Zoolander 2

If you're a fan of the first film it's at least worth a watch. While the film feels disjointed and situations are forced, it still has a few really funny moments.

Like many sequels it suffers from trying to have too many callbacks to the first film. A lot of jokes are shoehorned in for a quick laugh.

One of the problems is that in a weird way the film is almost too silly. The original felt way more grounded despite being totally absurd at the same time. The two elements contrasted very well and enhanced the humor.

I'm a bit disappointed that this is the best they could come up with after all this time but I can't say I wasn't entertained and that I didn't laugh.

The original "Zoolander" accumulated a moderate US box office gross of $45,172,250. It developed a life of its own on video and DVD, becoming a cult hit. The sequel has finally arrived 15 years later. Was it worth the wait? Did it have to be made? The answer to both questions is a resounding 'no'. There's just not enough story material to stretch the length to over 100 minutes. It's a flimsy story with many unfunny scenes but there's still enough amusing moments to justify your time and money.

Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) has gone into seclusion after the death of his wife (Christine Taylor) from a building that he constructed for children with poor reading skills. His son, Derek Jr (Cyrus Arnold) has been sent to an orphanage in Rome because Derek has been deemed as an unfit father. Meanwhile, Derek's main rival in the modeling world, Hansel (Owen Wilson), has also retired due to a facial injury suffered during the same building collapse that killed Derek's wife. He has been living in a hippie commune which also includes Kiefer Sutherland playing himself. They are brought together when famous celebrities like Justin Bieber have been killed, but before taking their last breath, they post a Derek Zoolander 'Blue Steel' look on social media. Interpol agent Valentina (Penélope Cruz) recognizes that look and calls upon Derek and Hansel to investigate just who is killing all those celebrities. At the same time, Derek tries to reconnect with his son when his investigations take him to the same city where is now residing.

If you haven't seen the original "Zoolander", you could still see the sequel as the opening scenes are a news montage of what has happened to Derek since being the king of the modeling world. You get a fair idea of who Derek Zoolander is and what his accomplishments were from this montage. If you are familiar with the personality of Derek then you'll know that he is a child trapped in a man's body. And that's still the case 15 years later. He mangles the English language and finds himself in situations that test his limited intelligence. Stiller plays him to perfection and he maintains an excellent rapport with Wilson who delights in his role as Stiller's rival. Other cast members don't fare as well. Ferrell reprises his role as Mugatu from the first film and he is in overacting mode along with Wiig who is Mugatu's co- conspirator. Cruz adds sex appeal and sauciness in her sidekick role to Derek.

If you like to play the game of spot the celebrities, you will be in for a fun time. Just about every major fashion designer has a cameo along with celebrity appearances from the movie and music world including Benedict Cumberbatch (as an androgynous supermodel!), Susan Sarandon, Milla Jovovich, Macauley Culkin, Billy Zane, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Sting, Kate Moss...the list goes on! It probably has the most cameos ever in a movie.

The main problem with this film lies in the story. There's not much to work with and it doesn't help when a lot of the scenes linger to try to eke out any laughs from the jokes. When the actors are trying this hard to make viewers laugh without succeeding then you know that the original cult status should have remained untouched as the sequel might damage its credibility. What saves this film is the likability factor of both Derek and Hansel, plus the way they react together.

Many scenes of Rome were shot in an Italian studio and it's remarkable how real Rome looks. Some of the action stunts also add to the visual appeal of the movie.

I wasn't a huge fan of the original "Zoolander" but it was still better than this offering. Sometimes it's best to retire much-loved movie characters to preserve their 'dignity' and in this sequel, we have been provided with a classic example of this theory. http://mlaimlai2.wix.com/magical-movie-review

Here is the thing - too many times I have made a mistake to watch a film only based on it's IMDb rating or reviews.

This crucial piece of information that is missing here is:

• who is rating/reviewing the title?

• which other films did the one love/hate?

That is why I want to give some information about me before giving my two cents on Zoolander2:

• 35 year old male

• as a kid I loved Mel Brooks films, Hot Shots Franchise, Jim Carrey Works...

• I love brother Farrelly comedies

• I enjoy most of Ben Stiller works (Cable Guy, Tropic Thunder...)

Now, with this information in mind, we can proceed:

In spite of bad ratings I chose to watch this one, and I didn't regret it. It is a well crafted over the top comedy with some clever and satirical gags.

Because of the fact that it's over the top - from start to finish, I don't have any problems with the story.

I guess it just depends on the mindset and maybe the mood. Both me and my wife had many laughs during the whole film.

Was it predictable? Yes. But I wasn't expecting it to be any different :)

I hope this helps.

Peace out.

It is 15 years since we last caught up with male model Derek Zoolander and his friend and fellow-model Hansel. Since then both their lives have taken turns for the worst. Zoolander's School for Kids Who Can't Read Good literally collapsed, killing his wife and injuring Hansel. Zoolander's son was then taken away from him by Social Services. Both Zoolander and Hansel are now has-beens, living lives of recluses. However, several pop stars have recently been murdered. Interpol are investigating and discover that they all had a Zoolander-invented look on their face when they died. Zoolander and Hansel are called in to help solve the murders.

The original Zoolander was quirkily funny and reasonably clever, despite some of the hijinks. Most of all, it made fun of the pretentiousness and undeserved self-importance of the fashion industry.

Zoolander II has flashes of this, but generally resorts to a zany plot and pop-cultural references for its humour. Not as clever or funny as the first, but still entertaining, nevertheless.

It is an uneven ride though. While there are some great in-jokes, self-parodying cameos and clever skits, some scenes and "jokes" are just plain stupid.

On the whole, entertaining. While not profound or anywhere near being a comedy classic, it is never dull, doesn't take itself too seriously and doesn't overstay its welcome.

The movie was produced. It had actors in it, who played roles that were in the film. It was edited by a team who pieced the audio and the picture together. The marketing team existed and said things in favor of it. It cost a certain amount to produce and make back a different amount of money. It was screened at theaters who showed the full length of the movie to anyone who would buy tickets. This all occurred because the executives were given the idea and then green-lit it to be produced. All in all, what we can say without a doubt is that Zoolander 2 is, and always will be, a film that exists.