Movie Review – Zoolander 2

Derek Zoolander burst onto the fashion scene years ago with his many mesmerizing signature facial poses (all of which look suspiciously similar) and taking the world by storm. Along the way he dealt with the tragic loss of some of his closest modeling friends, gained a new best friend, started a family and even saved the world from an evil mastermind. I guess all models aren’t just a pretty face. Derek was on top of the world…if only for a little while. The original Zoolander may have ended with warm and fuzzy laughter but even the world’s hottest supermodel isn’t impervious to the changing of the times.
Zoolander 2 stars Ben Stiller, as Derek, reprising his role as the most famous male model on the planet. Fifteen years has since passed and all that was once good in Derek’s life has turned to rainbow colored poop. To paraphrase a bit here, he’s an out of work, out of touch widower who lost custody of his child and is now a hermit….crab (it’ll makes sense when you see the movie). An opportunity, in the form of an unsolicited invitation, lures him out of seclusion and back into the modeling spotlight. Derek isn’t the only “has-been” to have received this invitation. His once-fierce-competitor/sworn-enemy-then-eventual-BFF-but-now-former-friend-due-to-a-building-collapse-incident, Hansel (Owen Wilson) also received the invitation, thus reuniting the two after years of not speaking. What was thought to be the renaissance of their careers only ends up being the latest low point. Yet out of this latest stumbling block comes a new purpose. Someone has been killing the world’s most beautiful people and Derek is somehow the best equipped person flush out this evil.
Resurrecting interest in a movie that has been out of rotation for as long as Zoolander has been can be a daunting task. First and foremost, if you don’t have the proper key characters willing to reprise their roles you’re going to stumble right out of the gate. Beyond that, the story needs to be a solid one that will bridge the gap between the years without feeling forced. Lastly, with tastes changing every few years in what audiences find entertaining, it’s a huge gamble to attempt to stay with the same exact style. These are but some of the challenges that Zoolander 2 will face when it comes time for audiences to have their say.
The big win that Zoolander 2 gets right off the bat is in its casting. Every single character of consequence that appeared in the first movie is back for a second helping of silly, even if it’s in the most pointless brief moments. Aside from Stiller and Wilson there is an impressive list of returning talent. Will Ferrell, Milla Jovovich, Justin Theroux, Christine Taylor and even Billy Zane are all back. Some of the new faces of note are Penélope Cruz, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kristen Wiig (barely recognizable), Kiefer Sutherland and Justin Bieber. The casting is definitely a who’s who of cameos that might even make Entourage feel a little jealous.
The summarization of what happened during the years between the two movies is plausible, funny and somewhat entertaining but beyond that is where things start to fall apart. Zoolander 2 is a one trick pony and its tricks were played out 15 years ago. There’s nothing new or fresh about the sequel. It’s pretty much literally more of the exact same which is both a blessing and a curse. There are many moments to laugh at as well as an equal amount of times you might find yourself rolling your eyes or checking your watch. Being a fan of silly movies in general, I found myself feeling bored more times than not. Zoolander 2 is a prime example of been there, done that. For that reason alone, I feel that it can easily be skipped as there are much better ways to spend your time (and money) this weekend.