Zoolander (2016)

Zoolander 2 (2016)

Directed by Ben Stiller

Written by Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux, Nicholas Stoller, & John Hamburg

Any movie that starts off with the hunting down of an infamous pop star like Justin Bieber is a pretty good movie in my book. In the new film Zoolander 2, we are once again reintroduced into the world of one of the biggest male models to ever live Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller). This time around though he is not the man he once was and the modeling world has evolved into one where hipsters, bearded men, and androgynous looking people take center stage on the catwalk.

The original Zoolander premiered shortly after September 11, 2001 and it was not an instantaneous hit. It has now become a cult classic due to being a DVD everyone has had in their collection or pulls up on Netflix for nostalgia sake and one that spun off a million catchphrases through the years. What everyone loved about the first film, got rehashed and put in the sequel, but for me it worked. Critics have already begun bashing the film, but I don’t think we should sit here and review this movie on such a critical and high level of aestheticism like we would an Oscar worthy film (come on guys this is not Gone with the Wind). This is simply put a fun movie to watch, a complete two hours of escapist nonsense to sit back, laugh with, and enjoy.

International male models Derek Zoolander and Hansel McDonald (Owen Wilson) come out of hiding, both were in various parts of the world, I mean Malibu and New Jersey, and are lured back into the fashion world via an invitation from Alexanya Atoz (Kristen Wiig) to appear in her upcoming show in Rome, Italy.

Derek has been very distraught; he lost custody of his son with Matilda (Christine Taylor) because he failed to be a good parent. He didn’t even know how to make turn raw spaghetti into a real pasta dish, thus failing to be able to feed his child.

The story this time around revolves around not only the fashion world, but a string of assassinations on the most “beautiful” people in the world, ones like Usher, Demi Lovato, and Lenny Kravitz, who when killed post the infamous “Blue Steel” pose to their social media as a last ditch effort to send a message. Interpol’s fashion division intervenes led by Valentina Valencia (Penélope Cruz) who believes that finding the killer involves unlocking the secret message to the “Blue Steel” pose. She convinces Derek, the man who made the pose famous, and Hansel to help her out.  They abide when she promises to find Derek’s son.

Valentina finds Derek’s son in about one minute, she just hops on Facebook and there he is and it turns out he is in Italy too. Derek Jr. (Cyrus Arnold) to his father’s dismay is chubby and a bit fat, which could be considered the “F” word in the modeling world. They soon realize that Jacobim Mugatu (Will Ferrell) is somehow behind the attacks and together they all must figure out a way to stop the mad man.

I literally laughed from beginning to end with this film. I don’t care what the critics say, I loved it. I grew up watching the originals in college and it was always a go-to for me when I wanted to relax. The sequel is just as funny as the originals and is complete with idiotic and dumb nonsensical jokes. I mean they really pushed the envelope here and did some outlandish stuff, but it worked, when you take a film that is so out there like this, it is okay to fill it with silliness.

The cameos were abundant, everyone from Kyle Mooney of SNL who played Don Atari the hipster fashion designer, to Sting who played himself and Fred Armisen as a miniature (literally he had a mini-size head and body) VIP host. There was also every fashion designer and celebrity you could think of from Vogue’s fashion editor Anna Wintour, to Alexander Wang, Marc Jacobs and the surprisingly funny Tommy Hilfiger. My absolute favorite was Benedict Cumberbatch who played the androgynous model named All, complete with no eyebrows and long black hair. The film makes great use of and utilized the cameos for all they were worth.

Stiller and Wilson are always great together and do a good job of playing off one another. I love when Stiller goes back to his comedy roots because he is seriously a comedic gem that sometimes goes unmentioned. I also thought Cruz did really well and does just as well in a comedic role as she does in her more serious ones.

As I mentioned before the film is funny and lends itself for a fun night out at the movies because after all isn’t that why we go in the first place? If you enjoyed the first one, then I think you will get a kick out of it. Overall a funny flick and if you go see this, remember that you will never be as ridiculously good looking, like really, really good looking as Derek Zoolander.

Had to add this pic because it’s too funny.

}}Melissa

Also posted on Pink Egg Media