Ben Stiller, the co-writer, director, and star of Zoolander and Zoolander 2 commented in Vogue (where else?) prior to 2’s release that “they want a sequel until they get one.” Stiller must have known what the critics were about to do to the sequel to his 2001 outrageous spoof on fashion vanity. If you’re the type that checks the Rotten Tomatoes scores before venturing out to see a film, you’ll know that most of the big-wig critics have panned 2 – some brutally. But don’t believe ‘em. Most of these guys didn’t like the first film at its release either, although they wouldn’t admit that now. Zoolander 2 is funny enough. Granted, it’s not as good a the first, sequels rarely are. But if you really liked Zoolander – meaning, you’re not just faking it to fit in – then you’ll likely enjoy Zoolander 2. And if you didn’t like Derek and the gang the first time, then you’re not going to this movie anyway… unless you’re a movie critic.
Zoolander 2’s plot is just as amazingly idiotic as the first film’s story line. You all recall the old one – the really, really, really, good looking Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller), greatest male supermodel of his generation, is brainwashed by Mugatu, the deranged designer of the piano neck-tie (Will Ferrell), to assassinate the Claymation guy – err… I mean the Malaysian prime minister, in order to maintain cheap child labor in sweatshops that support the fashion industry – marvelously inane, right? Now, 14-years later, we find Zoolander in seclusion after a tragic accident at the center he built for Kids Who Can't Read Good and Who Wanna Learn to Do Other Stuff Good Too. Hansel (Owen Wilson) is not hot right now either, having suffered a horrifying injury to his face when Derek’s center collapsed. Both are lured out of retirement and thrust into a mystery of murdered celebrities, selfies, and a quest for eternal youth and really good skin. I told you… astronomically ridiculous, just as it should be.
But the plot is really not important in these films – It’s just a superficial tool to create a superficial movie about the superficial. This idea and odd-ball approach was peculiar back in 2001. So much so that it took some time for audiences to catch up to the fresh weirdness of it. Initial critical and public response to the first film was underwhelming at best. Post-big-screen Zoolander, however, hit stride quickly and developed a fervent audience. Mention Mugatu’s name and call for a “walk-off” in a crowd of Millennials and they’ll know just what you’re talking about. This same generation now flashes Blue Steel, Magnum, and Le Tigre, on selfies all over Instagram, Facebook, and the rest any chance they get (wait… all these selfie poses look the same… Mugatu was right). The fact that the vanity the first film made fun of has now become mainstream works both for and against Zoolander 2. Stiller exploits the expanding selfie culture throughout the film, most memorably to capture the over-the-top demise of really, really, good looking Justin Bieber in 2’s cleverly moronic opening scene. But the weirdness is now the orthodox. Stiller’s team settles, generally, for revisiting the same gags from the first film with several efforts coming off as a bit worn. There’s still some edge there though. Between Derek and Hansel’s serious debate on whether being plus size makes you a terrible person (left unresolved) to their “mind-blowing” exchange with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson on self realization, there’s still more hits than misses.
Although I doubt any part of Zoolander 2 will infuse itself in our conscience and language the way the first film did, it’ll still fill up your silliness cup. If not fresh, Zoolander 2 is still fun in its absurdity. Ferrell’s Mugatu is in fine form – his summarizing diatribes on the fashion world and its rulers are by themselves worth the price of admission, reminding us of how ridiculous this all really is. Insert the all-in Penelope Cruz as an Interpol Fashion Policy Detective, Kristen Wiig’s way over-the-top aging fashion doyenne and new Mugatu lust interest, and a never-ending parade of celebrity and fashion icons, and you’re ready to get stupid. So to all of the jaded professional rag writers and bloggers out there – stop the complaining all ready, this isn’t the sequel to El Cid. Try to have a little fun – RELAX!
7 out of 10.
