Review by Dragan Antulov
1 star out of 4
Spielberg, Mallick and Benigni actually didn't have to
bother. The acronym "WW2" won't lose the original meaning to
the new generations of moviegoers.
That is one of the conclusions that the critical viewer
might draw from WAYNE'S WORLD 2, 1993 film directed by
Stephen Surjik, sequel to the popular 1991 comedy. The
original was, like some other comedies, based on sketch used
in SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE show. Although it didn't reach the
cult status of BLUES BROTHERS, that light-hearted comedy,
directed by talented Penelope Spheeris, provided enough
laughs and entertaining pop culture references that it
became pop culture phenomenon itself (some of the words and
phrases used by characters of Wayne and Garth entered into
peoples' vocabulary). Two years later, when inevitable
sequel came, times changed. Spheeris was out of picture, and
Myers, besides playing the main character, had conceived the
whole concept, had to cope with less talented Surjik.
This parody, like so many that used to be made in Hollywood
in those times, has hardly a noticeable plot. The characters
are same - Wayne (played by Myers) and Garth (played by Dana
Carvey) are two headbangers who live in suburban Chicago and
broadcast their show out of basement in Wayne's home (in
this film, the studio has moved to abandoned doll factory).
While Wayne's girlfriend Cassandra (Tia Carrere) is being
wooed by sleazy producer Bobby (Christpher Walken) to go to
California, Wayne sees the vision that would convince him to
organise Woodstock-like concert in his home town. These
storylines serve as a weak fundament to series of gags,
referencing popular films, television shows and, in the end
credits, even obscure 1970s commercial. Unfortunately for
Myers and all the people involved, some of those gags work,
and some don't. Same concepts that looked refreshing and
entertaining two years earlier, seem boring and repetitive
now. Fortunately, film provides few laughs and hour and half
spent in front of the screen doesn't look a total waste of
time.
Copyright © 1999 Dragan Antulov
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