Today’s Prayer Focus
Copyright, Paramount Pictures

Zoolander 2

also known as “2oolander,” “Zulender 2”
MPA Rating: PG-13-Rating (MPA) for crude and sexual content, a scene of exaggerated violence, and brief strong lanaguage.
Moral Rating: not reviewed
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Adults Teens
Genre: Comedy Sequel
Length: 1 hr. 42 min.
Year of Release: 2016
USA Release: February 12, 2016 (wide—3,394 theaters)
DVD: May 24, 2016
Copyright, Paramount Picturesclick photos to ENLARGE Copyright, Paramount Pictures Copyright, Paramount Pictures Copyright, Paramount Pictures Copyright, Paramount Pictures Copyright, Paramount Pictures Copyright, Paramount Pictures Copyright, Paramount Pictures Copyright, Paramount Pictures Copyright, Paramount Pictures
Relevant Issues

vanity

vulgarity / crudity

Featuring Ben StillerDerek Zoolander
Owen WilsonHansel
Olivia Munn
Benedict CumberbatchAll
Kristen WiigAlexanya Atoz
Penélope Cruz (Penelope Cruz) … Valentina
Will FerrellMugatu
Christine Taylor … Matilda Jeffries
Macaulay Culkin … Macaulay Culkin
Billy Zane
Ariana Grande
Justin Bieber … Justin Bieber
Demi Lovato … Demi Lovato
Kim Kardashian West
See all »
Director Ben Stiller — “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” (2013)
Producer Red Hour Films
Scott Rudin Productions
Distributor Distributor: Paramount Pictures Corporation. Trademark logo.Paramount Pictures
Copyrighted, Paramount Pictures

Here’s what the distributor says about their film: “Blue Steel. Le Tigre. Magnum… looks powerful enough to halt a Chinese throwing star mid-air and thwart the plans of an evil mastermind’s global takeover. There is only one male model and one male model alone who is capable of conjuring such beauty and power with a pout… Derek Zoolander.

When we last saw male models Derek (Ben Stiller) and Hansel (Owen Wilson), they were enjoying the wonders of the “Derek Zoolander Center for Kids Who Can’t Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too,” and Mugatu (Will Ferrell) was behind bars. An unforeseen catastrophe strikes the Center and forces the duo into seclusion, living off the grid. Fifteen age-defying years later we find a still shamed Derek and Hansel leading isolated, separate lives, shut-out from the rest of the world.

When each receives a special invitation to star in a major world fashion event in the ancient and mysterious city of Rome, they are unable to deny the allure of returning to their former glory and make their way back to civilization. Upon arrival, Derek and Hansel meet the bizarre and eccentric designers that are behind the new fashion empire. The two rapidly realize the fashion world they once knew has drastically changed, thrusting them awkwardly and literally back into the spotlight.

While they struggle to find relevance in this strange new world of blogging, vlogging, and anti-fashion fashion, they are recruited to help stop a calculated and deadly plot that if not stopped, would destroy forever the hopes for fashion to return to its revered and glorious status. Only Derek and Hansel have the power to SAVE FASHION.”

Prequel: “Zoolander” (2001)

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Movie Critics
…Sequel is really, really, ridiculously disappointing… [1½/4]
Barry Hertz, The Globe and Mail
…the imbecilic charms of a character that began as TV sketch material are too often misplaced in this wildly over-plotted, under-energized action comedy… paradoxically, the sequel gets far less mileage than its predecessor out of the real-world absurdities of a target industry that takes itself so very seriously. …
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter
…mostly the flick is silly, salacious fluff—a bit of unseemly drivel determined to use its gags to make us gag. …a great illustration of how the culture has changed—and degraded—in terms of its sexual attitudes. …
Paul Asay, Plugged In
…slightly disappointing but still reasonably funny comeback… Like a famous band playing live, Derek et al are required to do their greatest hits, not their new stuff—and they don’t really have much in the way of new stuff. …
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian (UK)
…flabby pacing that leaves scene after mirthless scene stranded. …this needless sequel amps the silliness to DEFCON-4 levels of frantic surrealism and overstuffs the running time with famous faces. It’s a pop quiz instead of a movie, and it’ll be dated by tomorrow morning. …[1½]
Ty Burr, The Boston Globe
…almost every gag feels forced and desperate… Even Kohl’s discount rack isn’t as much of a fashion disaster as ‘Zoolander 2’… One lethargic half-formed almost-funny idea after another… [1/4]
Kyle Smith, New York Post
…“Zoolander 2” runs a stale joke into the ground… The paper-thin plot feels rushed and harried, because it stops every two minutes to make room for random notable names to mug for the camera. … [1½/4]
Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service
…Zoolander 2 is an outdated fashion comedy that refuses to leave the catwalk… [2/4]
Peter Howell, Toronto Star Newspapers
…a dud glitter-bomb of a sequel, eventually leaves you in a state of suspended animation, with eyes glazed over and brain in sleep mode. …
Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal
…In the world of sequels no one was crying out for, it’s easily in 55th place… [2½/4]
Chris Knight, National Post
…overproduced, chaotic, not very funny comic circus… bumps along on a stream of mostly unfunny jokes and awkward celebrity sightings…
Stephen Holden, The New York Times
…feels sad and desperate, like a comic who doesn’t know when to get off stage. …
Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly
Comments from non-viewers
Negative—This movie, and the movie it is a sequel to, has a lot of sexual immorality that the world considers to be permissible. That should be reason enough to not go see it.
Alex Johnson, age 24 (USA)

PLEASE share your observations and insights to be posted here.