As I established on my review of the first Ski School movie, I have an unhealthy love/hate relationship with any comedy based around winter sports involving slopes, skis, and snowboards. I'd like to partially blame 1984's Hot Dog... The Movie for this but most of it falls squarely on director David Mitchell. Apart from writing the original and directing this sequel, he's also made such powder based comedies as Copper Mountain (one of Jim Carrey's earliest acting gigs), Downhill Willie and, most recently, the two Shred movies that were filmed back-to-back and star Tom Green with "Jackass" regular Dave England - so it's safe to say that Mitchell both enjoys the sport but also loves Whistler, British Columbia since all of his ski-based flicks have been filmed on the beautiful slopes there.

Dean Cameron is back as slacker Dave Marshack, who finds himself returning to the snow-peaked mountains after receiving a wedding invitation from ex-girlfriend Beth (Heather Campbell) in order to try and put a stop to her marrying the stuck-up and pushy Steve (Brent Sheppard) who handily took his instructor job from him in the first place. The easiest way he can figure to stop her getting hitched and win her back for himself is to join up with some friends and enter the thirtieth annual "Spring Blast" competition where skiers from all over compete to prove who is the best.

Along the way to a final showdown between Dave and Steve, our hero finds out Steve's just marrying Beth to try and get a controlling interest in the mountain which leads to a whole bunch of tomfoolery including scenes where Dave recruits the sexy Lola (Wendy Hamilton) to crash his bachelor party so they can get some blackmail evidence, plentiful scenes of beer consumption, a moment where a sleeping Dave awakens to be sliding down the mountain on his bed (and proceeds to ride it down the hill and win an event), and a scene where Dave and his cronies crash an uptight pre-wedding party and proceed to make it "rocking". Director Mitchell has also wedged in a fairly decent number of adequately staged skiing sequences performed by obvious stunt doubles - even more so than the original, which seemed to be lacking them at times.

Suffice it to say, if you enjoyed the original Ski School you shouldn't have a hard time finding something to chuckle at here. I personally preferred Ski Patrol or Out Cold to the first entry and found that what's on display here is merely more of the same. The script by Jay Naples (this is his only film credit) doesn't stray from formula once and I just felt that, for a flick so solidly rooted in T&A comedy, there wasn't nearly enough raunchy humour on hand here. Although they definitely fulfill the "skin quota" thanks mostly to former Playboy Playmate Hamilton, whose Lola is the object of all men's desire and is a nude painter (literally). There's also a whole lot of gorgeous scenery to look at in between ho-hum scenes of slapstick.

Ever since seeing Summer School at the drive-in in the summer of 1987, I've found Cameron to be a likable presence in all of the movies I've seen him in. That's no different here as he brings back the fast-talking character he portrayed in the original but he almost looks a little too old to be acting like the jackass frat boy the script calls for. As the villain, Sheppard competently plays your typical snobby character while Campbell is merely "there" as the love interest. I can't say Hamilton really acts much, but she's definitely amazing to look at being one of my favourite Playboy models of the 1990's. Also on hand, as your stereotypical "fat guy" character is Will Sasso who would become a regular cast member of skit show "Mad TV" a few years later.

Fifteen years after being produced, Ski School 2 certainly feels a bit dated with all its bright neon costumes and dopey music. The only real reason it exists, I assume, is because the original was a minor hit on home video and this is merely a retread that's only worth it for fans of the first. (Chris Hartley, 2/15/10)

Directed By: David Mitchell.
Written By: Jay Naples.

Starring: Dean Cameron, Heather Campbell, Brent Sheppard, Wendy Hamilton.