D2: The Mighty Ducks is a 1994 American sports-comedy drama film, directed by Sam Weisman, starring Emilio Estevez.
It is the sequel to the 1992 film "The Mighty Ducks".
Plot[]
| Spoiler Warning: The following contains important plot details of the entire film. |
Former peewee ice hockey coach Gordon Bombay is a star in the minor leagues and is expected to make it to the National Hockey League soon. However, after a career-ending knee injury, he returns to Minneapolis. Bombay is then offered a chance to coach a team representing the United States in the Junior Goodwill Games. Team USA consists of many of the old Ducks, in addition to five new players with special talents.
The lure of celebrity becomes a distraction to Bombay, who begins to neglect the team in exchange for a luxurious lifestyle. Fortunately, easy victories come over Trinidad and Tobago and Italy in the double-elimination tournament.
During this time, Fulton Reed and Dean Portman gain recognition for their enforcer skills, becoming known as the "Bash Brothers". Backup goaltender Julie asks Bombay for a chance to play, but he tells her to wait because current goalie Greg Goldberg is on a hot streak.
Reality sets in when the team suffers an embarrassing 12-1 defeat at the hands of Team Iceland, coached by ex-NHL player Wolf "The Dentist" Stansson, who is known for his tough reputation. Team USA plays badly, with Julie and Portman ejected from the game. Star center Adam Banks manages to score a goal but gets slashed in the wrist moments later. Frustrated, Bombay drives his players even harder, but they begin to suffer, completely exhausted. His practice sessions become brutal and long.
Realizing that the team are too tired to complete their school work or even stay awake in class, the team's tutor, Michelle McKay intervenes. She cancels the practice and confronts Bombay. Now better rested, the players come across a street hockey team who teaches them how to play like "the real Team USA".
However, Bombay continues to suffer until Jan, the brother of Bombay's mentor Hans, personally visits him, and reminds him of how he used to love the game. During a match against Team Germany, Bombay fails to arrive on time, forcing Charlie to tell the referee that Michelle is actually the team's assistant coach.
The team is struggling, entering the third period tied until Bombay shows up and apologizes for his behavior. Inspired by their coach's "return", the players come back to win the game with the "Flying V" move, and advance to the next round. The renewed Bombay finally realizes Adam's wrist injury, benching him despite his complaints.
To fill the open roster spot, Charlie recruits local street hockey player, Russ Tyler, whose unique "knucklepuck" (which rotates end over end toward its target as opposed to spinning about its centerline) secures USA's victory over Russia (who defeated Iceland earlier in the tournament, putting USA and Iceland at where another loss means elimination), advancing USA to the championship game for a rematch against Iceland.
Before the game, Adam's injury is healed and returns to Team USA's locker room, only to find they already have a full roster. Charlie gives up his spot on the roster so Adam can play, cementing his position as the true team captain.
At first, Iceland appears to be out to dominate Team USA again, but they manage to score one goal. Unfortunately, the Ducks take penalties: Ken picks a fight with an Iceland player ("stick, gloves, shirt") after scoring the team's first goal, the Bash Brothers celebrate this by fighting with the entire Iceland bench and Dwayne lassos an opposing player, about to check Connie. Bombay is annoyed because "this isn't a hockey game, it's a circus."
After a motivational locker room speech from Bombay and new Duck jerseys from Jan, the team emerges rejuvenated. The Ducks manage to tie the game with a score from Connie, Banks, Luis, and finally when Russ outsmarts Team Iceland by disguising himself as Goldberg, so as to prevent himself from being covered and pulling off a successful "knucklepuck". The game is forced to go to a five-shot shootout.
With a 4-3 score in favor of the Ducks, Gunnar Stahl (the tournament's leading scorer) is Team Iceland's final shooter. Bombay knows Gunnar favors shooting the glove side after a triple deke and replaces Goldberg with Julie, who has a faster glove. Gunnar advances on Julie and fires a hard slapshot.
Although Julie falls to the ice, she slowly turns to look at her glove while the entire stadium (and presumably the home audience of millions) waits in breathless anticipation. She then opens her glove and drops the puck, signifying the game-winning save. With this, the Ducks triumph over Iceland to win the tournament.
Despite Wolf's disappointment, he congratulates Bombay and Gunnar, being the gentleman he is congratulates Charlie stating, "Good work, Captain Duck". The film concludes with the team returning to Minnesota on a plane and sitting around a campfire singing Queen's "We Are the Champions" as the credits roll.
Cast[]
- Emilio Estevez as Gordon Bombay
- Kathryn Erbe as Michelle McKay
- Michael Tucker as Mr. Tibbles
- Jan Rubes as Jan
- Carsten Norgaard as Wolf "The Dentist" Stansson
- Maria Ellingsen as Maria
- Joshua Jackson as Charlie Conway, #96
- Elden Henson as Fulton Reed, #44
- Shaun Weiss as Greg Goldberg, #33
- Matt Doherty as Les Averman, #4
- Brandon Adams as Jesse Hall, #9
- Garette Ratliff Henson as Guy Germaine, #00
- Marguerite Moreau as Connie Moreau, #18
- Vincent Larusso as Adam Banks, #99
- Colombe Jacobsen as Julie Gaffney, #6
- Aaron Lohr as Dean Portman, #21
- Ty O'Neal as Dwayne Robertson, #7
- Kenan Thompson as Russ Tyler, #56
- Mike Vitar as Luis Mendoza, #22
- Justin Wong as Ken Wu, #16
- Scott Whyte as Gunnar Stahl, #9 of Team Iceland
Cameos
- Kristi Yamoguchi as Herself
- Greg Louganis as Himself
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as Himself
- Wayne Gretzky as Himself
- Chris Chelios as Himself
- Luc Robitaille as Himself
- Cam Neely as Himself
- Paul Kariya as Himself
- Bob Miller as Himself
Production[]
"D2: The Mighty Ducks" was filmed from July 7th to September 24th, 1993 (almost a year after the first film's release). It was primarily filmed in Minnesota and California.
The actors from the first film: Aaron Schwartz, J.D. Daniels, Jussie Smollett, Jane Plank and Danny Tamberelli did not appear in the sequel.
Reception[]
Box Office[]
"D2: The Mighty Ducks" opened at #1 at the box office, grossing $10,356,748 during its opening weekend.
Domestically, the film grossed $45,610,410.
Critical Reception[]
"D2: The Mighty Ducks" received negative reviews & has a 21% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Desson Howe of The Washington Post wrote: "D2: The Mighty Ducks reaches an extraordinary low – even for a Disney sequel. This unctuous barrage of flag-waving, message-mongering, counterfeit morality, which contains the stalest kiddie-team heroics in recent memory, makes the original, innocuous 'Ducks' look like one of the Great Works".
The Austin Chronicle gave the film one star, saying: "D2 is nothing but pure formula. Only problem is that the formula doesn't work here because it requires the movie to repeat the same ground over again and that's extremely awkward in a story that's already progressed past that point".
Theatrical Trailer[]
D2 The Mighty Ducks (1994) Trailer
Theatrical trailer