I saw the original Zoolander way back when it was released in 2001, directed and starring Ben Stiller, it became one of my favourites, and prior to watching the recently released sequel, I still found it very enjoyable.
So 15 years later, I was excited at the chance to see Ben Stiller return as Derek Zoolander, especially as he was also bringing back Owen Wilson as Hansel and Will Ferrell as Mugatu.
Even more so, added to the mix was Kristen Wiig and Penelope Cruz to the cast.
A great trailer campaign had only more so increased my expectation. Benedict Cumberbatch as All; Justin Bieber being shot and a transformation that had to be seen to believed by Mugatu following his prison release for his evil plan from the original, made me sure this was one to see.
It would be perhaps a bit too far to say, but there is a reason this film was called Zoolander No. 2!
This has to be one of the biggest let downs I have seen in cinema for quite some time, an awful plot about the fountain of youth is used, in what seems an excuse to have an endless parade of cameos in the film.
The cameos range from good to pointless, Susan Boyle I chuckled at but Katy Perry’s was of no merit to the film. In the role that can be best matched to David Duchovny role in the original is Sting for example.
It does not help that a lot of the best sequences such as Benedict’s ‘Al’l have been over exposed in the movie trailer campaign.
I also do also not understand how you have someone like Kristen Wiig in a film and just have her mumbling Other than that she is hardly used at all. Penelope Cruz just seemed to be in the film for jokes about her chest and swimsuit models. This, of course, being the opposite to Christine Taylor’s role of Matilda in the original.
On this subject, this film really missed Jerry Stiller as Maury Ballstein who is only mentioned in that he is in protective custody.
A back story of Hansel having numerous partners and getting them all pregnant at the same time (including a goat and Keifer Sutherland) was just not funny. Yet they try the sequence again, where he finds numerous more sexual partners.
At least this time, it got a laugh from Susan Sarandon quoting her Rocky Horror Picture Show dialogue
Some of the film is not even original, Billy Zane returns, another crash sequence occurs to the music of Wham and even the ending involves the mystical Magnum look again.
With 4 writers and 15 years you would have hoped that we could have had something better than this, its only saving grace is in the last 3rd of the film, Mugatu returns and gives the film some much needed laughs.
We can not express how disappointed we were by this film, Zoolander 2 is also 18 minutes longer than the original yet it felt like an hour
Ben Stiller has made some great films such as Tropic Thunder and the Cable Guy, neither have had sequels and that is how he should have left Zoolander
If you really want to see Derek Zoolander again, for the price of a film ticket, you can buy the far superior original here!
Did you enjoy Zoolander 2? What is the worst sequel you’ve seen?
We, as always would love to hear from you here at Barking Mad about Films
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