Zoolander 2 (February 2016)

Official Australian release date: 11/2/16. Viewed: 7/2/16.

Director: Ben Stiller

Actors: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, Penelope Cruz

Genre: Comedy

Rating: M     

‘Zoolander 2’ is the long (15 years!) anticipated sequel to the endlessly quotable original fashion satire. Derek (Stiller) has become a “hermit crab” recluse after a quickly-explained tragedy occurred in 2001. Likewise, Hansel (Wilson) is living a nomadic life with his 11-person harem-esque “orgy”. There’s plenty of sight gags & cameos right from the start. The film opens with a Bond-style car/foot chase through Rome, with the joke being that it’s Justin Bieber and there’s a criminal organisation going around killing pop stars. He’s a good sport, getting shot by literally 100’s of bullets! This brings Derek & Hansel to Rome to come out of their hibernation.

Valentina (Cruz) from Interpol steps in to protect them/find Derek’s long-lost son, Derek Jr (Arnold). She looks fantastic (@ 41) in her red leather suit and later in her swimsuit, lamenting her “annoying, plus-size naturals” that kept her from being a ‘proper’ model! After appearing in Alexanya Atoz (Wiig – looking likely what Miley Cyrus will look like in 15 years!) and Don Atari (Mooney – super annoying)’s fashion show and getting ridiculed, they uncover that Mugatu (Ferrell) is behind everything from his prison cell. It then turns into a bit of a Bond film, with a lava pit involved!

If you’re watching this hoping for some cerebral comedy, you’re in the wrong place. There’s heaps of dumb jokes (most involving mispronunciation), dozens of cameos (Zane, Sutherland, Cumerbatch, Armisen, Sarandon, Sting, Perry, Nelson, Moss, deGrasse Tyson) and plenty of Blue Steel/Magnum’s from everyone – but it is, at heart, a comedy lambasting the superficiality and stupidness of modelling and fashion. Definitely not as good as the original, but whenever Stiller, Wilson & Ferrell are on screen together, there’s going to be laughs. It’s really well-paced – never gets boring – and has consistent chuckles, with a few great moments.

Overall: Silly, easy fun.

Gav's Rating: 3 stars.