Watch Smokey and the Bandit II

Smokey and the Bandit II is a 1980 action comedy film and a sequel to the 1977 hit movie Smokey and the Bandit. Directed by Hal Needham and starring Burt Reynolds, Jackie Gleason, and Jerry Reed, the film follows the adventures of the Bandit (Reynolds), who is hired once again to smuggle illegal goods across state lines while being pursued by the relentless Sheriff Buford T. Justice (Gleason).

The movie opens with some footage from the first film, reminding the audience of the Bandit's skills behind the wheel and the Sheriff's oversized ego. The Bandit is still driving his iconic black Pontiac Trans Am, and he is as cocky and confident as ever. But this time, he has a new partner in crime: his girlfriend Carrie (played by Sally Field in the first movie) has been replaced by a new lady in his life, named Frog (played by Belinda McClory). Frog is a mechanic and a talented driver, and she is more than capable of keeping up with the Bandit's wild stunts.

The plot of the movie revolves around a bet made between the son of a rich Texan tycoon and Junior, the dim-witted son of Sheriff Buford T. Justice. The two of them bet that they can drive a load of bootleg beer from Texas to Georgia faster than the Bandit can. The winner will get $250,000, and the loser will have to pay for the beer. The Bandit, of course, agrees to take the bet and sets off on his journey with Frog by his side.

Along the way, the Bandit and Frog encounter a number of obstacles and distractions. They have to deal with hostile truckers, inept law enforcement officers, and even a runaway elephant that they have to sneak across state lines. There are also several car chases and stunts, including the iconic scene where the Bandit jumps his car over a line of police cars.

Meanwhile, Sheriff Buford T. Justice is once again hot on the Bandit's trail. He is joined by his dim-witted son Junior (played by Mike Henry), and together they pursue the Bandit and Frog across several states. Gleason is hilarious as the bumbling, incompetent Sheriff, who is always one step behind the Bandit and constantly getting into ridiculous situations.

The movie is not all car chases and stunts, though. There are also several funny and heartwarming moments between the Bandit and Frog, as well as some touching scenes between the Sheriff and his son. The movie also has a great soundtrack, with Jerry Reed's catchy theme song "Eastbound and Down" playing throughout.

Overall, Smokey and the Bandit II is a fun and entertaining movie that will appeal to fans of the first film as well as newcomers. It is a great showcase for Burt Reynolds' charm and charisma, as well as Jackie Gleason's comedic talent. The film is not without its flaws, such as the lack of Sally Field's character and the slightly repetitive plot, but it is still a worthy sequel that delivers plenty of laughs and thrills.

Smokey and the Bandit II is a 1980 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 40 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.3 and a MetaScore of 41.