After all the fuss that followed the revelation that the real Willy was being kept in less than adequate conditions, the producers of this sequel decided to take no chances and used mostly model whales. Unfortunately, they opted for a plastic replica plot, too, with Jason James Richter once more standing between the friendly orca and some unscrupulous adults, this time with sassy half-brother Francis Capra in tow. This is so full of sentiment, it makes Lassie movies look positively heartless; the recovery of the lost harmonica is bad enough, but that first kiss - yeucch!

Jesse becomes reunited with Willy three years after the whale's jump to freedom as the teenager tries to rescue the killer whale and other orcas from an oil spill.