Spinal Tap II: La fine è solo l'inizio

I don't know about the spirit of "Spinal Tap", but the spirit of the much-loved "Victor Meldrew" - in the guise of "David St. Hubbins" (Michael McKean) is alive and well here! A better and more curmudgeonly companion for the newly married and cheese-shop owning "Nigel" (Christopher Guest) and glue-museum curator "Derek" (Harry Shearer) you couldn't ask for as they reunite at the behest of the producer "Martin DeBergi" (Rob Reiner) for a last fly-on-the-wall to accompany their forthcoming one-night-only gig in New Orleans. If you thought the "Bros" movie (2018) showcased what happens when things don't go well in a band, well you're in for something altogether more acerbic as poor old "Derek" tries his best to mediate between his two sparring partner colleagues, whilst all three have to put up with the moronic interventions of their aptly named record company man "Howler" (Chris Addison) who wouldn't know a drum kit from a Kit Kat. With tensions mounting and reminiscences differing, their recording sessions get underway in earnest and thanks to a few contributions from musical knights Paul McCartney and Elton John as well as Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks, who knows but "Stonehenge" could be played to the baying fans just once more? It's a bit of a slow starter, this film, but once they've got themselves into gear and we start to hear their music as well as their bickering, the film starts to shine a little like the first outing from forty-odd years ago. The dialogue is pithy and funny, the lyrics to the songs would never have passed the code censors as euphemisms galore appear verbally and visually to cement the original creative tackiness of the concept. There's an entertaining chemistry between McKean and Guest, Sir Elton joins in with some gusto (if perhaps not with the most convincing acting you'll ever have seen) and it just goes to show that these ageing rockers still have what it takes to send up an industry that is riddled with parasitic hangers-on, old grudges and died-in-the-wool fans who'd turn up to the opening of an envelope. It hasn't quite the sharpness of the original 1984 outing, but you still have to ask what chance their eleventh (or is it twelfth) drummer "Didi" (Valerie Franco) will make it through to the credits? Good fun!

I loved the first movie, which came out when I was 19 or 20. Some of the guys I saw the movie with didn't even realize it was a mockumentary, which was funny by itself. The first film I saw in this genre was The Rutles: All You Need is Cash, which was on TV. That was funny too. But Spinal Tap seemed to open a door for the genre, spawning many films and inspiring many TV shows. Seeing the guys 40 years later (for both them and me) was a pleasure.

Like the first one, it feels very improvised It has a loose structure, but iys mostly improv. Professional drummers have fun cameos. Two music icons have great scenes. It's a lot of fun.

I laughed out loud several times, as did the only other person in the theater I saw it in. Not as many laughs as the first, and no iconic lines like "this one goes to 11". But laughing out loud is a pleasure, and so was this film.

If the original went to 11, this one goes to about 7.

It's probably difficult attempting to return to the format you created (and hundreds of others hhave been influenced by) and expecting as good as return as the original.

It's not laugh out loud funny very often, but it's an enjoyable watch. Like hanging out with your cool uncle who's a bit slower, and isn't as invested as he used to be.

Still, I could watch Marty interview Nigel for three more hours.

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues is a worthwhile comedy sequel that has some gaps between really successful jokes but it still has plenty of them overall. It's a loving return with all the expected absurdity contained in another efficiently brief run time. There's a few fun cameos from music legends to counterbalance the incredibly brief appearances from original supporting cast members which feel pointless.

Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer & Michael McKean retain their endearingly awkward rapport. Chris Addison and Kerry Godliman are wonderful new additions who match the film's energy like their predecessors did. Returning director Rob Reiner brings the same lovable energy in his performance and his direction still understands how to be a mockumentary with the best decision being to keep the film going throughout the credits again.

If you're reading this, you must be a Spinal Tap fan.

If you saw the sequel, you have to be a Spinal Tap fan.

If you liked this sequel, you are DEFINITELY a Spinal Tap fan.

There's really not much to say about it but I will say that it was good and as expected, pretty entertaining. Michael McKean, Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest will NEVER not be amusing in their characters and they will always make me crack up. Their ability for deadpan has never left them and it has to be appreciated even more in their older age. This sequel was definitely fan service.

I mean, it would've been stupid for it not to be. We all got the callbacks, we all got the run in jokes, we all got classic lines from the original film, we all got the legendary soundtrack reprise and we all got the returning cameos.

If you're like me, you've seen "This is Spinal Tap" countless times with some pizza and friends or just on a chill Saturday afternoon on VH1, when VH1 mattered.

So by now, there is really nothing too surprising and even though the times have changed, the humor behind it hasn't. These guys got together and brought much of the magic back, regardless of the setting, and combined it with the more modern premise of an aging rock band looking to get back up for one last time. Personally, I did not expect it to be better than the first. It's just too improbable to top the original in any way, but I have to give it a pretty good passing grade because seeing these guys onscreen after 40 years and seeing them act as if they LIVED their characters for those 40 years was just impressive and at this point, hating anything Tap does is disrespectful, considering all the joy they've brought us all.

Don't overthink it and appreciate it.

Like its subject matter or its stars, it was never meant to be rocket science. We really didn't need a sequel but we should be thankful we got it. Thank you, Tap.