Spinal Tap II: The End Continues

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Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
Starring Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner
Directed by Rob Reiner

Forty years ago, "This is Spinal Tap" hit the cinemas with barely a whisper, making a little over $5,000,000 worldwide, but since then it's become a cult classic - so much so, some people actually thought Spinal Tap was an actual band and the mockumentary was actually a documentary. No one expected anything else to happen after that first movie, but now - forty years later and in the wake of legacy sequel-itis - we get "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues." While not as endearing as the original (and probably won't be as big of a cult classic), it does what it does so well that only those who remembered and loved the first will see it - and to the film's credit, they know it, and don't fall into the pitfalls of other legacy sequels by trying to set up another long-running franchise. These men are ancient, and they're more than ready to accept it.

Forty years after making his original documentary on the band Spinal Tap, director Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner) decides to make another documentary focusing on the now-aged band as they get together for one final performance. It's easier said than done, as former lead guitarist Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) now runs a cheese and guitar shop, lead singer David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) composes music for true crime podcasts, and lead bass player Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) is the curator for a glue museum and also sells crypto-currency. The three men had a falling out but decide to come together for their special performance, but they need to put aside their differences, find a living drummer, and endure the micromanaging style of promoter Simon Howler (Chris Addison), who wants to turn the band into modern-day celebrities.

The original "This is Spinal Tap" has become a cult classic because it managed to create the mockumentary subgenre and make it believable, so much so that even I thought Spinal Tap was an actual band until I actually saw the movie. It excelled in its comedy and story and earned its place among the cult classic pantheon, so I was worried the sequel would do something to squander that. Fortunately, it didn't, and instead of doing what other legacy sequels have been doing, it served as almost a gag reel of the first, a short (84 minutes) film that reunites the gang for one final show, and doesn't pass the torch to a new, young, hip band to carry their legacy.

British humor is one of my favorites, because it relishes in dry wit and sarcasm that goes over many peoples' heads, but I love it. It's smart and innovative, and often hides behind a facade of reality that you don't find in typical R-rated sexual humor that gets stale within five minutes. While the comedy here was as sharp as ever, it wasn't as funny as I was fully expecting it to be - but that's okay, because it was assured in its own existence to the point where I was still enjoying myself, just not as much as I thought I would.

Reuniting Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer along with Rob Reiner shows the longevity of the movie, and how much it meant to each of them. They're not in their "prime" anymore, but their souls are deeply committed to their roles that they originated forty years ago, and you feel like they've actually been living these last decades as their characters. 

The movie also focuses on how music has changed, especially with the addition of Chris Addison's Simon Howler, who micromanages the group into becoming something that the masses would approve of. He doesn't want them sitting and playing, but actively moving and dancing like Taylor Swift or K-Pop, and it's hilarious to see them try it his way but ultimately staying true to themselves, and with the help of heavyweights Paul McCarthy and Elton John, the show goes on with...well, not without...a few hitches that made me laugh out loud. 

While it shows how much the music industry has changed, "Spinal Tap II" reunites the legends for one final, unforgettable show - and shows us the special behind-the-scenes events that made it happen.

The Score: B-

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