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"The Two Jakes" is the sequel to "Chinatown", a film that really did not need another chapter. However, with that said this is an above average film that works most of the time. Jack Nicholson returns and is sucked into another web of deception and corruption. He is hired by Harvey Keitel to follow his two-timing wife (a very sexy Madeleine Stowe). Just like before, the more Nicholson learns about his case, the stranger and more complicated it becomes. Everything will lead to fireworks which involves a housing development and oil-drilling in the Los Angeles area. Like "Chinatown", "The Two Jakes" is multi-layered and somewhat confusing at times. It will likely take multiple viewings to get the full effect of this film if you are unable to get it on the first try. Robert Towne's screenplay is smart, but Nicholson's direction lacks the creativity and overall brilliance of Roman Polanski's. Meg Tilly is adequate in the film. Ruben Blades and Richard Farnsworth both do good work, but overall nothing in this film can match what was accomplished 16 years earlier with its predecessor. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

The sequel to "Chinatown" (1974) finds Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) investigating adultery and murder... and the money that comes from oil.

Made 16 years after its famous predecessor, the film had a very troubled production, and was supposed to be made around 1985. Originally, producer Robert Evans was to play the "second" Jake, but Towne, who was going to direct the film at that time, did not think he was the right choice and fired him. After this, Nicholson ended up directing (and it would be his last film to date).

Obviously, it was never going to be as good as the original. But it did not deserve to flop, either. Jack Nicholson is commanding in his performance (and direction), and I would suspect that the film would have a growing fan base as Harvey Keitel's star rose post-Tarantino. This is the same great underworld as before, and I wish a third film would have come to pass.

Jack Nicholson is certainly one of the greatest actors of this or any generation. Chinatown is perhaps his greatest film and he certainly should have won an Oscar for it. Sam Spade and Phillip Marlowe certainly have nothing on his Jake Gittes! The only problem with this sequel is that it came out many years too late. I read that Robert Evans originally wanted to make it in the 1980s but legal problems held it up. The Two Jakes was pretty much ignored at the box office and got some awfully bad reviews. I could not understand why because I thoroughly enjoyed it. So many films that come out are geared towards kids and make you feel like a kid again when you see them. Thats okay, but this film made me feel like an adult seeing it. The film is as good as Chinatown in so many ways. I love the props and the ambiance of the 1940s that they use. Jack did a great job directing this film and he deserves a lot more credit.

The Two Jakes has the misfortune of following an absolutely exceptional original in Chinatown. Few sequels live up the original and one can only wonder at how different, and presumably better it would have been if Polanski had directed again. This is not a bad movie.It was nice to see the character of Jake Gittes again. It does have its moments of private eye noir and intrigue. Jack Nicholson and Harvey Keitel are always fascinating to watch. Some of the action and word play is really enjoyable. Unfortunately it has no rhythm. The plot is long winded, confused and tentative. On too many occasion's I felt my interest waning. However I decided to see it through and felt the pace gather a bit towards the end. The acting is good and there's enough in it to keep it fairly interesting, but at times I felt like I was just hanging in there watching and hoping for it to become great, which it never does. If someone asked me to explain what happened in the film I think I would actually struggle to make sense of it. Nicholson and Keitel make it watchable, but not memorable. It's not not great because Chinatown was so good. It's just not great full stop. It was an average sequel. Not the first and certainly won't be the last...

This sounded pretty good... Nicholson is mostly fun to watch, and I enjoyed Chinatown immensely(Towne returning to write this sequel was a treat, as well). I enjoyed it for a while, but not too far past the half-way point, I realized that it had run out of steam... the film kept rolling, but it no longer kept the viewers' attention. Jack Nicholson is no director, and it shows... while he is a skilled actor, he should stay in front of the camera instead of trying his hand behind it. The cinematography is close, but doesn't quite make it to being good... we have shots that linger, and wasted opportunities aplenty. Polanski's loose, involving camera is sorely missed here. The pacing is also off... the film ends up seeming heavy as a result. The writing is quite good. The acting varies, but is mostly on the positive end. The tone isn't entirely sure what it wants to be, but does create some great "noir" moments. Jake's monologues are occasionally spot-on. The mystery varied some... parts of it, I had figured out before the lead, whereas others only became clear to me just as they were revealed. This is a hit and miss scenario... and unfortunately, it misses more than it hits. This is worth watching as a continuation of Chinatown for those that want more of the plot, and can compromise with the drop in style and finesse of the film-making values. I recommend this to big fans of Jack Nicholson and those interested in seeing what occurred after the events of Chinatown. 6/10