Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

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.

I still remember the feeling; that aura of anticipation that i felt when the announcement was made. Anchorman 2 was in production. Finally, big Ron was on his way back!!! The magical news team where going to be gracing the big screen and i couldn't have been any more excited.

The first film was very close to comedic perfection; it had everything that was needed and much like any film that you thoroughly enjoy you want to see more, but in the back of your mind you don't want the film to become tainted.

And although this film has its droves of fans, for me it was incredibly disappointing. They took it too far. The stupidity in the first film was perfectly balanced. It was funny. This however was over the top. There are certain scenes that are very uncomfortable to watch as they try so hard to make you laugh. And as the ridiculousness accelerated, my gut began to churn and any smile that wanted to force it's way out to stay loyal to the first film was obliterated and all that was left was me,- insert summary here -.

Disappointment is too feeble of an explanation to how gutted i was at the way this film played out. So much of the first film was regurgitated. First couple of carbon copy moments i tried to ignore and enjoy but it eventually became so obvious and so desperate. The continual "by the beard of...", like quotations from Ron was tedious. And the shark....well i'll let you see that farcical moment for yourselves.

I tried, i really tried to enjoy this film, and yes, it had it's fair share of moments that made me laugh, but it is nothing more than a moneymaker. And it will do its job. But that doesn't stop it from being a massive let down. Sequels tend to work when they are planned, not when they are demanded.

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.

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.

The first "Anchorman" movie is one of the most quotable comedy movies of all-time. When I sat down in the theater for the long-awaited sequel, I expected more humor along the same lines (if not quite as fresh). That is exactly what I received...and in the case of comedy films that is a win for all parties involved.

For a basic plot summary, "Anchorman 2" tells the story once again of Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), a man born to look good and read the news. When wife Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) essentially takes his job, however, Ron must decide what the next direction is that his life should take. With input from the old news team of Brick Tamland (Steve Carrell), Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), and Champ Kind (David Koechner), Ron decides to pursue an opportunity to land on a 24-hour news station.

This sequel primarily works because of Ferrell's impeccably honed Burgundy character. When some of the jokes inevitably fall flat, sometimes just Ferrell's reactions alone can carry a scene. Without his strong presence, this franchise (and especially this installment) would be utterly lost. Does the movie contain an ensemble cast? To be sure. All the auxiliary parts work well together...but they also have some jokes that fall completely flat or are just plain stupid. Only the "Burgundy scenes" are the ones that are consistently hilarious.

Basically, "Anchorman 2" is a four-star movie (though not five) because it continues the solid humor of the original. It contains more than its share of fresh jokes, but others are just a bit stale because they have essentially been done before. That's not fault of its own, of course, but the characters were just so fresh in the original that now they don't "pop" quite as much here. Essentially, this is probably about the best sequel that could have been expected for this franchise.