Zoolander No. 2 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.0

Zoolander No. 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 31, 2016

Comedies don't seem to have the best track records when it comes to sequels. Filmmakers, actors, studios, and execs can't help but hope to catch the same lightning in the same bottle, to rediscover that same magic that made a film unique and humorous and, most important to them, a box office success. Audiences, too, usually have no qualms about returning to the well, reuniting with favorite characters and hoping beyond hope that a magic formula can once again produce a classic film. But rarely does that happen. For every Anchorman 2, one of the better comedy sequels out there, there's a Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey, a Wayne's World 2, a Dumb and Dumber To. The negative, downward trend continues with Zoolander No. 2, a years-in-the-making follow-up to the fan-favorite Zoolander. The film retains key cast and adds a gaggle of newcomers in key roles and cameos alike, but an overly bloated plot can't carry a movie that's funny in spurts but lacking the charm, momentum, creativity, and amazing performances that has kept the original fresh, and always a fun watch, all these years later.

It's been many years since Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) has modeled. He's been living in self-induced isolation after losing custody of his son. But he's about to get back into modeling and the real world, real fast. Mailman Billy Zane (himself) brings him a holographic invitation to come to Rome and model for a top fashion designer. Zoolander is reluctant, but Zane convinces him by saying that only returning to normal life, rediscovering who he is, and getting back into the spotlight will allow him to reunite with his son. Zane also brings a similar summons to Zoolander's one-time friend Hansel McDonald (Owen Wilson) who has also been living away from the spotlight since Zoolander disfigured his face. Both reunite in Rome, on, at first, less-than-friendly terms, but they are quick to put the past behind them when Interpol agent Valentina Valencia (Penélope Cruz) arrives with a mission to infiltrate the fashion world and discover who is behind the murder of a number of celebrities.

Rather than a memorable story, Zoolander 2 efforts to go big. Really big. The movie begins with a comically over-the-top Justin Bieber death scene. He's pumped full of so many bullets it may as well be ED-209 pulling the trigger. But the death serves a purpose in getting Zoolander back in the game and unfolding the big mystery/conspiracy he's summoned to foil. A rousing, with-gusto type of score and an effortful scope on par with a Michael Bay film sets a zealously overblown but comically tongue-in-cheek tone for the picture. Zoolander's establishing seclusion and recruitment scenes plays with a dark, brooding edge, the drama clearly manufactured but, as with everything else in the movie, tonally engaged in the movie's wheelhouse of aggressive nonsense that finds its humor in its overzealous approach. It works -- for a while. Zoolander No 2 capably mocks event cinema, Comedy, the fashion world, and itself at every turn. It's ridiculously fun, to a point. But as the movie progresses its vulnerabilities manifest, the movie slows down, and rather than a tight and fresh lampoon it slogs into murky try-hard territory that even the movie's many talents cannot salvage its second half from a nuclear meltdown into an unfunny, lethargic, and aimless morass.

Indeed, the movie is filled with stars, some in key roles, some in support parts, some appearing in cameos only, but the sheer star power throughout is impressive and the movie worth a watch if only to revel in the assembled talent. The top guys do shine. Neither Stiller nor Wilson miss a beat, engaging in various hi-jinx, inane but oftentimes humorous dialogue, and grinding out enough physical humor to compliment the characters and the greater story. Production design is superb, particularly as the film mocks the fashion world with increasingly absurd costumes (and the people who wear them), culminating with Will Ferrell's character and his secondary reveal later in the film. The cast is nothing if not enthusiastic, fully on board and gleeful in the opportunity to dig into the movie's increasingly absurd depths. It's a shame the script isn't up to the actors' abilities or the first film's standards. It is, however, funny enough in spurts, and in its first act in particular, to hold together well enough to warrant a watch. Fans of the first should be prepared to be let down by the end but, on the other hand, somewhat satisfied with the whole, if only in a very base way as they revisit the world and explore it with a few favorite characters and plenty of new ones along for the ride.

Zoolander No. 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Zoolander No. 2 arrives on Blu-ray sourced from a digital shoot. The transfer is very impressive, with its only drawback being the occasionally soft/smeary detail that's only really noticeable in a sea of otherwise extremely, and naturally, sharp textures. Generally, details excel, particularly in the facial area. Close-ups are remarkably revealing. Very fine lines, pores, facial hair, makeup streaks, and other natural features and blemishes show up with incredible precision. Clothing is likewise superb, with the high fashion costumes showcasing an endless parade of fine fabric details. The entire frame, really, goes the distance and reveals tangible, practically lifelike texturing, whether harsh deserts, nearly uninhabitable winter landscapes, or rich European backgrounds. Colors pop. There's no mistaking that the palette pushes hard and tends to overindulge primaries, but the style fits the movie very well. Black levels are rich and deep without crushing out details, even during challenging nighttime exteriors. Flesh tones are full and natural. Light noise sprinkles over parts of the image, but never to the transfer's detriment. Fans should be very pleased.

Zoolander No. 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Zoolander No. 2 goes all-out to show its sonic wares with a widely, and wildly, impressive DTS: X soundtrack. The X track adds overhead channels to the traditional 7.1 setup. This review comes based on an 11.1 configuration. The track's most immediately noticeable and exciting feature is its music. Musical delivery is tight, loud, and precise. Lows boom, highs pierce, and the midrange settles in comfortably with lifelike clarity, even at aggressive volume. Positioning is immersive, with the fronts carrying the bulk but the surrounds never feeling left out; the listener will always feel fully immersed in, and engaged by, the score. Atmospheric activity continuously impresses, whether din at a command center or light exterior ambient effects. Action scenes are, like the music, fully engaged with the entire soundstage. A car tumbles over, a jet roars above, and a helicopter descends from the skies, all with remarkable low end power and effect clarity. The overhead channels aren't quite so fully engaged in these moments as one might expect, but all of them offer a fuller sensation than a mere 7.1 track could provide with the expanded bubble of sound overhead aiding, but not quite completing, the experience. The track is otherwise a potent monster, particularly with its deep, penetrating bass at a fashion show. Dialogue is never lost in the shuffle. Clarity is excellent and positioning is constant in the center channel.

Zoolander No. 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Zoolander No. 2 contains three featurettes and an advertisement inspired by the film. A DVD copy of the film and a voucher for a UV/iTunes digital copy are also included. A digital copy of the original film is also included, but the code expires quickly, on 8/24/16.

• The Zoolander Legacy (1080p, 9:02): A look back at the original's legacy and place in cinema in the post-9/11 world, the long desire to make a sequel, the process of creating it, and meeting audience expectations for a sequel.
• Go Big Or Go Rome (7:38): Shooting in the Italian capital, and what the city brings to the movie.
• Drake Sather: The Man Who Created Zoolander (1080p, 8:26): A look at Sather's life and comic career and the impact his death had on his friends, family, and the greater world around him.
• Youth Milk (1:30): An innuendo-filled ad for a face cream.

Zoolander No. 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Zoolander No. 2 suffers from sequel-itis, failing to live up to the original's standards. The cast gives the movie its all, both veterans and newcomers alike. The script tries too hard, which works at first because the movie understands and executes the complimentary tone, but things get too bogged down in greater and larger nonsensical bits as it progresses. It's fun in spurts and particularly through the first half; just be ready for a second half letdown. Paramount's Blu-ray release of Zoolander No. 2 features very strong video and highly aggressive audio. A few featurettes comprise the supplemental package. Rent it.