Zoolander No. 2 (The Magnum Edition) [Blu-Ray] 
Director: Ben Stiller
Cast: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell
Release Date: Now Available on Blu-Ray & DVD
A Review By: Kevin Lovell
Film Rating: 7/10
Disc Rating: 7.5/10
Synopsis:
When a mystery assassin starts killing off the world’s most beautiful people, haute-shot Interpol agent Valentina Valencia (Cruz) learns the key to this deadly plot lies with Derek (Stiller) and Hansel (Wilson). Recruited for a top secret mission, they must return to the world of high fashion, reclaim their fame, and save the day. The only things standing in their way: the criminal mastermind Mugatu (Ferrell) and his evil fashion protégé (Wiig).
The long awaited sequel to the cult classic comedy, ‘Zoolander 2’ rejoins legendary male model Derek Zoolander (Stiller) who after officially retiring from the world of male modeling following the tragic loss of his wife is dragged out of hiding by his old friend Billy Zane. After reluctantly accepting the journey, Derek soon crosses paths with his old friend Hansel (Wilson), the two having since gone their separate ways as a result of Hansel partially blaming Derek for the catastrophe that not only killed Matilda, but ruined Hansel’s beautiful face and with it his career. With no choice but to work together once again, Derek and Hansel must join forces to help stop a threat far more terrifying than they could have ever imagined, so dastardly and complex that Derek’s arch enemy, the devious Mugatu (Ferrell) must surely be involved.
Ben Stiller reprises his role as director, guiding the sequel this time around from a script he also co-wrote along with Justin Theroux, Nick Stoller and John Hamburg, and Stiller does a solid job at the helm of ‘Zoolander 2’ in addition to falling back into the title role without missing a beat, as do fellow returning cast members such as Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, Justin Theroux and more, each of which are fantastic and spot on in reprising their respective roles. The returning cast naturally joins a number of new individuals this time around including Penélope Cruz, Kristen Wiig, and Benedict Cumberbatch among others, including a plethora of notable cameos, the majority of which all work into the film quite nicely, while a number of them sadly become a tad silly, even by the standards of a film such as this.
‘Zoolander 2’ is a fun and goofy sequel that manages to capture much of the charm and hilarity of the inane world created in the original, even if it’s not nearly as magnificent as its predecessor and does fall short in many aspects. While it may not quite manage to capture that comedic brilliance of the original, the sequel certainly has its moments and delivers some incredibly hilarious gags and references both to the first film and regarding just how significantly the world of fashion and entertainment has changed since the first Zoolander was initially unleashed upon the world a whopping 15 years ago, merely not with the seemingly effortless consistency of its predecessor. Ben Stiller once again takes the helm and does a solid job guiding the film, and the return of many key players from the original who manage to jump back into their respective roles as if not a day has passed contributes notably to the fun that the sequel manages to capture with its reunion of fan favorites. It may not deliver as adequately as the original which remains one of my favorite comedy films of all time, yet fellow fans will nonetheless definitely want to make sure to give ‘Zoolander 2’ a whirl, and I would personally have no issue coughing up the cash for a blind purchase of this one, although many who may be hesitant to do so might prefer to rent the title before purchasing a copy, it’s easily more than worth the cost of a rental for any fellow Zoolander fan.
Overall, ‘Zoolander 2’ doesn’t quite manage to capture the comedic brilliance of its predecessor, although it certainly delivers plenty of laughs and some truly memorable moments, merely not on the level of the original. Ben Stiller does a solid job back at the helm and in the lead role and he along with returning co-stars such as Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell and more each fall back into their roles with effortless grace, boosted by a number of goofy guest stars and cameos providing a few more laughs. Even if it may not be anywhere near the masterpiece that the original was, ‘Zoolander 2’ is a highly enjoyable and hilarious return to this goofy world and its memorable characters that any fan of the first film will certainly want to check out.
VIDEO:
The Blu-ray release of ‘Zoolander 2’ features a full 1080p High Definition presentation utilizing the film’s original 2.40:1 Cinemascope Aspect Ratio. The video presentation looks spectacular, delivering a consistently sharp and detailed presentation with no notable faults to be found within. It holds up admirably even during the fast moving, darkly lit and/or heavily populated sequences, never resulting in anything occurring on screen to become negatively affected or rendered indiscernible. Overall, this is another fantastic high definition video presentation from Paramount that should easily please the masses.
AUDIO:
The Blu-ray release features a DTS: X (DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 channel compatible) soundtrack. Please note that this review pertains solely to the 7.1 channel DTS-HD MA soundtrack. This lossless multichannel soundtrack delivers far more activity than you might initially expect from this type of film, largely due to the focus on goofy action within. It provides a consistently clean and active audio presentation, constantly utilizing all seven available channels in order to send music, goofy action effects, crowd and party activity, along with plenty more throughout the various channels, while never causing any dialogue which may be occurring simultaneously to become distorted or rendered inaudible. Overall, this is a wonderful DTS: X (DTS-HD MA 7.1 channel compatible) soundtrack that certainly contributes an additional layer of fun to the overall viewing experience.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
The Blu-ray release of ‘Zoolander 2’ includes a few Behind the Scenes Featurettes (yet one of the which is more of a dedication) including interviews/comments with members of the cast and crew and more, they include: ‘The Zoolander Legacy’ (running approximately 9 minutes in length), ‘Go Big Or Go Rome’ (running approximately 8 minutes), and ‘Drake Sather: The Man Who Created Zoolander’ (approximately 8 minutes). Also included is an extended version of the goofy faux commercial from within the film for ‘Youth Milk’ (1 minute).
*Please note that the above images are taken from the Blu-Ray and resized. They additionally will suffer quality loss as a result of .jpg compression. Larger versions of each image can be viewed by clicking on the image. All images and content included on this Blu-Ray release are the property of their respective owners.
Film Rating: 7/10
Disc Rating: 7.5/10
‘Zoolander No. 2: The Magnum Edition’ is Now Available to Own on Blu-Ray Combo Pack, DVD & Digital HD from Paramount Home Media Distribution.
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