Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

Cast of Characters:

Ron Burgundy - Will Ferrell

Brick Tamland - Steve Carell

Brian Fantana - Paul Rudd

Champ Kind - David Koechner

Veronica Corningstone-Burgundy - Christina Applegate

Director - Adam McKay

Screenplay - Adam McKay & Will Ferrell

Rated PG-13 for drug use, crude and sexual content, comic violence and language

      The news team is back! After nearly ten years, Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and David Koechner reunite again in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.

      After losing his job and his wife/co-anchor Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) seems to have hit rock bottom. A second chance for him arrives, though, when he is offered a spot on a new 24 hour news circuit. He jumps at the chance at gathers his old gang back - Brian (Paul Rudd), Champ (David Koechner) and, of course, Brick (Steve Carell).

      With a not so prime spot delivering the news during the 2-5 AM slot, and a few rivals standing in the way, Ron Burgundy stands determined to reignite the legend that made him so great in San Diego.

      Unlike a good many others in the world, I've always found Will Ferrell overrated. Yeah, I said it. Films that have taken Ferrell out of his comfort zone such as Stranger Than Fiction and Everything Must Go aside, most of what he's done had him playing annoying characters that either bored me or wore on my nerves (mostly those "insert Ferrell into this sport here" films). Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy was one of those rare exceptions of his. The first film was dumb and knew it, but it was funny. Ron Burgundy was an idiot, didn't know it, but there something so vulnerable yet likeable in his absurdity that I saw in him. That and the talented supporting cast helping Ferrell is what made the first film such a pleasant surprise for me. With Anchorman 2, we get mostly the same once again with a few familiar faces - outside of Ron's news team - popping up every now and then. There's not much else to say 'cause this film follows the same formula of the first down to the same climatic news anchor showdown featuring a number of new cameo appearances I'll keep silent on (I will say this one may be better than the one in the first since it's much more outrageous). I'd be lying, though, if I said I didn't laugh quite a bit still at the mostly scripted, but - I'm assuming - sometimes improvised humor. It doesn't try to be anything more than it is: a dumb comedy that aims to make you laugh, and unlike a number of other stupid comedies today, succeeds in doing so. Rudd, Carell, Koechner and Applegate all return to their respective roles and although Rudd and Carell, in particular, have gone on to do bigger and better things with their careers (of which, they can thank the first Anchorman for possibly allowing) it was great seeing them back once again as Brian and Brick, the latter being so inept, clueless and stupid, yet so well-meaning and loveable you just wanna hug him. Some of the laughs don't work and fall into the "Okay, I get it already." category. Kristen Wiig pops up as the new love interest for Brick which has its moments, but overall didn't do much for me. Wiig certainly is talented both as a comic actress and writer as well, but it just seemed like she was in the film solely for the sake of giving Brick something to do in the film. That I can understand and I'm all for Brick being onscreen as much as possible, but the love interest didn't do much for me considering she was essentially a female carbon-copy of Brick. Having her play the character normally to play up the "What exactly does she see in him?" angle might've worked better. That said, it's not a major component of the film, so it certainly doesn't ruin it or anything. Plus, when the laughs worked, and they did mostly, I had a blast, particularly during a dinner scene with Ron and his black girlfriend's family that is so politically incorrect, yet so damn funny. "Am I right? Say whaaaaat?!"

      Some might not see a point to this as it's a sequel that follows the same formula of its predecessor. You could also say that about a number of other sequels, some that work and some that don't. It certainly doesn't have as much of that "Wow, that surprised me!" factor like I got with the first one, but overall, I walked through the theater doors expecting one thing from this film: make me laugh and make me laugh hard, which it did. Like its predecessor, it's dumb, it's self-aware of that fact (although there are some fairly witty jabs at the culture of the media and how it runs), and the number of cameos by various A-listers looking to cut loose for once in a goofy film like this made this a fun time for me. I give Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues a B+ (★★★½).