Murder Mystery 2

Murder Mystery 2
Starring Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Mark Strong, Melanie Laurent
Directed by Jeremy Garelick

There are two worlds that coincide with one another, two worlds that share the same space, two worlds that are vastly different. One world consists of a stellar sequel of an equally stellar original that features the world's most intelligent detective who, even if a bit eccentric, manages to get the job done with perfection, and this sequel takes place on an isolated island with a slew of suspects who all wanted to see the same thing happen. The other world consists of a sequel of sorts, of an equally subpar-yet-adequate original that features the world's most unknown, not-so-intelligent detectives who, even if a bit eccentric, somehow manages to get the job done by a lot of bumbling blind luck and some intellectual sleuthing. This is the latter.

Four years after solving a murder mystery in Monte Carlo, married couple Nick (Adam Sandler) and Audrey (Jennifer Aniston) Spitz have given up their careers to pursue their own detective agency with little results. Then Nick's friend the Maharajah (Adeel Akhtar) invites them to India where he's going to get married to Parisian beauty Claudette (Melanie Laurent). Yet before the "I dos" happen, a murder occurs, and the Maharajah is kidnapped. The suspect list consists of Claudette, the Maharajah's sister Saira (Kuhoo Verma), his ex the Countess Sekou (Jodie Turner-Smith), and business partner Francisco (Enrique Arce). While they try to uncover what happened, MI6 hostage negotiator Connor Miller (Mark Strong) arrives and threatens their investigation, leading them in a race against time to find their friend and find the true culprits before they're branded as two-bit detectives.

The Good:
Much like with any murder mystery, there's always an excitement to see where things turn out, and to become your own amateur sleuth in uncovering the clues that litter the screen. "MM2" is no different, as there's an enjoyment in there where you get to play detective yourself, and in a sense it pulls you into the film unlike other genre films of the like.

Unlike most films nowadays that have to have at least a two-hour runtime no matter what it is, "MM2" is gracious in that it's only 90 minutes long, which is good because if it was longer, its many, many flaws would've become more apparent and make it almost unwatchable.

This is the third film featuring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, and you can tell that these two have been friends for many, many years, and they work expertly off one another. Many films live or die by the chemistry between the cast, and sometimes you can tell when actors don't particularly like each other in real life, and it shows on the big screen. Sandler and Aniston, however, have a natural rapport with one another and, again, despite the film's many, many flaws, their performances make it an enjoyable - if forgettable - 90 minutes.

There's some decent humor littered throughout the film, involving some classic slapstick moments that speak to classics like "The Pink Panther."

The Bad:
The plot is a tired trope of detective films from a bygone era, ones that have pretty much expired thanks to the re-invention of the subgenre thanks to Rian Johnson and his "Knives Out" franchise. While those are nuanced, sophisticated, intelligent, and full of hidden clues that demand a re-watch, "MM2" doesn't have any of those things: it's not nuanced, as they almost practically hit us over the head with each repetitive scene; it's not sophisticated because it relies on the tired humor of the past; it's not full of hidden clues as they're placed in front of our faces, leaving us little room to go "I can't believe it was [insert name here]" in gasped surprise.

Since there's films like "Knives Out," audiences are more acute to these types of films, and while those films are filet mignons, "MM2" is a Big Mac, and a cold one at that. It's nowhere near as suspenseful or exciting as it should be, and even though it's 90 minutes, it feels twice as long.

The Verdict:
While the first "Murder Mystery" was a somewhat enjoyable experience, "MM2" falters in the sequel category, offering more of the same as the original but losing some of the magic that made it a surprise hit - but still a decent way to kill off 90 minutes if you have the free time.

The Score: C