ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES
The inspired insanity of Anchorman 2 is what makes it a rare creature; a comedy sequel that not only works, but sizzles with typical ridiculous hilarity. It may not reach the cult status heights of its forebear, but Will Ferrell and Adam McKay have bided their time in bringing the mustached Ron Burgundy back to the big screen (nine years to be exact), which breaks from traditions with comedy sequels, that seem to come out with unrelenting frequency. The Movie movies (see Epic Movie, Date Movie and this year's woefully out of touch Scary Movie 5) show us what comedy has sadly devolved into in recent times.
Anchorman 2 is silly, verging on ludicrous, and its finale defies even its own nonsensical logic; but the creativity at which this silliness happens in the film results in comedy at a breakneck pace. And, if laughs and total committal to their roles by the four key players is not enough, Anchorman 2 has something to say about the state of the news in the 21st century, despite its kitschy 1980's setting. Not everything about this sequel works; there is an odd musical number that seems a bit forced, but most of its gags are hilarious.
Anchorman 2 is silly, verging on ludicrous, and its finale defies even its own nonsensical logic; but the creativity at which this silliness happens in the film results in comedy at a breakneck pace. And, if laughs and total committal to their roles by the four key players is not enough, Anchorman 2 has something to say about the state of the news in the 21st century, despite its kitschy 1980's setting. Not everything about this sequel works; there is an odd musical number that seems a bit forced, but most of its gags are hilarious.
As I said above, the four main actors commit to their roles as much as someone like Christian Bale does. They never break character, and you can tell they are having a blast. Ron Burgundy is arguably one of Will Ferrell's best characters, alongside Mugatu (Zoolander) and his brief but hilarious cameo role in Wedding Crashers. He inhabits the character entirely, a man who says intellectual things, but is really quite silly and out of sync with the world around him. This is evident by a cringe-worthy scene when he goes to his boss (played by Megan Goode)'s house for dinner, and proceeds to offend her family with hilariously outdated racial lines.
In fact, the whole news team are quite out of sync with the race relations. When he first meets his boss, Burgundy can't stop saying black, and Brick thinks he once met an African American man, when it was really his shadow. Speaking of Brick, Steve Carrell is fantastic as the dimwitted weatherman, providing some of the film's most outrageously silly and funny scenes, while Paul Rudd's Brian Fantana is typically sleazy and David Koechner as Champ Kind is still strangely awkward, with an odd affection for Ron that crosses friendship. His early scene, when he is running a chicken restaurant that serves fried bat ("chicken of the cave") is a standout. The trio don't get as much time to shine as you might like, but each get their moments.
Anchorman 2 is undoubtedly silly. James Marsden appears as slick anchorman Jack Lime, who loses a bet to Ron and has to change his name to Jack Lame, while Greg Kinnear appears as a ponytailed psychiatrist (who both Ron and his son Walter mistake for having psychic powers) "lover" of Ron's ex-wife Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), and Kristin Wiig is a perfect match as a similarly awkward and odd to Brick. Some of the film's gags are so silly, but you can't help but laughing, as McKay and Ferrell do it with such a surprising amount of self-reference and satire.
In fact, the whole news team are quite out of sync with the race relations. When he first meets his boss, Burgundy can't stop saying black, and Brick thinks he once met an African American man, when it was really his shadow. Speaking of Brick, Steve Carrell is fantastic as the dimwitted weatherman, providing some of the film's most outrageously silly and funny scenes, while Paul Rudd's Brian Fantana is typically sleazy and David Koechner as Champ Kind is still strangely awkward, with an odd affection for Ron that crosses friendship. His early scene, when he is running a chicken restaurant that serves fried bat ("chicken of the cave") is a standout. The trio don't get as much time to shine as you might like, but each get their moments.
Anchorman 2 is undoubtedly silly. James Marsden appears as slick anchorman Jack Lime, who loses a bet to Ron and has to change his name to Jack Lame, while Greg Kinnear appears as a ponytailed psychiatrist (who both Ron and his son Walter mistake for having psychic powers) "lover" of Ron's ex-wife Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), and Kristin Wiig is a perfect match as a similarly awkward and odd to Brick. Some of the film's gags are so silly, but you can't help but laughing, as McKay and Ferrell do it with such a surprising amount of self-reference and satire.
The finale of the film reaches new levels of silliness, and the amount of cameos that spring up have you constantly in awe. They come out of nowhere, as does the new team brawl that ensues (rivaling the first film's similar brawl). McKay and Ferrell pull no punches with the finale, and some viewers might find it a bit too over the top and silly. We don't even learn how Burgundy and the gang escape largely unscathed, but in Anchorman 2's strange, hyperreal world, that doesnt really matter.
The Verdict: Anchorman 2 delivers on laughs and silliness for the most part. It may not have the quotability or cult status of its predecessor, but its players must be commended for the time and effort spent, and the film does excel where other comedy sequels fail. It stays classy and laughs are always around the corner, even if it sometimes falls to its own over the top world.
The Verdict: Anchorman 2 delivers on laughs and silliness for the most part. It may not have the quotability or cult status of its predecessor, but its players must be commended for the time and effort spent, and the film does excel where other comedy sequels fail. It stays classy and laughs are always around the corner, even if it sometimes falls to its own over the top world.
★★★★
4/5
4/5