Some people don’t like 2001’s Zoolander. Which begs the question, “Why?” It’s a really funny comedy that totally made fun of the fashion industry that deserves more love, and it has that cult following for fans who enjoy anything funny. Besides that, it’s endlessly quotable. Part of me was excited about a sequel, but is it too late for one now? With Zoolander 2 15-years later, that question doesn’t need to be answered. Hate to say this, but this made me sad.
It’s baffling how this became a disappointing sequel that seriously failed to be nowhere near as funny as its funny predecessor. To where the first one is both dumb and smart, this is just plain stupid all the way through.
Ben Stiller, who also directed and co-wrote it, wasn’t good as Derek Zoolander because he’s pretty much an idiot coming off as unlikable and Owen Wilson as Hansel is still the same but also dumb. Though both of them are still a good pairing, they didn’t work together in this. This also has a story that’s ridiculous to the point where the plot in the first film was dumb but controllable. Here, it’s a bad Austin Powers movie that involves Derek trying to get his son back while he and Hansel are joined to track down whose murdering celebrities. Doesn’t that sound stupid? This wasn’t isn’t as hilarious as the first one. A lot of the jokes were lazily written.
There were a few times something made me laugh but this just has so many jokes that are eye-rolling bad and it shoves pointless celebrity cameos whenever they can and it really doesn’t make sense and isn’t funny. Anyone should invent a drinking game where anytime a celebrity pops up, you gotta drink. A part of that, it wastes the talents of Penelope Cruz, Kristen Wiig, and Will Ferrell reprising his role as Mugatu, who shows doesn’t show up until the third act starts.
This wasn’t as awful like a Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo kind of awful, but at times it was just painful just thinking this should’ve been made years ago and it would’ve been funnier. It’s in the same ballpark with Dumb and Dumber To. Very disappointing.
Even Justin Bieber getting killed couldn’t even get to like it. How sad is that? For someone who does like Stiller as a director (minus The Cable Guy), it’s sad that this was short of laughs. The best thing about this is that I still have the original to enjoy. You know it isn’t gonna be good when it’s just you and one other person in the theater.
Zoolander 2 follows up with most comedy sequels that aren’t good. It doesn’t live up to expectations as it’s just a dumb plot surrounded by stupid repeated jokes.
Grade: C-
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