His range may be limited, but who knows? Disney's about to shoot that live-action 'Pinocchio. Orcas aren't immediately expressive - you can't see their eyes - but they flop and dive cutely, and Willy plays to the camera. Youngsters mainly want to see the title character, of course, and 'Free Willy 2' doesn't disappoint.

Yet the script doesn't make adults seem moronic, as pictures pandering to kids often do. The movie gets awfully PC after a while: The adults who save Willy's sister are a Hispanic woman, a black woman and an Indian man, while all the scuzzy oil company operatives are white guys. We learn about the 1990 law that requires double-hulled tankers and about the consequences of a spill. The movie's ecological message goes down smoothly, especially for one aimed at kids. (This isn't 'Reservoir Whales,' after all.)

Madsen always looks slightly uncomfortable in movies where he doesn't shoot anyone.

The performances are appealing, though Mr. When the movie concentrates on Jesse's family, you can overlook these incongruities.

Free willy 2 the movie