Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

 

Starring;
Will Ferrell
Steve Carell
Paul Rudd
David Koechner
Christina Applegate


Director;
Adam McKay

In three words; Classy - Hilarious - 93


Review;

Ron Burgundy returns to the big screen at long last, he's kind of a big deal ya know! After years of arguments with Paramount studios Will Farrell and Adam McKay have finally been able to deliver the long awaited sequel. But does it live up to the first film? Well yes and no. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments and it is full of complete lunacy, which is what you might expect.

We catch up with Ron several years after the first movie where he is now a co-anchor with his wife Veronica Corningstone (Applegate) at a news network in New York City. However, he is fired for is constant mistakes while Veronica is promoted. Unable to control his jealousy Ron leaves his wife and son and heads back to San Diego where he is unable to keep a job. He is then offered a chance to be part of a new team on a 24 hour news network. He agrees but only if he can get his old news team back together.

Brian, (Rudd) Champ (Koechner) and Brick (Carell) are all reunited with Ron and so the legend continues. We are presented with even more quotable lines and cameos than you can shake a jazz flute at. The trouble with sequels to successful comedies is that the characters can become caricatures of themselves. I point you towards the follow ups to American Pie and The Hangover. Thankfully this isn't particularly evident in Anchorman 2 and this is a testament to the writers and actors to keeping close to the original idea.

My biggest gripe about the film is the editing. Apatow regular Brent White proves yet again that he is incapable of binding the narrative and the improvisation which the actors give, into a cohesive film. There are many laughs to be had yet White does not bring these together at all well.You only have to look at his work on The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up to see his he is nothing but consistent in delivering poor work. Both of those films are very funny but they are nothing more than skits sewn together. What I found rather odd what that in the final edit scenes shown in the trailers and quotes used in the marketing of the film were absent. This further highlights the problems the producers have had with Paramount.

There is plenty of enjoyment to have from this sequel and fans of the first film won't leave the theatre feeling short changed. Brick is particularly on form especially when attempting to talk to his love interest played brilliantly by Kristen Wiig. It does loose a little bit of pace in the final third but you will no doubt have a smile on your face as the final credit roll.


Verdict;
3 out of 5.