Spinal Tap II: The End Continues: An Interesting Attempt at a Sequel That Doesn't Quite Satisfy (Blu-ray)

The Film:

Back in 1984, Rob Reiner's classic mockumentary "This is Spinal Tap" was released into theaters to great acclaim. The film, which follows the fictional band on their disastrous American tour for their new album, was declared by many to be one of the best films of its year, and has since gone on to be called one of the very best films of its kind, in addition to being inducted into the National Film Registry back in 2002.

It's one of those films that you can't imagine ever needing a sequel, but now, over 40 years later, that's exactly what Reiner is giving us, reuniting with his co-writers (Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer, who also play the band) to bring us "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues," which attempts to fill us in on what's happened to the band since we last saw them way back in the '80s. Will it be able to find the same success that the original classic did, or is this simply another case of waiting a little too long to deliver a follow-up to a popular film?

As before, the film is presented as a mockumentary that has director Martin DiBergi (Rob Reiner) tracking down band members Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), now a cheese & guitar shop owner, David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), who now makes music for true crime podcasts, and Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer), who now runs a glue museum, to see what they've been up to. He also visits Hope Faith (Kerry Godliman), daughter of Spinal Tap's original manager, who left her their contract that requires the band to play one more show. There's been a bit of tension between the members since they broke up 15 years earlier, but they agree to play the one final gig. We follow along as the guys try to set aside their differences to prepare for the show, but as we soon see, it's easier said than done.

When it came to the original "This is Spinal Tap," it was simply a very charming & amusing film, one that may have felt like it was a little strung together, but which contained several absolutely classic, hysterical scenes that stay with the viewer long after. Who could possibly forget the band getting lost on the way to the stage, the size mishap with Stonehenge, or the amps that go to 11? It's a film that parodied its subject so well that it even fooled many people into thinking that Spinal Tap was a real band, which is itself a testament to its effectiveness.

As mentioned, it was the kind of film that never really felt like it needed a sequel, though the idea of catching up with the members of the band decades later does have a certain amount of potential. With "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues," director Rob Reiner and his co-writers do their best to tap into it, though with varying success this time around. At the end of its equally-brief 84-minute run, there aren't any scenes in particular that stand out as being all that funny, at least not in comparison with its classic predecessor. We do get remarkable cameos from legends Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John, both of whom go along with the gags quite well, but their scenes are the only ones that really stand out as being memorable.

That said, it's hardly a bad attempt at a sequel, as it does contain a fair share of mildly-amusing moments, but for every one of those, it feels like there's a scene or two that just don't really add much or get anywhere, as though Reiner & co. were having trouble expanding this entry to feature length. Again, it was an intriguing idea that had potential, but the original classic is such a special product of its time, one that was never going to be easily replicated, so perhaps they did indeed just wait a little too long to try and pull this off, though there's no telling if it would've worked any better in the late '80's or in the '90s. What we end up with is a bold shot at a follow-up that just doesn't quite get where it needs to be in order to make for a satisfying sequel, leaving us with an intriguing attempt, but ultimately one that's a little disappointing.

Video/Audio:

"Spinal Tap II: The End Continues" comes to Blu-ray in a 1.85:1, 1080p High Definition transfer of outstanding quality, presenting a perfectly sharp & clear picture throughout its entire 84-minute duration. Likewise, the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track is marvelous, giving you all of the dialogue and, of course, the music in excellent quality. Overall, Bleecker Street has done a wonderful job in both areas for the film's physical debut.

Special Features:

None.

Conclusion:

Rob Reiner's "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues" is an intriguing attempt to follow-up on the incredible groundbreaking classic "This is Spinal Tap," but which falls a little short of getting where it needs to be to make for a satisfying sequel. It's hardly a bad attempt, featuring a few amusing moments of its own and a pair of stunning cameos from Sir Paul McCartney & Sir Elton John, but it comes across as though Reiner & co. struggled a little to fill even its brief 84-minute runtime, ultimately leaving us with a somewhat disappointing result.

Score: 3/5

Now available on Blu-ray.

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