BUY THE DVD:
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SYNOPSIS:
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the barely post-adolescent group of horny kids from the first film reunite one year later.
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MOVIE FACT:
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the lesbians' house in reality is across the street from the house used in ferris bueller's day off.
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RATING:
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two out of four possible stars
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So everybody in this film is a year older. And with age comes experience, right? Well, sometimes. But most of the time, if you're in a Hollywood sequel, that just means you're going to take all the elements of the first movie (and any sequels between the first picture and the picture you're doing now) that worked, and amplify them times a factor of ten or so. And in the case of American Pie 2, those great elements are run over with a steam roller, made into a giant pancake, and coated over the movie like the crust off a giant pie.
This movie really is like the third and fourth hours of American Pie 1. Just amplified. Without having the usual trappings of plot and character, the people in this sequel really are just on the hunt for one thing: bootie. Yeah, I know that's what you have to expect when you go see a movie whose predecessor was made famous by a masturbating piece of pie. And, for the most part, this movie delivers good laughs. Sure, it's more of the same, but that same was funny before, and it's mostly funny now.
The part of this movie that wasn't the funniest though was the character of "Vicky Latham," played by Tara Reid. No, it's not about her acting job. Actually, she was neither Shakespearean nor horrible, so it's hard to even have an opinion on that. It wasn't worth an award, but she wasn't annoying or anything like that. Now, in the time honored tradition in hollywood of starving one's self, Tara Reid has accomplished this requirement in spades.
In the first American Pie, Tara looked like a normal high school aged girl. She had a body that would be considered normal. She was just plain jane normal. But now, in the second installment of the franchise (which will obviously include a third movie in the coming years), she looks more Calista-like. just look at that picture to the right. She looks like half a person.
Apparently, that's what's attractive these days. Heaven forbid an actress should be able to lead a normal life around the dinner table. Oh! My God! Are you going to eat that whole head of lettuce?!? But perhaps the weight issue in this film wouldn't be such a big deal if there wasn't a direct reference to it in the film. When Tara's character shows up, Jason Biggs, who plays "Jim," remarks, "Oh! Vicky got hot!" to Vicky's old boyfriend, "Kevin," played by Thomas Ian Nicholas. So, what, she's hot now only because she lost a bunch of weight? Well, that must be the case. Because she looks like she could use a slice of pizza or two.
But besides that small wee complaint, I have to say that I laughed a lot at the mindless humor presented in most of this film. It was just fun. Now although it wasn't impressive as the first movie, this crop of young actors does have the knack for comedy. Perhaps it's just that all the actors are pretty comfortable with their characters. Or maybe, all those actors really aren't acting. It's just the way they are normally.
Because I have to admit, I haven't seen any of the actors do anything remotely different in any other roles. Of course, this group of people doesn't have a tremendous amount of experience in front of the camera. It seems prudent to say that any one of these actors might distinguish himself in front of the camera in the coming years.
This movie is simply filled with a bunch of that crass humor that's just a lot of fun. For frat boys and intelligent folk alike. Part of the reason this comedy is enjoyable is because it really makes fun of the guys in the picture and their obsession with sex. Of course, the girls have their share of being made fun of as well. It's obvious as well that all the actors in this film just decided to go all out with the comedy. All the actors have scenes in the film that are self depricating. This willingness to make fun of themselves is really commendable. And seeing a guy glue himself to . . . himself is really kinda hilarious. So go to this film expecting a bunch of foul humor and a bunch of really funny situations. But don't expect the originality of the first of the first film.
Review by Kelsey Wyatt.
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