I can't imagine anyone who isn't familiar with "Chinatown" being able to follow the plot of its long-delayed sequel, "The Two Jakes." So many of the elements that insured the success, if not mythical status of its predecessor are here, including talent before and behind the camera. And yet "The Two Jakes" is self-conscious; the plot labyrinthine to the point of irritation rather than intrigue, the period detail exaggerated to the point of parody.
"Chinatown" eschewed any number of stereotypes of film noir to almost singlehandedly usher in a new era of private eye films. It did not require voice-over narration to keep the audience on the right track or smooth over deficiencies in the plot, or illuminate character. In "The Two Jakes," J.J. Gittes's running commentary is at the same time vital and intrusive. Despite its complex plot, "Chinatown" unfolded in a linear fashion. There were no flashbacks, and the audience was never ahead of investigator Gittes.
The plot of "The Two Jakes" is not only complex, it's almost incomprehensible. The audience is not in lockstep with Gittes, it's just as bewildered as he is; except about the identity of a character which is made known to us eons before it is to him. The dialogue is a pale imitation of that of its predecessor; in fact, the best lines in the film are lifted directly from "Chinatown." Several characters from "Chinatown," most notably Lou Escobar, (Perry Lopez) are still around to give Jake a hard time. If Jake has mellowed a bit, so has Lou. Loach, the cop who fired the fatal shot at the end of "Chinatown," has apparently died in the interim. His son is played here by David Keith, and the second of his two scenes concludes with an unfortunate, scatological joke of the kind the "Chinatown" script so assiduously and deftly avoided. A couple of cameos from other original cast members provide a chuckle or two.
You know you're in trouble when even three earthquake temblors can't shake things into place. There is good work from a large cast that includes Harvey Keitel (as the other Jake), Richard Farnsworth and Ruben Blades. Eli Wallach and Frederic Forrest are wasted. "The Two Jakes" remains at best a curiosity that might seem better had it not tried to equal, let alone surpass, its predecessor.
"Chinatown" eschewed any number of stereotypes of film noir to almost singlehandedly usher in a new era of private eye films. It did not require voice-over narration to keep the audience on the right track or smooth over deficiencies in the plot, or illuminate character. In "The Two Jakes," J.J. Gittes's running commentary is at the same time vital and intrusive. Despite its complex plot, "Chinatown" unfolded in a linear fashion. There were no flashbacks, and the audience was never ahead of investigator Gittes.
The plot of "The Two Jakes" is not only complex, it's almost incomprehensible. The audience is not in lockstep with Gittes, it's just as bewildered as he is; except about the identity of a character which is made known to us eons before it is to him. The dialogue is a pale imitation of that of its predecessor; in fact, the best lines in the film are lifted directly from "Chinatown." Several characters from "Chinatown," most notably Lou Escobar, (Perry Lopez) are still around to give Jake a hard time. If Jake has mellowed a bit, so has Lou. Loach, the cop who fired the fatal shot at the end of "Chinatown," has apparently died in the interim. His son is played here by David Keith, and the second of his two scenes concludes with an unfortunate, scatological joke of the kind the "Chinatown" script so assiduously and deftly avoided. A couple of cameos from other original cast members provide a chuckle or two.
You know you're in trouble when even three earthquake temblors can't shake things into place. There is good work from a large cast that includes Harvey Keitel (as the other Jake), Richard Farnsworth and Ruben Blades. Eli Wallach and Frederic Forrest are wasted. "The Two Jakes" remains at best a curiosity that might seem better had it not tried to equal, let alone surpass, its predecessor.