Benson (Lloyd Bridges), who is now a crotchety old man living in a retirement home.

Together with his motley crew of misfits, including Ramada (Valeria Golino), his former love interest from the first film, Topper heads off to Iraq, where he discovers that the situation is not as straightforward as he had initially been led to believe. The rescue mission turns into a mission to stop a mad dictator, Baxter Stockman (Jerry Haleva), from launching a nuclear missile at the United States, thereby starting World War III.

From there on, the film becomes a series of absurd and hilarious adventures that parody not only war movies but also popular culture in general. There are nods to films like Apocalypse Now, Patton, and The Bridge on the River Kwai, as well as to TV shows like The A-Team and Murder, She Wrote. The film also makes fun of popular music, including Madonna's "Like a Virgin" and Michael Jackson's "Beat It", by including them in some of the film's most memorable scenes.

Charlie Sheen is fantastic in the lead role, bringing his trademark wit and charm to the part of Topper Harley. He is both a skilled action hero and a gifted comedian, able to pull off both the slapstick humor and the more nuanced moments with ease. Lloyd Bridges is also great as Admiral Benson, who is just as outrageous and outrageous as he was in the first film. He delivers some of the film's funniest lines, including the now-famous "I...speak...fluent...French" scene.

Valeria Golino is also excellent as Ramada, Topper's love interest and co-pilot. She is more than just a pretty face, bringing both humor and heart to the role. She also gets to partake in some of the film's funniest moments, including a hilarious homage to the famous Meg Ryan orgasm scene from When Harry Met Sally.

The supporting cast is also fantastic, featuring a host of talented comedians and character actors. Rowan Atkinson, in particular, is hilarious as Dexter Hayman, the bumbling CIA agent who recruits Topper for the mission. He brings his trademark British humor to the role, making the character both endearing and ridiculous.

Overall, Hot Shots! Part Deux is a fantastic comedy, full of laugh-out-loud moments and brilliant parodies. It is a perfect example of a sequel that manages to capture everything that was great about the original while still being fresh and original. If you are a fan of either Charlie Sheen or classic action movies, then this is definitely one to watch.

Hot Shots! Part Deux is a 1993 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 26 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.6 and a MetaScore of 64.