header-image

Zoolander 2

The only fun to be had, literally the only thing to keep one paying attention to Ben Stiller’s unfunny sequel is cameo counting. While Zoolander 2 is filled with pop-stars like Katy Perry, Justin Bieber and Willie Nelson, hardly any of them have more than two seconds of screen time, nor do they have any involvement with the films erratic plot. Fifteen years after the original film that capitalized on the obnoxious world of modeling, Stiller returns as the title character, the director and co-writer. Fashion world icons from Marc Jacobs to Tommy Hillfiger have cameos, reinforcing why they are designers and not actors. Oscar nominated Wiig (Bridesmaids) is the closest thing this sequel gets to a laugh as the over botoxed and lip injected fashion icon Alexanya Atoz who speaks with an alien altered English dialect.

Following the death of his wife Matilda (Christine Taylor), crushed by a library made from popsicle sticks; Derek Zoolander (Stiller) fails as a single dad when he cannot make the spaghetti noodles go soft for his son. When his son is removed from his custody, the renowned male model known as Zoolander moves to Extreme Northern New Jersey to live a life of seclusion. Alexanya Atoz (Wiig) the industries newest avant-garde designer, has summoned both Zoolander and his counterpart Hansel (Wilson) out of retirement to be in her latest show. Lead investigator of Interpol’s Fashion Division, Valentina (Cruz) is desperately searching for a connection between murdered popstars using their last breathe to snap a specific type of selfie, and upload it to Instagram before they die.

Comedians Stiller and Ferrell desperately attempt to re-connect with audiences who have evolved since their initial comedic rise in the 90’s.

Many times you hear audiences coming out Christopher Nolan films or David Lynch films saying it was “over their head”, or they didn’t understand the plot or meaning of a film. Imagine the opposite of that, a movie so dumb, stupid, and unimportant, anyone with half a brain just cannot fathom the meaningless static on the screen. Not only is Zoolander 2 unfunny, but the anticipated cameos, have no impact on the story. Oscar nominated Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game) appears as All, an Androgynous model that stupefies Zoolander and caused a controversy with the LGBT community. Zoolander 2 feels more like an Austin Powers sequel than a continuation of the original.

Comedians Stiller and Ferrell desperately attempt to re-connect with audiences who have evolved since their initial comedic rise in the 90’s. Both suffering from a list of critical and financial box office failures, appear out of touch with what audiences want and find funny in today’s market. Zoolander’s strongest suit was always the fun poked at the fashion industry (although they do a legitimate job making themselves look ridiculous without Stiller’s poor filmmaking skills). The screenplay, co-written by Justin Theroux throws items and characters at the screen instead of embedding them into the story. It takes a certain type of audience member to find this kind of material funny, and based on the reactions exiting the theater, there weren’t many in attendance.

Final Thought

The most useless waste of time on screen in 2016.

D-

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Scroll to Top