Movie Review: The Librarian II: Return to King Solomons Mines

The Librarian II: Return to King Solomons Mines
Starring: Noah Wyle, Bob Newhart, Jane Curtin, Olympia Dukakis, Gabrielle Anwar, Erick Avari, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Robert Foxworth, Zahn McClarnon, Lisa Brenner, Jonathan Frakes, Peter Butler, Tertius Meintjes, Dawie Ackermann
Director: Jonathan Frakes
Turner Network Television (TNT), Electric Entertainment, Blue Sky Films, USA, 2006. 

Flynn Carsen (Noah Wyle) is back! But Nicole Noone is not! Flynn is searching for the Crystal Skulls of Atlantis with his Native American friend (Zahn McClarnon). After finding it they have to escape villains. Meanwhile in Cairo a man manages to send a package to Flynn before the bad guys get him. Flynn almost fails the mission because he finds an interesting arrowhead. 

Flynn Carsen is back!

Boss Judson

Library worker Charlene (Jane Curtin) is strict about his working habits and expenses.  Library boss Judson (Bob Newhart) shows him the secret part of the library. Judson advices him that sometimes Flynn has to give up what you want for the greater good to become a great librarian. 

Not an usual library

Charlene is strict about receipts

Flynn's mother (Olympia Dukakis) arranges him a surprise birthday party. At the party he meets his uncle Jerry (Robert Foxworth) who was his father's best friend. Flynn's mother gives him an amulet that his late father once got (looks like a Freemason symbol). When returning home Flynn gets knocked out and the package is stolen. Flynn manages to get a glimpse of the contents, the package contains a map to King Solomons Mines. Bad guys and General Samir (Erick Avari) try to find a magic book hidden in the mines. 

Surprise!

Uncle Jerry

General Samir

It's up to Flynn to save the world again. Flynn travels to Morocco to find a code to decipher the map. Being in Morocco gives Flynn the opportunity go make some funny Casablanca references. There he meets archaeologist Emily Davenport (Gabrielle Anwar). After finding some clues they escape the bad guys and continue their journey to savanna. There are some nice African sceneries. They also meet Debra (Lisa Brenner) from the first movie. The director Jonathan Frakes (aka Riker from Star Trek TNG) makes a cameo appearance! Along comes Jomo (Hakeem Kae-Kazim) who helps them survive in Africa. 

Emily Davenport

Debra on the honeymoon

Jomo

Noah Wyle plays again the happy-go-lucky geek adventurer. After having worked for an year in the library, he has learned some new tricks for fighting the bad guys. This time we also learn about Flynn's father. Effects are normal TV-movie level, acceptable but not very polished CGI. The movie does not take itself too seriously, but it is a fun-to-watch adventure film. 

King Solomon's statue

The team wandering on savanna

Vortex of ghosts

Check also the review for The Librarian: Quest for the Spear and The Librarian III: The Curse of the Judas Chalice

Rating: Good