Anchorman II Review: Fans of the Original Can Rejoice

The Anchorman crew re-unites for Anchorman II.

Fans of the original Anchorman can rejoice.

The long-awaited sequel has finally been released, and it’s no disappointment. “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” is easily described as ridiculous, but a more in-depth look at the movie reveals that it makes the original seem like a searing drama.

This version is also jam-packed with almost everything someone could expect from a Will Ferrell movie: Love, adversity, friendship, laughs, and most importantly, a moral core that ties the whole thing together.

If the original Anchorman was over the top, then this movie has flowed over its 32-ounce soft drink Big Gulp into a gigantic mess. Capitalizing on many famous scenes from its predecessor, small is not a word Anchorman 2 has in its vocabulary.

The plot centers around the ostentatious news anchor Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), and his news team, starting a new job at the world’s very first 24-hour news channel. And since it’s set within the 80’s timeframe, brace yourself for a trek back into that disco-flavored, hyper-consumer focused era. The movie is a journey back into a culture that is entirely different than the one young kids enjoy today, featuring lots of leather, lots of bunny-eared TV’s, and even some cheesy-as-heck bright colored suits.

Anchorman 2 features more cameos than you can count on two hands, making it a star-studded film, featuring actors such as: Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, Amy Poehler, Kanye West, Sacha Baron Cohen, Will Smith and several more. Along with stars the film also features a mythical Minotaur and the ghost of General Stonewall Jackson.

Anchorman 2 has a running time of 119 minutes, but it is over before you know it. Full of laughter, inspiration, and tears, this sequel outperforms its predecessor, which is no small task. Not only did it just out laugh the original, it does it with only a PG-13 rating.

If this movie does anything, it’ll make you smile. That’s why I give it two thumbs up.

Review by Drake Taylor, Oxford High Newspaper staff member and devoted Will Ferrell fan.