Former supermodels and perpetual morons Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) and Hansel (Owen Wilson) are in separate reclusive states, the latter in the desert with a harem, the former in the mountains alone.
When evil fashion overlord Mugatu (Will Ferrell) devises a plan to escape fashion prison, Interpol sends its finest agent, Valentina (Penelope Cruz), to protect his likely first targets, if she can find them before he does.
We say, “Zoolander 2 is what you would expect it to be.
HOWE: A bit like how Dumb and Dumber waited a long time before making a sequel just recently, so has Zoolander.
Zoolander 2 is still very silly, just like the first. Derek is still as stupid as ever and Hansel is still handsome. Throw in a convict, Mugatu, and the laughs should be coming thick and fast. And they do, but we have heard and seen them all before.
Still, that didn’t stop me from smiling throughout the whole movie, but then again I could have just watched the first one and received the same results.
TAYLOR: It is very much like I remember the original, but it has been a few years since my last viewing. I too smiled quite a bit. It was comfortable. There’s our old friends, man are they ever dumb! It also felt like everyone was coasting, downhill.
HOWE: There are so many cameos in Zoolander 2. I lost count. There are also so many little nods to other movies and too many repeat jokes. It started to get a little messy and lose its identity. I felt that Stiller and Wilson really wanted to make something special, like the first, but ran out of ideas halfway through.
Even Ferrell, whom I love, was a little flat, although they did give him a sidekick in the way of Alexanya Atoz (Kristen Wiig), whom I thought was very good. The filmmakers should have given her a lot more screen time.
TAYLOR: Agreed. Wiig’s crazy accent alone renders Zoolander 2 worth the price of admission. I also agree that the film fizzles. There’s something missing. Maybe their hearts weren’t into it, or maybe my heart grew out of Zoolander in the first place. I didn’t enjoy the film’s B story: Zoolander learns to love his non-supermodel son. Still, I enjoyed my time with Stiller, Wilson and Cruz, despite the attempts to humanize Zoolander.
It’s supposed to be a stupid movie about stupid people. It almost was. I wish the franchise well in that I don’t wish it any specific harm.
– Taylor gives Zoolander 2 2.5 secret cults out of 5.
– Howe gives it 2.5 chocolate ice creams out of 5.
Reel Reviews with Brian Taylor and Peter Howe runs every Friday and Sunday in The Morning Star.
