Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman June 20, 2016

There are really no hard and fast rules in cinema, but if one were to argue there were one might point to the notion that sequels rarely live up to, or surpass, the original. Whether the sequel comes hot on the heels of the original hit or more than a decade removed from it, expectations are for a letdown. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, releasing nearly 15 years removed from its classic predecessor, blurs that line. It's hardly a disaster -- it's actually quite strong in spots -- but doesn't ever fully capture the original's charm and effortless, goodhearted draw. The first film remains a RomCom classic, a spirited, healthy, and memorable hit that, on its release, took cinema by slow-drip, ticket-by-ticket storm, evolving into the quintessential word of mouth success story. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, which doesn't tell a story, or at least a core "wedding" story, that couldn't have been told closer to the original's release, debuted in cinemas with more fanfare but ultimately less enthusiasm in the long run. Still, it's a pleasant diversion that reunites the original cast, adds in a few newcomers, and makes for a satisfying followup to the original, so long as viewers aren't expecting Greek lightning to strike twice.

What's old is new again.

Toula (Nia Vardalos) and Ian (John Corbett) are still happily married, still living right next door to Toula's family, and are in fact now sandwiched by the clan. The couple's daughter, Paris (Elena Kampouris), is now 17 and ready to go off to college, and her heart is set on any school that can get her hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away from her overbearing Greek family. The economic downturn has forced Toula to abandon her travel agency business, but the family restaurant is still going strong. As the family schemes to find a way to make Paris stay close to home rather than travel for college, Toula's father Gus (Michael Constantine) makes a shocking discovery: he's not actually married to Maria (Lainie Kazan), the woman he has called "wife" for half a century. They plan on "officially" tying the knot, but only if Gus will properly court her, ask for her hand in marriage, and put on a big fat Greek wedding. But do they still share that spark they need for happily-ever-after, and can the ceremony go off without a hitch?

The original film captured a dueling essence of a classic, simple love story -- boy and girl fall in love -- against the much more complicated, and humorous, expectations of her sprawling, culturally aware family clan. The sequel is much the same. It's about two people falling in love, all over again here rather than for the first time, with all the ballyhoo that comes with the Portokalos family. And for all their eccentricities, it's nice to revisit them again. The film reunites all of the favorite characters -- really, all of them -- and there's plenty of opportunity to experience all of the fun little quirks, cultural heritage lessons, and just catch up with where they're at and what they're up to, which, in all honesty, is pretty much where the original left them. Sure, they're a bit older and grayer, but that same camaraderie remains. The movie's only real drawback is that it can't ever find a serious, explicit purpose to exist. Heritage is again key to the movie's arc, but so too is the idea that falling in love isn't simply about duty but rather the truer beatings of the heart that care not where one calls home but rather who one is. That said, the driving force behind the plot feels inorganic and unbelievable, and once the wedding plans are set in motion, there's not a sense of dazzle (beyond the jackets the men wear to the service) or fulfillment, with the latter the main issue. Still, the opportunity to return to Chicago and visit with old friends makes the movie a worthwhile venture; the rest is just noise, but then again, all that noise is part of what makes these movies so enjoyably special to begin with.

But much of the film feels like simple homage to the original -- lots of plugs for Windex as some cure-all, the houses and the restaurant don't look to have changed, Gus still plays the "greek word origin" game, and Toula and Ian recreate part of their dating escapades -- while playing with only a few new ideas. Gus' efforts to learn how to use the computer is amongst the movie's best moments, particularly considering that the machine he's on looks like it's from 2002 when Toula went back to school to learn how to use it. There's a lot of careful attention to detail that fans of the original will appreciate, and the film smartly walks that tightrope between understanding and implementing the necessary ingredients that make the Portokalos' world so much fun to visit and simply regurgitating everyone and everything because that's what worked the first time around. The cast is as spirited as it was in the first, surprisingly just as spunky and game for the movie's demands as they were way back when. A few of them don't look like they've aged a day, and it's like they never left the set, they're so in-tune with their characters and with one another. The movie is essentially a snapshot continuation, not really necessary in the grand scheme of things but more like a fun little trip down memory lane, catching up with old friends for a brief stay and more proof to the validity of the idea that "the more things change, the more they stay the same."

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 arrives on Blu-ray with a pleasing and technically sound yet visually basic 1080p transfer. The movie, which was photographed digitally, takes on a very clean appearance. The image is smooth and noise is sporadic, but no other serious technical issues crop up. Details fare well enough. There's nothing groundbreaking or eye-catching about the way the transfer presents the material, but the basics -- clothes and facial features -- hold up with sufficient high definition complexity. Faces are particularly interesting, with the varied age of the cast and, at times, very heavy makeup application all offering detailed surfaces to explore. Colors are cheerful and balanced. Nothing is too loud. Primaries pop nicely, whether red lipstick, Greek flag blue, or various splashes of color seen on the film's many costumes and locations. Black levels are impressively deep and flesh tones appear neutrally balanced. Overall, this is a solid all-around presentation from Universal.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Universal's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack for My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 is technically sound but not high-end robust. The movie is largely dialogue intensive, and the spoken word presents with honest clarity, even-keeled center placement, and effortless prioritization. Music largely lingers through the front, particularly overlaid score. There's a good bit of verve to wedding planning montage music midway through the film, and peppy Greek wedding music at the end. Both retain the track's more front-end dominant structure. Mild atmospherics creep into the back, and further in scenes with more sonic density, including in a crowded school gymnasium or outside a church after a service. Police car sirens scream through the stage towards film's end, complete with a healthy bit of zip and movement through the speakers, resulting in the track's single most surround dominant moment of activity.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 contains three supplements. A DVD copy of the film and a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy are included with purchase.

• Gag Reel (1080p, 4:05).
• My Big Fat Greek Dinner (1080p, 14:34): Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Louis Mandylor, Joey Fatone, and eventually Ian Gomez, Lainie Kazan, and Michael Constantine sit down on the Zorba's set to discuss the original film's release, how Vardalos' real life experiences as a mother helped her write this script, character progression, getting together for the sequel, filming the wedding sequence, fan favorite moments, and the potential for a third film.
• Making the Greekquel (1080p, 11:40): A look at Vardalos' creative process, her dedication and abilities, sequel origins, cast qualities, Director Kirk Jones' work on the film, and making the wedding scene.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 manages to capture the same spirit of the original classic, but it doesn't feel quite so organic, frisky, or honestly all the memorable. As a follow-up, and beyond the rather forced-in plot contrivance that sets the story in motion, the film does well as a generational story of love, self discovery, and learning the true meaning of family and togetherness. The cast is certainly game even if the script isn't always as sharp as it should be. Still, there are plenty of great little touches, touches that respect the original and recall the Portokalos family quirks that helped make the original a classic example of movie magic. This is a fun sequel that's more akin to a quick visit with friends than it is a timeless tale of falling in love for all the right reasons. Universal's Blu-ray is, like the movie, pleasant but hardly exceptional. Video and audio are fine and the supplements are few. Recommended.