Main Cast: Robert Carradine, Curtis Armstrong, Larry B. Scott, Timothy Busfield
Release Year: 1987
Country: US
Run Time: 89 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
In this follow-up to Revenge of the Nerds the nerdy frat boys from Lambda Lambda Lambda go to Ft. Lauderdale to a national frat conference where they again must outwit the thick-tongued jock frat-boys who are also at the conference. This they can do. ~ All Movie Guide
Review
Following the surprise success and genuine quality of 1984's Revenge of the Nerds, it came as no surprise that a sequel would be rushed out only a few years later. Little more than a remake of the first film, Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise still contains quite a few successful comedic moments. The secret of the Nerds films lies in the strong ensemble cast of geeks and misfits. For this outing, Anthony Edwards' role of fraternity leader Gilbert is reduced to a series of lame cameos, but each of the rest of the group receives his own moments of wacky nerd glory. While this second chapter of nerd revolution recalls the wit of the first film, it fails to find any of the heart and underdog spirit that made the first one such a delight. Director Joe Roth, who later became head of the 20th Century Fox studio, decided on a tacky and unnecessary finale with our nerd heroes dressed in military fatigues and riding a hovercraft. This pseudo Rambo flop of an ending, combined with the fraternity spring break vacation, obviously marks Revenge of the Nerds II as a product of the late '80s, when a trip to Fort Lauderdale always meant bikinis and big laughs. This would prove to be the final theatrical outing for the Nerds, but star Robert Carradine would reprise his role of Lewis in several mediocre made-for-TV sequels in years to come. Like its predecessor, Revenge of the Nerds II remains as a sly comedic look at a now ancient cinematic age when anyone seen using a computer was considered a hopeless weirdo. ~ Jason Gibner, All Movie Guide
Andrew Cassese - Harold Wormser; Donald Gibb - Ogre; Bradley Whitford - Roger; Ed Lauter - Buzz; Barry Sobel - Stewart Lipsey; James Cromwell - Mr. Skolnick; Anthony Edwards - Gilbert; Raymond Forchion - Policeman; Jack Gilpin - Mr. Comstock; Robert Goodman - Jerry; Tom Hodges - Tiny; Priscilla Lopez - Aldonza; Victor Morris - Tri Lambda; Richard Joseph Paul - Gundy; Ruben Rabasa - Maintenance Man; Donna Rosae; Carmen Thomas - Cute Coed; Courtney Thorne-Smith - Jenny; James Hong - Scotty; Jason Julien - Winston; Susan Vanech - Michelle; Rhonda Waymire - Indian Maiden; Pam Dixon; Michael Fitzgerald - Pot Roast
Credit
Richard Chew - Associate Producer, Paul Schiff - Associate Producer, Pam Dixon - Casting, Jeffrey Kurland - Costume Designer, Jim Chory - First Assistant Director, Joe Roth - Director, Richard Chew - Editor, Joe Roth - Executive Producer, Gerald V. Casale - Composer (Music Score), Mark Mothersbaugh - Composer (Music Score), Trevor Williams - Production Designer, Charles Correll - Cinematographer, Peter Bart - Producer, Robert W. Cort - Producer, Ted Field - Producer, Joe Roth - Producer, Dan Guntzelman - Screenwriter, Steve Marshall - Screenwriter, Tim Metcalfe - Screenwriter, Ed Solomon - Screenwriter, Sam Harper - Screenwriter
One of the movie trailers parodies the trailer of Poltergeist II: The Other Side where they pan the inside of a house, then the phone rings, and the person sitting in the chair facing away from the camera picks up, then the person turns to reveal it's Heather O'Rourke's character, Carol-Ann, who says "They're Back." In the Nerds version, Lewis' character turns and says "We're Nerds!", this is the first "Nerds" film to have a PG-13 rating by the MPAA.
Plot
The film opens with a Star Wars-like crawl (preceded by Skolnick's pocket protector) summarizing the Tri-Lambs exploits from the first film, culminating in their triumph against their rival fraternity, the Alpha Betas. Network and basic cable airings of the movie often edit out the last three words of the text crawl, which are "And get laid."
In this follow-up to the original film, the nerdy fraternity boys from Lambda Lambda Lambda go to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, for a national fraternity conference, where they again must outwit the national chapter of the Alpha Beta fraternity who are also at the conference. They accomplish this goal with the help of "Ogre" (Gibb), their former nemesis, who joins forces with the nerds after literally being cast away by his Alpha Beta brothers. The nerds are forced into an uninhabited island so they will be out of the area when the Alpha Betas use the conference to have the Tri-Lamb charter revoked, only to find that it was a base of operations for a Cuban military officer who had been exiled. Using the military gear, the nerds are able to return to Fort Lauderdale and confront the Alpha Betas. Ogre sides with the nerds against the Alpha Betas in a critical confrontation, and later becomes a member of Lambda Lambda Lambda.
The most noticeable difference between this movie and the original is the reduction of the role of Lewis' shy and sensitive best friend, Gilbert (Edwards), from a main character to a brief cameo appearance, with the explanation that Gilbert had broken his leg (curiously, during a chess match), and was unable to attend the conference. Gilbert also makes some other sporadic appearances throughout the film, such as a vision during one of Lewis' dreams and at the end where Ogre is initiated into the nerds' fraternity. In time, the character of Dudley "Booger" Dawson replaces Gilbert as Lewis' best friend, as he is the only member of the group to have a major role in all four movies. Since Lewis is interested in another girl, Betty (Julia Montgomery) is not in this film, although her picture is seen on his desk before he leaves for Fort Lauderdale. However, she will be married to Lewis in the two future Revenge of the Nerds films.
The "Nerd Rap" in Nerds II features Barry Sobel, who was known in the 1980s to imitate a Beastie Boys-type rap style. He and Lamar trade rhymes at the "no on 15" party.
This is the only Nerds film in which Betty does not appear. (although a picture of her can be seen at the beginning of the film.), Stan Gable, Takashi, and U.N. Jefferson do not appear. This is the last Nerds movie to feature Poindexter. Although he is shown on the DVD cover of the fourth film, he is not seen nor mentioned in it. This is also the last Nerds movie to include Anthony Edwards as Gilbert and Andrew Cassese as Wormser. They are played by other actors in the third film and stay offscreen in the fourth and final film.
