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Super Troopers 2 review: Fans get what they paid for in this crowdfunded surprise
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Yep. There's a sequel to Super Troopers, this time they're taking on the RCMP.
A spoiler-free take on how Broken Lizard got just enough right in this comedy sequel.
Up until this point, 2014's Veronica Mars film arguably held this tiny niche's top spot after its own $5.7 million Kickstarter campaign, but that film leaned too hard into making sure its source series' original cast was well represented. You could argue that ST2 nearly makes the same mistake, as Broken Lizard's primary cast falters a bit with its comedic timing and punchiness as the movie careens along. (You may barely notice, however, based solely on how the opening scene, filled with real-life, Wile E. Coyote-caliber visual gags, plays out.)
ST2's conceit makes up for this by giving room to an entirely new cast of doofuses. The first film's painfully unqualified state troopers return after a vaguely referenced fall from grace. They get a new shot at redemption: the American border is about to be redrawn to incorporate a Canadian border town into Vermont, and authorities are desperate for cops to assist with the transition. Thus, Vermont's finest must face off against weird, oafish Canadians, complete with comedically terrible fake accents, overwrought Mountie outfits, and comedy-rich cultural rivalries.
Beyond that broadening of source material, the sequel also does well to let iconic moron Farva (Kevin Heffernan) take a lead comedic position this time around. It's an interesting balance: that the script and film direction respect the character much more, while making sure his police peers do not respect him in the slightest. The troopers' nearly sociopathic slapstick is the series' hallmark, after all, and this sequel doubles down on that quality (and reminds us that classics like Police Academy and Reno 911 did leave some stones unturned).
Going into further detail about ST2's impact and successes would give away the best moments and hearty-laugh build-ups. I went into a preview screening oblivious about which new and returning actors would appear, for example, and was happier for the surprise. (Two spoiler-free words for those who see the movie and come back to the comments section: "punching bag." I'm still laughing about it.) The same goes for criticizing the gags and concepts that drag on a bit too long, particularly one that eventually weighs down Thorny (Jay Chandrasekhar), both figuratively and literally.
Up until this point, 2014's Veronica Mars film arguably held this tiny niche's top spot after its own $5.7 million Kickstarter campaign, but that film leaned too hard into making sure its source series' original cast was well represented. You could argue that ST2 nearly makes the same mistake, as Broken Lizard's primary cast falters a bit with its comedic timing and punchiness as the movie careens along. (You may barely notice, however, based solely on how the opening scene, filled with real-life, Wile E. Coyote-caliber visual gags, plays out.)
ST2's conceit makes up for this by giving room to an entirely new cast of doofuses. The first film's painfully unqualified state troopers return after a vaguely referenced fall from grace. They get a new shot at redemption: the American border is about to be redrawn to incorporate a Canadian border town into Vermont, and authorities are desperate for cops to assist with the transition. Thus, Vermont's finest must face off against weird, oafish Canadians, complete with comedically terrible fake accents, overwrought Mountie outfits, and comedy-rich cultural rivalries.
Beyond that broadening of source material, the sequel also does well to let iconic moron Farva (Kevin Heffernan) take a lead comedic position this time around. It's an interesting balance: that the script and film direction respect the character much more, while making sure his police peers do not respect him in the slightest. The troopers' nearly sociopathic slapstick is the series' hallmark, after all, and this sequel doubles down on that quality (and reminds us that classics like Police Academy and Reno 911 did leave some stones unturned).
Going into further detail about ST2's impact and successes would give away the best moments and hearty-laugh build-ups. I went into a preview screening oblivious about which new and returning actors would appear, for example, and was happier for the surprise. (Two spoiler-free words for those who see the movie and come back to the comments section: "punching bag." I'm still laughing about it.) The same goes for criticizing the gags and concepts that drag on a bit too long, particularly one that eventually weighs down Thorny (Jay Chandrasekhar), both figuratively and literally.
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