Spinal Tap II: The End Continues

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.

Filmmaker Marti Di Bergi (Rob Reiner) manages to reunite the surviving members of the heavy metal rock music band 'Spinal Tap' for a one-off concert in New Orleans - a 'slip in' concert after a Stormy Daniels show is cancelled. Following a problematic search for a new drummer preparations for the concert begin. Director Reiner's 2025 feature film satirical comedy 'mockumentary' follow-up to 'This Is Spinal Tap' will seem funnier if you've seen the original (with all it's referential moments). Although it isn't as good or as funny as 'This Is Spinal Tap' (a 'mockumentary' and satirical comedy classic of the 1980s) it's still reasonably good and with the same satirical edge, as the now wrinkly rockers are prised away from their new lives for 'one last gig'. Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) is now running a cheese and guitar shop, David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) is composing music for on-hold phone music, and Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) is the curator of a glue museum. But the lure of the stage is irresistible, and soon they find themselves bickering in a rehearsal studio in New Orleans, getting visits from Paul McCartney and Elton John, and having to deal with a sleazy manager (alas not Tony Hendra's Ian Faith character), before another 'Stonehenge incident' on stage. And we finally get to find out the real reason behind all the bickering, tension and jealousy between Tufnel and St. Hubbins (and who the real 'culprit' was).

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.

Every time I hear of a sequel being made for a movie, something along the lines of "30 years later" or "the next generation", I always feel skeptical to watch it, and I'm usually right for doing so.

No way was I expecting this to be the masterpiece that the first movie was, but I also didn't find it lacklustre or underwhelming. It wasn't necessary to make sequel, but since they did make it, I found it watchable and effortlessly funny like the first.

Sure, it wasn't as funny as the first-they rehashed a lot of the jokes-but I think some references were needed for us fans to connect with the movie.

I felt it had continued on with the trajectory of the first movie in terms of the humour. It's understandable that it's not going to have the energy of the first (I mean, they are older now), but the script (or improv) made sense with where the characters/actors are at this point of their career.

Overall, it was a bearable sequel with its own unique moments (and I definitely agreed with the cameos). It might not require multiple viewings, but I wouldn't mind watching it for a second time, just to see if I had missed any subtle gags.

Trying to re-create the magic and the innocence of the original spinal tap movie had to have been incredibly difficult to pull off. The jokes that were so funny in the first movie were probably just improvised by the actors, not necessarily, knowing if they were going to be that laughable or not. They tried that same formula for this new one and the jokes just fell flat. I hate to say it, but you sense that they were going through the motions a little bit bringing up ridiculous stuff they did in the past, and of course, bringing in legendary Rockstars like Elton John to give it more clout. There were a few moments in the movie that were mildly amusing, but that was about it. Sorry guys. My review won't be going up to 11. It'll be just a modest five or six on the volume scale. In other words it was pretty mediocre unfortunately. Hey at least they got the band back together for one last gig.