Nothing Funny About Anchorman 2

The American Spectator ^ | 01/08/14 | James Bowman

[pgkdan]

uring the two very long hours of Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, I think I chuckled three times. Meanwhile, all around me were cracking up. They, obviously, were more in tune with the general audience responsible for (at the time of writing) the $100 million in box office receipts earned by this sequel to the equally dreadful Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004). Not that I’m not used to being in the minority in my view of popular movies, but I can’t help asking myself why so many people think this one, which is by the same creative team of Will Ferrell and Adam McKay that produced the original, is funny when I do not. I don’t think it can be because I lack a sense of humor, or that it has atrophied with age, since I do laugh at quite a lot of things. Scott Foundas, the critic for Variety, likens the new Anchorman to “Network as directed by Mel Brooks, and starring Gene Wilder,” thus comparing it to some movies that I do find funny. Does he, then, think they are funny in the same way as Anchorman 2?

[pgkdan]

Haven't seen this and don't intend to. I saw about half of the first Anchorman movie and found it vulgar, disgusting and profoundly unfunny. My wife and I were in complete agreement when we walked out of the theatre.

Personally I don't find anything funny about Will Ferrell. He tries waaaaaay too hard..and never succeeds.

[Obama_Is_A_Feminist]

Will Ferrell SUCKS. He is the most OVERRATED comedian EVER. He is NOT funny. I think the word ‘banal’ describes him best. He sucks.

[Organic Panic]

I have only laughed at one bit Will Farrel did and that was on SNL Celebrity Jeopardy. However the contestants carried the bit. Other than that I am not a fan.

[Mr. K]

I started to watch it

it got too tedious (even for my low standards)

I did see something hilarious on Showtime last night about some friends having a dinner party when a nuclear of chemical weapons attack takes place and strands them all together in a house...

At first I though it was some chick flick thing then I started listening to the really off-beat dialog and it was FUNNY

I could not catch the name of it- anyone see that?

[rarestia]

His Harry Carey bits were hilarious! Other than that, most of his movies are slapstick and often miss the mark.

[wbill]

IMO, Will Ferrell is hilarious in 1 minute increments. He could make a good living on movie cameos....come in, steal a scene or two, then leave.

That's about it. Jack Black and Adam Sandler have the same affliction. Whoever thought any of these three could routinely carry a movie, is a fool.

[A CA Guy]

Saw it and it was funny all the way through. Long movie that seems to last a short time.

You have to take it in the same vain as watching Mel Brooks. It is over the top and outrageous by design.

It was not supposed to be a sophisticated comedy.

[brivette]

thanks for the warning.

[Gen.Blather]

Back when GWB was president I got satellite radio. I got it because I spent a lot of time in the car and I liked comedy, of which there were three channels. But the three channels were 100% anti-conservative and always called GWB a plethora of bad names. I’d listen to the audience laughing hysterically and not even crack a smile. None of it was funny. Most of it was idiotic. To a liberal you can say, “Fart!” or “George Bush!” Or “Dick Cheney!” and they laugh like maniacs. I cancelled satellite and I’ve never gone back.

[cuban leaf]

I’ve seen enough of Will Farrell that if he’s in it, I know I don’t want to see it.

[DannyTN]

"I think I chuckled three times. Meanwhile, all around me were cracking up."

By the author's own admission, other people are finding it funny.

[packrat35]

Will Ferrell is NOT funny. Thats the short answer.

[GeronL]

society has been dumbed down to the point where most people crack up whenever anyone on screen curses or says “fart”.

[dfwgator]

[Yaelle]

I can’t slog through most of this review. It’s a bit much. But I saw anchorman 1 on TV and didn’t laugh once. I thought it was supposed to be such a funny movie but it just.... Wasn’t.

Will Ferrell definitely tries too hard. He doesn’t seem very intelligent himself.

[pgkdan]

No way does this crap compare favorably to Mel Brooks!

[dfwgator]

I thought the scene with the reporters fighting was funny, especially when the PBS guys showed up.

[fr_freak]

Most of it was idiotic. To a liberal you can say, “Fart!” or “George Bush!” Or “Dick Cheney!” and they laugh like maniacs.

Had the same experience at a comedy club in Portland, OR (I know, but I was visiting friends and they had free tickets). The guy was just spewing out every left-wing cliche there was - I could have written his material from just leftwing talking points, but the audience was laughing their butts off. Meanwhile, the vodka/cran I ordered was so strong that I got very buzzed within 10 minutes, and it STILL wasn't funny. In fact, with the buzz, the act put me in that dark place, had to "go to the bathroom" for about 1/2 an hour. Met a girl also hanging out in the lobby for the same reason that I ended up chatting with - probably the only two conservatives in the building.

[Yaelle]

Oh yeah - his celebrity jeopardy skits were hilarious. But they were written for him, and he was the straight man.

And the biggest jokes in those skits were all based on this out of the blue hostility that Sean Connery has for Alex Trebek. “That’s not what your mother said last night, Trebek.” Rofl.

[BunnySlippers]

I detest Will Ferrell and everything he is in.