I’m not sure who was ever asking for a Super Troopers 2 when we still haven’t gotten a Potfest. We were promised a Potfest!
In all fairness, it does make sense that this would be the film for Broken Lizard to revisit since it was the film that put the comedy troupe on the map, and gained them a cult status that has managed to stick with them even to this day, almost a decade after their last collaboration (not counting 2012’s Freeloaders). I suppose there’s no harm in seeing old characters you enjoyed for one last time. And to that end, there’s some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the film might be just enough to satisfy the hardcore fans that have wanted to experience one last adventure with these characters. The bad news is that if you’re looking for anything meaningful or refreshing with this new movie then you should be prepared for disappointment.
Granted, Super Troopers 2 isn’t a terrible movie, but it’s not the kind belated sequel that is only being made because the filmmakers had some really good ideas that they thought was worth exploring. If you want a few laughs the movie does have them, some gags certainly work more than others, but I found myself giggling at a number of the antics that Thorny (Jay Chandrasekhar), Jeff (Paul Soter), Mac (Steve Lemme), Rabbit (Erik Stolhanske), Rod (Kevin Heffernan), and John (Brian Cox) threw themselves into, especially whenever it involves Will Sasso, Tyler Labine, and Hayes MacArthur, who play three bizarre Canadian mounties, or the town mayor played by Rob Lowe. Even the basic premise of the troopers having to set up shop in a Canadian town due to a border dispute is ripe for comedy. The problems mostly stem out of the film being far more plot heavy, as well as putting the characters in a position this time around that seems makes their decisions much more petty and cruel rather than the last film’s leisurely shenanigans. It reminded me a lot of Dumb and Dumber To, which is another decades late comedy sequel where the characters feel like mean spirited caricatures of the original. And also like Dumb and Dumber To, I managed to find some joy in it, if only because I did end up laughing at a number of the jokes, which worked only through the sheer force of will that comes with the kind of talent involved.
Super Troopers 2 does have a few moments where it almost justifies its existence when it tries to play around with the sociopolitical differences between Canada and America with stuff like healthcare, gun control, etc., but the film doesn’t ultimately do anything with it, and instead falls back on the same Canada jokes you’ve heard in every lazy comedy, along with the obnoxious American exceptionalist attitude that I can’t tell if it’s meant to be ironic or not.
If you’re the kind of person who has been praying for a Super Troopers 2 since 2001, you will probably be alright with this, but only because it does the absolute bare minimum. Nothing about the film ever fully captures what made the original particularly remarkable, memorable, and charming. There’s nothing really to differentiate this from any other forgettable, disposable bro comedy, and for that alone, I would consider this to be Broken Lizard’s weakest film so far. I mean, I can appreciate an 80s style slobs versus snobs throwback as much as the next guy, but for over ten years of developmental hell, this was not worth the wait.
But seriously, come on, they went out of their way to release this on 4/20, but no Potfest? That makes no sense to me. But hey, they got until 2029 for the next 4/20 to fall on a Friday. Chop-chop!