by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
There are few musical acts who have even a few years of success. There are even fewer who make it so big that they get global recognition. Once there, the drive and need to perform is a powerful thing that compels these once-great performers to keep it going, even decades past when they should have stopped. But those who do just might still have it, and be playing for the love of music.
Back in 1984, Rob Reiner released This is Spinal Tap, a mockumentary about a metal band on the decline. One of the gags about music from the film is about rock bands growing old and never letting it go before. 41 years later, Reiner is back with a brand-new sequel to lampoon the music industry once again… with a geriatric Spinal Tap leading the way.
This is Spinal Tap was the beginning of a killer streak for Reiner, who crafted amazing film after amazing film for just about a decade. But outside of his Albert Brooks documentary from 2023, he hasn’t reached the heights of This Is Spinal Tap since the mid ‘90s. So while Spinal Tap II: The End Continues might not be on the same level as the original, it finds plenty of great elements to write home about. The visual experience is certainly much sleeker, with Reiner leaning into the visual stylings of many modern documentaries. He captures their vibe, while threading in clips from the original in key manners.
The film has an excellent pace, as it burns through its runtime of just 83 minutes quite well. It also has a great sense of humor, as you would expect, while finding some good emotional moments as well. The concert sequences capture the energy of live performance, and make you wish you could see Spinal Tap for real. From behind the camera, Reiner still brings it.
As for the script, story makes sense for sure, with the desire to put a reunion concert together being a great excuse for a new film. The mystery of why they broke up 15 years earlier is engaging enough to connect the audience with the tenuous bandmates. The film might fix the issue a little too easily and quickly later on, but the passive aggressiveness throughout makes for some good tension. Reiner and company find some clever ways to explain deceased cast members and ones that don’t get bigger roles.
The humor is not as consistent as the first film, but there are still tons of great laughs, gags, and running jokes that just tie the film together. The mockumentary format continues to be a fun approach to telling the story, which is fantastic. This does not feel like a cash grab, but instead a good continuation of the story, and a new, more modern element of the music industry to lampoon.
Tired and older, does this cast still deliver? Reiner is just as entertaining, fun, and awkward as documentarian Marty DiBergi; Christopher Guest is aloof, intense, and quiet as ever as Nigel Tufnel; Michael McKean delivers such a wonderfully cranky, overly confident, and snarky turn as David St. Hubbins; and Harry Shearer is cool and ignorant as Derek, the so-called “glue” of the band, who ironically does the most to break the band up. The wonderful cameos from Paul McCartney and Elton John give the film authenticity and some surprising charm. Valerie Franco is a delight as the band’s new drummer, bringing great energy, and Chris Addison is an absolute jerk as their new publicist… but in the best way possible to deliver plenty of strange and hilarious laughs. The other cameos of big-named musicians, original cast members, and Guest’s regulars from his own mockumentaries just add so many fun elements to this hilarious film.
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues is not as consistently funny as the original (which is one of the greatest comedies of all time), and some of the drama might be cleared up too quickly, but from start to finish, there are so many inspired gags and send-ups of the music industry that it is hard to ignore. The cast is excellent as ever, and they have plenty of chemistry. This compact comedy is a wonderful experience with plenty of fun musical numbers and a finale (and credits) worth the price of admission.
Rating: Liked It
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues is currently playing in theaters
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