cult film freak: DEFENDING THE BREEZY SEQUEL 'BREAKIN 2': ELECTRIC BOOGALOO'

Written by James M. Tate / 12/10/2024 / No comments / adolfo quinones , cannon , comedy , dance , harry caesar , ice-t , lucinda dickey , michael chambers , musical , sabrina garcia , sequel

DEFENDING THE BREEZY SEQUEL 'BREAKIN 2': ELECTRIC BOOGALOO'

12/10/2024 | No comment

Title: BREAKIN' 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO Year: 1984 Rating: ***

Cannon Films' BREAKIN' 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO was rushed out the same year of the original's box office success, yet is more of a “Musical Based on The Film" (or a failed attempt at the first episode of a TV-series based on the film) than a necessary followup on its own...

Fantasy sequences replace the former urban, realistic street grooves and back-room competitions: In fact, within the first five minutes the entire downtown is dancing… including mailmen, cops, everyone...

Michael 'Boogaloo Shrimp' Chambers in Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo

And the same thing happens in a hospital where the film’s endearing puppy/mascot, and whose actual nickname "Boogaloo" morphs into the now infamous title, has to mend his wounds...

That being Michael "Boogaloo Shrimp" Chambers as Turbo, sidekick of star and break-dancing/popping pioneer Adolfo 'Shaba-Do' Quinones as Ozone... having tried to thwart construction workers from tearing down the local Youth Center that could be replaced with a shopping mall unless, like THE BLUES BROTHERS (or the last episode of WHAT'S HAPPENING?!), they get enough money to save the day…

Fiona Fullerton in ANGELS Year: 1975-1976 First Season Rating: ****

This idealistic plot-line mostly rears up within scenes involving the corporate villains: a billion dollar goon and his shifty lawyer, both paling to the original's seedy dance czar...

Although, some of the more pretentious class envy returns from the original: for example, while the first film had our two heroes visiting an uptown party, here they go to our leading lady Lucinda Dickey's mansion, owned by a close-minded father (her abundant wealth was never mentioned before; in fact, she was struggling as a grease spoon waitress to make ends meet)...

Sabrina Garcia in Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo

Ozone and Turbo's more caustic reaction to this filthy rich millionaire sums up the lightweight social aspect of the unfairly maligned and infamous ELECTRIC BOOGALOO, also featuring Sabrina Garcia, a Spanish speaking (and possibly voice-dubbed) dream-girl for Turbo, who needed more screen-name given the lack of romantic chemistry between Lucinda and Quinones ...

And in the wise old mentor role, Harry Caesar plays the Youth Center’s gruffly idealistic leader, and a young ICE-T returns as the "Greek Chorus" DJ in bigger form, progressed from the the original's grungy warehouse competitions to an immense outdoor telethon showcase...

Adolfo Quinones and Sabrina Garcia in Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo

Where, unless enough money is raised, it’s all or nothing for the shelter and, of the production numbers leading up, one in particular… where Ozone and Turbo dance with a dummy for a lesson in picking up chicks... is the most effective, actually moving the story along while the special effects of Turbo dancing on the ceiling is extremely impressive, especially given the film's overall low budget as was the Cannon way...

Making the rest of ELECTRIC BOOGALOO basically lightweight yet entertaining eye-candy and, overa, BREAKIN' 2 doesn’t try to be anything but fun and banal... so this rushed, frivolous and infamous venture can and should be forgiven despite the severely maligned reputation.