Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

*Exclusive hair perming not included*

                                          The botox had to be given some time to settle down

DIRECTOR: Adam McKay

CAST: Ricky Bobby, Burt Wonderstone, a Role Model, Dick from American Dad, Kelly Bundy, the hot one from Brick, Cyclops, Ruff Nut and Indiana Jones...

PLOT: The title of the film says it all really: we continue to celebrate the life and bask in the greatness of the best Anchorman who has ever lived - Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell).

There's an absolutely quality joke towards the end of Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. It's by no means laugh-out-loud funny, but we understand the truth behind the joke nonetheless, as Ron Burgundy comments on the amount of saturation that the news is undergoing whilst he and his trusty news team is surrounded by a host of other news teams from different TV stations in a scene that riffs on the brilliant action scene from the prequel, managing to boast a whole load of outlandish cameos that would be a shame to spoil.

Ironic then, as the sequel to one of the most popular comedy films of this century sometimes walks the tightrope that risks falling into comic saturation. The narrative structure is a mess, the jokes sometimes rely on the prequel, the ensemble almost becomes overly convoluted. But Will Ferrell and Adam McKay's script, helped with a fantastic supporting cast, make sure that you don't give a shit, because, 'by the hymen of Olivia Newton-John', this is almost just as quotable and hilarious as the first.

And luckily, when there are jokes that riff on the first, they don't dwell on them for too long, or if you're lucky they end up putting a fun spin on them. Kristen Wiig's idiotic Chani, a love interest for Steve Carrell's scene-stealer, Brick, is possibly the only sign of the film that it can sometimes get bogged down with similar ideas; her character may have been funnier if she was a genius rather than simply a 'female Brick'; but for the most part this is a film that is full of new ideas but is still made up of the same ingredients but are thankfully presented in a different way. Any old joke that may seem familiar is there just to remind you of the awesomeness of the best comedy of 2004, and then quickly overshadowed by a brand new gag that will have your sides splitting.

     "This just in - the Empire has been defeated, and there are a bunch of annoying teddy bears celebrating"

There are many cast additions that will get the comedy ball rolling, including James Marsden of X-Men fame and the wonderful Meagan Good who is on the end of some wonderfully inoffensive racial jokes that highlight the ignorance of the era. Christina Applegate, despite given very little trailer time, still holds a relatively important role, helping the film out with the intelligence and feisty side. Yet this is still Ferrell's and his Channel 4 news team's gig, all of them relishing the opportunity to bounce oddball lines off one another to improvisational glee; it's fun to think that they probably had more laughs making it even though you're sat in a packed cinema-screen that is full of howling laughter.

It's easy to forget that when the first Anchorman was released in cinemas it wasn't overly welcomed by critics or audiences. But as DVD sales hit and TV deals struck, the cult success soon became a favourite amongst many. Anchorman 2 has had a much quicker start at the box office, and though it may not quite be the best comedy of the year, it's 'generally' positive reviews so far will probably once again reach universal acclaim as the years go by. Such is the joy in re-watching a film that has so many gags that you manage to catch some new ones with each viewing. 

To take Anchorman 2 seriously, just like the first, would be to do it wrong. The humour, as with any film involving Ferrell, is often surreal and for lack of a better word, stupid; throwing offhand quips at you by the minute to make sure that many of them will stick and land some laughs. But as with the first there is still a welcome amount of social and media satire, poking fun at an industry that makes its money from tragedy and destruction. It might not be subtle, but in a world full of comedy's with no message, it's refreshing to be given one - even if it is by someone who plays jazz flute and pays hobos to spoon with him. Ron Burgundy is very much like the North Star - wise men are going to want to follow it.

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