Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, 2025.
Directed by Rob Reiner.
Starring Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner, Paul Shaffer, Fran Drescher, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Questlove, Chris Addison, Kerry Godliman, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Nina Conti, David Furnish, John Michael Higgins, June Chadwick, Griffin Matthews, Kathreen Khavari, Don Lake, Chad Smith, and Lars Ulrich.
SYNOPSIS:
The now estranged bandmates of Spinal Tap are forced to reunite for one final concert, hoping it will solidify their place in the pantheon of rock ’n’ roll.
At an early special access screening, and before Spinal Tap II: The End Continues properly began, a brief promotional ad played, in which director Rob Reiner, in character as the faux-documentary filmmaker Martin DiBergi, self-deprecatingly jokes about being grateful for this opportunity to rejuvenate his career. It’s honest, considering I couldn’t tell you the last time Rob Reiner has actually made a narrative film worth watching. That’s what makes it all the more confounding that distributor Bleecker Street essentially went out of its way to hide this legacy sequel from the press, when it’s both not that bad and nowhere near as shameful and embarrassing as what usually comes from such cinematic endeavors.
Part of this mild success stems from a story that, rather than trying to do too much, is content to function as a 40+ year reunion, even if there is some friction between the members of the British rock band Spinal Tap. A contractual loophole has put this reunion into motion, but not before catching up with vocalist David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), guitarist Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), and bassist Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) in their personal lives. This ranges from amusingly irreverent lifestyles, such as a shop where patrons can trade hefty blocks of cheese for guitars and vice versa, a glue museum, and various odd musical scoring jobs, including murder podcasting and call-hold lines.
From there, they are brought together by the daughter of their longtime manager, Hope Faith (Kerry Godliman), to put on one final show, which comes in the wake of a minor pop-culture resurgence within this world that blends fiction and reality. It’s as simple as this: when Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (with Rob Reiner and the entire fictional band credited as screenwriters) sticks to satirizing reunion tours, the humor, which includes funny bits such as suggesting one of them die to make the concert and comeback more of a splash, works. When the jokes are stemming from the act of creating music (as in a pedal board that continues to become more unnecessarily elaborate with additional pieces) or rock ‘n’ roll culture (the band gets its first woman drummer, and not a day goes by before one of them suggests “playing together” since they play together), the laughs are there.
What doesn’t work, and sometimes feels desperate, is whenever the film seems to think that having characters reminisce on jokes from the original or bring in celebrity cameos is a benefit. That’s also not to say the nostalgia-pandering is nauseatingly out of control, but that it is not escaped. And barring a great role for a hilariously game Elton John, none of the cameos are that memorable and come across as a flex of what the filmmakers can do now that this is, and has been, a successful IP. Even the climactic reunion concert builds to a punchline that plays off a fan favorite gag from the original, although that’s not to deny that it is still fairly funny here.
The other issue is that, despite the enjoyment of the vibes, there isn’t much of a story here or anything interesting being done with the supporting cast, whether returning or new characters. There is a rift between David and Nigel that is teased throughout the movie, only to be revealed and resolved in a matter of minutes, the day before the concert; it feels more as if the film is operating under the obligation of having conflict in place and solving it rather than actually investing time in it.
Nevertheless, the band and tone are still charming enough in their older and wiser years. Perhaps most importantly, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues doesn’t overstay its welcome, clocking in at the same short running time as its predecessor. To make the obvious joke, this one isn’t quite dialed up to 11, but it’s not busted and broken either. Only about half of it finds that line between clever and stupid.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder
