Wayne's World 2 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		2.5

Wayne's World 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

This meandering sequel fails to re-capture the charm of the original.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 10, 2009

We're not worthy! We're not worthy!

When a film created on a relatively small budget grosses well over $100,000,000 domestic box office and proves to be one of the year's runaway hits, expect a sequel to pop up at the local multiplex sooner rather than later. Indeed, "sooner" was one year later when the smash hit Wayne's World spawned the oddly-titled Wayne's World 2, the expected -- and expectedly inferior -- follow-up. Devoid of the charm and originality of Wayne's World, Wayne's World 2 delivers a repetitive film that tries to follow the same formula as the first but does so with a lesser script that features flatter jokes tied into a plot that outdoes its predecessor with heavier doses of dullness and predictability. Nothing about the sequel works nearly as well as the original, and Wayne's World 2 falls squarely into the realm of both unnecessary and terribly disappointing sequels.

Wayne and Garth are up to the same old tricks in 'Wayne's World 2.'

Wayne (Mike Myers, Shrek the Third) and Garth (Dana Carvey, "Saturday Night Live"), one year removed from their last adventure, continue to host "Wayne's World" on public access television. Wanting to do something more with his life, Wayne one night comes to the realization through a vivid dream that his destiny lies in bringing to his hometown of Aurora, Illinois, one of the greatest rock concerts in history. Dubbed "Waynestock" and promising the talent of some of Rock's greatest performers, Wayne and Garth set out to make it all happen. Facing a series of challenges, from booking the site to booking the bands, the pair continue onward in hopes of fulfilling their dreams. Meanwhile, Wayne's rock star girlfriend Cassandra (Tia Carrere, Jury Duty) finds herself the object of desire of another man (again), this time from her Producer Bobby Cahn (Christopher Walken, Man on Fire).

Much like the first film, Wayne's World 2 borrows from and parodies other films but also attempts to create its own identity. While Wayne's World 2 takes on several other films -- including Batman, Jurassic Park, Field of Dreams, Thelma & Louise, The Graduate, The Doors, and Kung Fu movies -- effectively enough, it flops when it comes to working with original material. Despite the differing plot set-up, Wayne's World 2 at times seems like a carbon copy of the original, though this time with lesser performances, a higher percentage of failed jokes, and a plot that barely passes for acceptable. Perhaps its only saving grace is the presence of some of Rock's best talent and a plethora of guest stars, including Drew Barrymore (Music and Lyrics) and Charlton Heston (The Omega Man). At its core, however, Wayne's World 2 is, much like its "Saturday Night Live" origins, nothing more than a collection of skits loosely tied together by a running story. Some work, many more do not, and if this sequel offers one truism, it comes in the form of one of its most famous lines: "we're not worthy."

Wayne's World 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Wayne's World 2's 1080p, 1.78:1-framed transfer delivers a visual experience that is practically identical to that of its predecessor. This one offers slightly more in the way of fine detail and clarity, but not by much. Colors appear rather natural but not incredibly vibrant. Faces, clothing, and various foreground materials reveal adequate levels of texture and visible detail. Bright outdoor scenes, such as those at "Waynestock" near the end of the film, offer the best color, detail, and clarity. The 1080p transfer does reveal the obvious presence of wires that aid in the effects as seen in several shots. Flesh tones and blacks are generally adequate. Black and white speckles may be seen all over the image, but grain is barely visible at normal viewing distances. Certainly not a knockout transfer, even for an aging catalogue title, Wayne's World 2 offers decent visuals that should satisfy longtime fans of the film.

Wayne's World 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Wayne's World 2 comes to Blu-ray with a decent Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. From the very first notes over the opening credits, a palpable difference between this soundtrack and that of its predecessor is noticeable, this one heftier and more robust, with a greater sense of warmth and space to it. The Aerosmith concert impresses far more than anything in the first film, but it still lacks that sense of immersion that would have pushed the presentation over the top. The rear channels enjoy some activity, a thunderstorm in chapter seven, for example, serving up a nice room-filling sound with effects coming out of every speaker. Dialogue reproduction never wavers in uniformity and clarity. Mostly, however, this is a rather pedestrian track but one that manages to impress in the context of the movie.

Wayne's World 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Wayne's World 2 features but a pair of supplements. First is a commentary track with Director Stephen Surjik. He discusses the idea of making the film "smart [yet] stupid," the importance of getting the film off to the right start, working with rock stars, creating some of the effects, and more. This is a fairly average track when it comes to content, though Surjik invests plenty of energy into it and makes for a rather entertaining listen despite some moments of dead air that are just long enough to notice. Extreme Close-Up (480p, 14:06) is an average piece that discusses the origins of the project, the work of Director Surjik, the various skits, the humor and emotion of the film, and more.

Wayne's World 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Playing as repetitive and dangerously close to unnecessary, Wayne's World 2 delivers an experience that, odd as it may sound, proves even more shallow and vapid than the first. Whereas Wayne' World delivered hit-or-miss comedy, it offered an infectiously innocent and original vibe that propelled the film to incredible box office returns in a year packed with hits. The sequel, however, feels rushed; most every gag, plot contrivance, and performance seems a mere afterthought, a rush job, in the name of getting the Wayne and Garth tandem back on-screen as quickly as possible. Paramount's Blu-ray release of this sequel that never differentiates itself from its predecessor is, suitably, similar to that of the first film. Featuring decent video and audio quality but only two extras, this package is one only a fan could love.