Director: Ben Stiller
Cast: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, Penelope Cruz, Kristen Wiig, Olivia Munn, Benedict Cumberbatch, Macaulay Culkin, Christina Taylor, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato, Kim Kardashian West, Billy Zane, Lenny Kravitz, Kanye West, Cyrus Arnold, Lewis Hamilton
Rating: 12A
Running Time: 102 mins
Release Date: In cinemas now
With awards season well and truly upon us cinemas are saturated with worthy, critic-approved offerings that this year revolve around such light hearted subjects as the epidemic of paedophilia in the Catholic Church and how best to survive when faced with a real-life Fritzl. That’s to say nothing of THE REVENANT which for all its bear-brawling, frozen conditions and glorious use of natural light is unlikely to be mistaken for a feel-good film anytime soon, and so- at this bleak time of year for subject matter- watching ZOOLANDER 2 feels like finally coming in from the cold.
It’s been fifteen years since Derek and Hansel first graced our screens in ZOOLANDER and the follow up has been hotly anticipated ever since it was announced at Valentino’s show at Paris Fashion Week last year in typically sensational style. Fans will remember the plot of the first film was a little far-fetched- the premise being that the fashion industry was at the heart of every major political assassination since time immemoriam- with world’s greatest supermodel, Derek Zoolander, having been brainwashed to kill the Malaysian Prime Minister during a catwalk show. Suffice it to say the plot of ZOOLANDER 2 makes the first film look like a masterclass in subtlety and restraint: this time round, everything is, like, really, really, ridiculously, over-the-top. If, like me, you loved the original then this won’t be a problem for you, but if you didn’t…well why are you seeing the follow-up exactly?
Briefly then, Derek (Ben Stiller) and Hansel (Owen Wilson) are called out of retirement when ex-swimsuit model and Interpol agent Valentina (Penelope Cruz) enlists their help in solving a series of high profile pop-star murders- Madonna and Justin Beiber among them. In a tightly put together opening sequence we learn the reasons for Derek and Hansel’s retreat from the spotlight- and everything that has happened to them in the years between- including the tragi-comic demise of Derek’s wife Matilda (Christine Taylor) that neatly solves the problem of how to give Derek a new female love interest. Good friend/ cool dude Billy Zane makes a welcome reappearance as does Will Ferell’s insane Mugatu- and there are a whole host of celebrity cameos too- Kiefer Sutherland, Kate Moss and Willie Nelson to name a few.
Though it’s not as consistently funny as the original, it’s hard to care when the chemistry between the two leads is so good; Stiller and Owen are a tried and tested comedy pairing (MEET THE PARENTS, STARSKY AND HUTCH, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS) and to be back in their company after so long is nothing short of delightful. Certainly if you go expecting Citizen Kane you’ll be disappointed- but it’s worth noting here that Citizen Kane is rarely- if ever- remembered for its sense of fun and whimsy. For an awards season palette cleanser you could do a hell of a lot worse than ZOOLANDER 2.
Verdict
