There's something inherently wrong about making sequels to comedies and something inherently right about it too. It's wrong because most comedies become beloved because the humor is fresh, the story is new, the characters are fun, and everything seems to work succinctly into making a genuinely funny movie. Then comes the sequel which tries its best to recreate the magic of the first movie by trying too hard or rehashing old jokes that were funny before but tired now (see any: The Hangover II, Legally Blonde II, Caddyshack II, Evan Almighty, Son of the Mask, Major League II, Airplane II, The Whole Ten Yards, Miss Congeniality). And it hardly ever works save for a few lucky gems (see: Hot Shots Part Deux, Christmas Vacation, Home Alone 2). It's nearly impossible to find a good comedy sequel and aside from Christmas Vacation, I challenge you to find one that's better than the original. However, there is something good that comes out of a comedy sequel that doesn't out of films in a different genre: and that's laughter. Whether the movie is on par with its predecessor or a complete waste of time, it doesn't matter in a comedy sequel because there will almost always be at least one scene that makes you laugh. I knew Horrible Bosses wasn't going to live up to the original, but I also knew that even if it was a pile of piss, there would still be scenes and moments to make me laugh. And I was right.
Horrible Bosses 2 tells essentially the same story as the first one with a slight twist (think: The Hangover 2 is exactly the same as the first movie, but the twist is that they're in Thailand). This time around our three "heroes" (can they really be considered heroes?) have invented the Shower Buddy, an all inclusive shower experience that saves time and money. A big business mogul (Christoph Waltz) invests in their company and orders 500,000 units of the buddy. However, once they've produced the product, Waltz backs out of the deal, steals the idea, and screws over our "heroes" royally. So, like most sane human beings they decide to kidnap his son (Chris Pine) for the ransom of $500,000. Some twists and turns occur along the way (like the son being in on the plan wanting to screw over his father as much as our three do, as well as old characters showing up, ie-- Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey and Jamie Foxx). That's pretty much the brunt of it. The fun is watching these three idiots muff up every plan they come up with and getting themselves out of it. The movie offers little more than this.
Let's start with the good-- Charlie Day (at his most Charlie Day-est) is on point with the laughs. He is the central laugh provider of the film. Almost everything that comes out of his mouth is comedy gold. Also, the plans that they come up with are enough out there that it keeps you wondering exactly how things are going to go wrong, and when they do, how in the hell they're going to get out of a jam. Like most comedy sequels, it still does provide a lot of laughs. Most of them may come cheaply, but there's enough here to provide any movie goer enough laughs worth the price of admission.
Now the bad-- Everything else. I want to first question the entire reason of casting Christoph Waltz! Why in the hell was he in this? He doesn't add anything funny to the film and he's not badass enough to want to be in it. Also, he's only in it probably a good six or seven minutes of screen time, if that. I have no clue, other than a sizable paycheck, why he'd agree to be in the film in the first place. Second, the humor in it is very weak. I don't mean from the characters because they do the best they can, but from the "outlandish" situations they find themselves in. There's a scene where silhouettes look like they're jerking off Jason Sudekis when really everything is innocent (hello Austin Powers), a scene where Bateman is in a Sexaholics Anonymous meeting, yet he thinks he's in an AA meeting and everything that comes out of his mouth could be taken a different way under different circumstances. The guys hide in a closet but accidentally release laughing gas and wind up getting the giggles and passing out. It's as if the writers watched every comedy made in the 90s and decided to replicate the humor for a new generation. As if the "getting high accidentally" joke had been dormant for so long, everyone forgot about it until it's newfound awakening in Horrible Bosses 2.
Most of the returning characters didn't really add much to the movie. Kevin Spacey gives advice from jail and screams profanity, however, there wasn't much funny to it. Jennifer Aniston returns to say horrendously vulgar things to everyone, yet we've already seen it. The beauty about the first movie is we got to see actors in roles we'd never seen them play before. Kevin Spacey as a douchebag boss, sure, but in a comedy? Never. Jennifer Aniston... and the things that came out of her mouth... it was so outlandish and unexpected that it was hilarious! Colin Farrell as a fat, balding coke head made the movie! Yet, here, there's nothing added to the characters to continue that feeling of surprise. When Aniston does the same old thing... we've heard it. It's not unexpected for her to be raunchy. We expect it. What more can you give her character? Which, again, leads me back to my question as to why Waltz decided to take on the role? He plays the character very straight and there's nothing strange or quirky about him other than that he has a faint german accent. Chris Pine is fine as the spoiled, vengeful son, but there's nothing extra to the character to lend to the comedy. Even Jason Bateman, who I'm a fan of played it a little to straight-man for this movie. Charlie Day was able to scream and wild-card his way through the film and give us plenty of laughs, but bouncing off Bateman gave Day the laughs. And Sudekis... I don't even know what to say. I like him a lot. He's incredibly funny. But he's got a very unique comedic style that is overt, yet dry. And I don't think it works in a movie like this.
For all its faults, Horrible Bosses 2 isn't that bad of a movie. There will be at least one scene that will make you laugh. But as for watching it again... probably once is enough. I assume until it stops making money that there will be more and more of them, which I'm actually okay with. Only if they decide to bring in big actors (it's funnier if they don't usually partake in comedy) with quirks so different from what we've seen from them and put them in outlandish situations that are relevant to today's humor.
C
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