Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

I was a big fan of Anchorman for so long. Will Ferrell's performance is as the type of hero that is so unlikable to the point of ironically being likable and amusing. The jokes were vulgar yet great, it had a charmed that I remember, and the conflict of these characters really made it entertaining to watch. So when I heard all the hype about the sequel, I got eager. The trailers were well done and I had fairly high expectations.

Thankfully, I wasn't disappointed (for the most part) and at the same time, it was a great experience in the theater. The effort went all the way to deserve being a great sequel. As far as plot, the original one is better. However, the humor was slightly funnier than the first. I'll be honest I didn't enjoy the performance of the woman who played Linda, the actress for the part didn't feel right and her involvement in the story made me enjoy this movie less than its predecessor. I laughed a lot, especially at the recurring jokes, such as Brick going from grenade to futuristic gun, Brian going from perfume to condoms, or Champ frequently saying "Whammy!" as a catchphrase. I won't spoil anything, but get ready for the traditional random splooge of cameos during the fight, like the first one. It was so satisfying to see all these famous people show up unexpectedly, including Kanye, Drake, John C. Reilley, and Tina Fey to name a few.

Bottom line, although it might not be as good as the first one or even have the same charm, but it was a hilarious movie. It was brilliantly stupid, so don't go into the film expecting it to be an intelligent comedy. The only way to know whether you like it or is to see it. If you're a fan, it's a must-see. Otherwise, enjoy this movie, even if you hate it after wards!

I was so disappointed after the 1st viewing and didn't watch it again until today, its actually pretty good, the Harrison Ford scene alone was brilliant, the film just suffered massively from the sheer brilliance of the 1st film, the anticipation was too high but now it has all calmed down watch it again.

That was the first thing I said as I left the cinema. Was that the best they could come up with after all these years? I'm a huge Anchorman fan, but whereas the first one felt fresh and to the point, this one is flabby and overlong. It's not terrible and it did make me laugh a few times, but I expected so much more. The 24 hour news channel is a good hook on which to hang the gags and setpieces but unfortunately Ferrell and McKay don't seem to know what to do with it, so they settle for recycling material from the original. By way of example, the mahoosive news reader fight scene from Anchorman is repeated here; the first time around it was funny and surprising, this time it's lazy and stuffed full of tedious cameos by Will Ferrell's showbiz mates. So much wrong with this film: sidelining Veronica Corningstone; not enough Baxter; a subplot in which Brick gets a girlfriend, no laughs there, it's just odd and creepy; pointless roles for Harrison Ford and Greg Kinnear; a recurring thread of racial humour that is cringeworthy at best and at worst offensive. All of which leaves you asking: why, Ron Burgundy, why?!?

First thing's first - no, this is not as good as the original. But what sequel is? There was certainly plenty of laughs throughout the film, from the whole cinema. Sure, not all the jokes were amazing, but there was plenty of good slapstick and lots of great little quips.

The premise is simple - it's now the 80s and Ron and the gang are in New York to start the first 24-hour-news network (CNN, or 'GNN' in the film - this provides some decent satire), and since it's the 80s, they have to progress with the times, including having a female boss (who's also black). The eight guest-star cameo's - don't worry, I won't ruin the surprise - for the news team battle are pretty funny and will have you going "is that really ___?!"

That's my one issue with the film - it's a little long. Some scenes - such as the shark and the above-mentioned "battle" - go for longer than necessary and probably make it about 15min too long, clocking in at almost two hours. Also, was Josh Lawson the best choice as an Aussie to play a Rupert Murdoch-like character? But it's made up for by some truly laugh-out-loud moments, from finding out what they've all been up to since the first film and then some great sight gags and truly absurd moments.

The further adventures of Ron Burgundy and his fellow news teammates yields quite a few laugh-out-laud gags and more than a few head scratches. I guess this is one of those films that depends heavily on knowing what you're in for. The first one was a big indicator and I had a hell of a good time with this.

I liked many of the jabs at modern news reporting and ratings and others that range from synergies to the chicken industry. Many quite good and to the point. Then there are those moments you're embarrassed to laugh at (the one with Paul Rudd's "Ladykiller" friends, for example) and will definitely offend more than a few. And this is, naturally, all done in the most over the top manner possible.

For some reason the bits with Steve Carell and Kirsten Wiig fell a bit flat for me but overall I completely enjoyed the film's excessiveness. Will Ferrell owns this role and everyone else gives it a fun go.

Get yourself in the right frame of mind and most likely you'll enjoy it.