Movie Review – Super Troopers 2

After 17 years, the comedy crew Broken Lizard returns to free the boys from moth balls in Super Troopers 2. Having been stripped of their state trooper status years before, the boys ‘Thorny’ (Jay Chandrasekhar), ‘Farva’ (Kevin Heffernan), ‘Mac’ (Steve Lemme), ‘Rabbit’ (Erik Stolhanske), and ‘Foster’ (Paul Sorter) have been working together on land development and construction sites. When they are summoned by their former supervisor Captain O’Hagan (Brian Cox) and Governor Jessman (Lynda Carter) to meet at a remote and run down cabin, they are given a new assignment and granted their Vermont state trooper jobs back on a temporary basis. Their assignment is to help ease the transition at the U.S. and Canadian border of a strip of land now being claimed as U.S. land and no longer Canadian property. As they begin converting traffic speed signs along the roads, they are told they have to collaborate and play nicely with three Canadian Mounties. Tyler Labine, Will Sasso and Hayes MacArthur play the three Mounties, who can take the pranks dished out by the troopers as well as they can give them back. Emmanuelle Chriqui plays Genevieve, Rabbit’s love interest, and Marisa Coughlan returns as Ursula, Foster’s love interest. Rob Lowe plays Guy Le Franc, their French host.

Super Troopers 2 plays it safe by preserving the comedic patterns and flow of the first film. Both films open with an elaborate car chase sequence, sparked by ludicrous circumstances. The pranks, witty dialogue, and shenanigans play throughout both films, but somewhere near the middle the sequences straighten-up, or “sober up,” as the stories take over and give the comedy a rest. Both films pepper their third-act resolutions with mild comedy, then conclude. This sequel succeeded in casting every actor and actress from the first film, including minor characters like the man victimized by the ‘Meow Game’. The sequel also has the exact same running time as the first film.

Director Jay Chandrasekhar seemed determined to make this sequel a success. He was able to utilize Kickstarter funding to properly and strategically budget for the film, while still having enough left over to splurge on guest spots like Fred Savage, Jim Gaffigan, Seann William Scott, Clifton Collins Jr., Damon Wayans Jr., and Bruce Mcculloch.

Super Troopers 2 takes very few risks, and instead focuses on expanding its cast of characters and telling an entertaining comeback story. If you were entertained by the characters and the hilarious hijinks from the first film, then you will probably enjoy this sequel. Go out and see it right ‘meow’!