Here's a tip for Hollywood that nobody will listen to: stop making sequels to comedies from more than ten years ago. I'm not saying that they're bad. They're not awful. I'll give them that. But, they are tired and too far removed from the original that there's not a chance in Hell any of them can live up to their predecessors. When you take a great character comedy like Derek Zoolander and then fifteen years later make the sequel-- you're proving that all you have to do is make a sequel to anything and it will make money. Once this becomes a full fledged thing... we won't get any new characters. We won't get the next actor to give us a movie surrounding a hilarious character LIKE a Derek Zoolander or LIKE a Ron Burgandy or LIKE a Harry and Lloyd. These were great movies with great characters that didn't need sequels. Then, because Hollywood takes zero chances anymore with originality, they decided to make sequels of these much older characters because fuck you that's why. Zoolander 2 isn't a very good movie... but, the original isn't THAT fantastic. It's a great character in a funny film that should've stood alone. The sequel isn't much different.
We meet Derek in present day ostracised from the world because his "center for kids who can't read good..." was built out of materials that made the model-sized one and collapsed killing his wife. He had his child taken away from him and became a recluse. Now, there are people out there killing famous celebrities and all of them have been killed using a Zoolander signature look. So, he's recruited by INTERPOL and reunited with Hansel to figure out who is behind it. There are some new characters like the INTERPOL agent (Penelope Cruz) and a fashion mogul Alexanya (Kristin Wiig) as well as some old ones Mugatu (Will Ferrell) and Billy Zane (Billy Zane). There's not much to it and it's hit or miss in spots. But, what comes across entirely is that the film did not need to be made.
Forgive me, but the first Zoolander was kind of a fluke. I really like the movie, don't get me wrong, and it certainly has it's really funny moments, but it should've been a one and done kind of film. The sequel definitely channels the energy and style of the original, but it's done using mostly re-hashed jokes and bad puns. Then again, there are some very funny moments in the second film as well. Ferrell, who wasn't all that famous in the first film, nails it in this one. Stiller and Owen Wilson still have that great chemistry that they've always had. But the rest of the humor seems to stem from them trying to cram as many recognizable cameos into one film as they can. And none of them do anything that particularly funny... the joke is that they're on screen. Probably the funniest cameo in the entire film is Benedict Cumberbatch and that's the only one that's effectively ruined by the trailer.
Look, the bottom line is that if you enjoyed the first film, you'll probably enjoy most of the new one. Yes, it's a bit more annoying and loud and crass and dumb, but it's still in the same vein. Just like Anchorman 2 and Dumb and Dumber To both had their moments and captured the essence of the originals, you were keenly aware that it wasn't as good, would never be as good, and didn't really ever need to exist. Let's stop trying to force comedic sequels to great characters and start making up some new great characters that twenty years from now can be ruined.
C-
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