---
title: "Hot Shots! Part Deux: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/hot-shots-part-deux/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/hot-shots-part-deux"
critics_score: 64
critics_reviews: 7
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993): what the critics said

Critics' score 64 from 7 reviews: 3 positive, 3 mixed, 1 negative.

Most critics come down mildly in favour, though the reviews split almost evenly between enthusiasm and a shrug. Those who like it tend to find it funnier than the first film, and the praise clusters on the density of gags: the Rambo parody, the business going on in the background of shots, and action scenes staged convincingly enough for the spoofing to land. The Los Angeles Times and Variety both call it an improvement on the original.

The reservations are about the hit rate rather than the approach. Roger Ebert finds the barrage of jokes produces only occasional laughs, and the Radio Times thinks the sequel too reminiscent of its predecessor to stay consistently amusing. Even Variety admits some scenes copy their inspirations too closely. The spread is fairly wide, from near-rave to two stars, and the dissenters agree with the admirers about what the film is doing; they simply find it works less often.

## Los Angeles Times — Kevin Thomas

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 21 May 1993. 

Thomas finds the comedy often hilarious and at least as funny as the original, with its satire aimed at macho posturing. He praises the sharp, unpretentious craftsmanship and the rapid-fire jokes.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-05-21-ca-38036-story.html)

## Empire — Angie Errigo

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2005. 

Errigo finds the sequel funnier and more successful than the original. She particularly praises its background gags and an Apocalypse Now joke she says is guaranteed to bring the house down.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/hot-shots-part-deux-review/)

## Variety — Brian Lowry

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 21 May 1993. 

Lowry finds the sequel a clever, often very funny improvement over the first film, with enough strong laughs to carry its weaker moments. He praises its spoofing of numerous movies and notes that convincing action scenes help the parody work, though some scenes imitate their inspirations too closely.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/1993/film/reviews/hot-shots-part-deux-2-1200432199/)

## Time Out — TJ

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 

The accessible shell provides no critical verdict. Its description highlights the Rambo parody and Richard Crenna's return.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/hot-shots-part-deux)

## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert

Rating 2/4. 21 May 1993. 

Ebert finds the comedy uneven, with the barrage of jokes yielding only occasional laughs. The film’s parody of action-movie conventions is the main source of amusement.

[Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/hot-shots-part-deux-1993)

## The New York Times — Janet Maslin

Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 21 May 1993. 

The review takes a mixed view of the film’s spoofing. Its headline points to the film’s smirking satire of action movies and political figures.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/21/movies/review-film-from-rambo-to-rodham-smirking-all-the-way.html)

## Radio Times — Tom Hutchinson

Rating 2/5. 

The sequel is too reminiscent of its predecessor to be consistently amusing, though it still gets some laughs. The review singles out Rowan Atkinson’s brief appearance as a moment to look out for.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-92o3z1/hot-shots-part-deux/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/hot-shots-part-deux.md