AMERICAN PIE 2
SYNOPSIS:
The sequel reunites the characters after their first year in college. Nadia (Shannon
Elizabeth) is coming to visit Jim (Jason Biggs), who feels that he still isn't ready for
Nadia sexually. Meanwhile, Kev (Thomas Ian Nicholas) and Vicky (Tara Reid) find themselves
in an awkward situation after having broken up for a year. Stiffler (Seann William Scott)
and Jessica (Natasha Lyonne) are in party mood and Oz (Chris Klein) has to manage his
affair long distance when Heather (Mena Suvari) heads to Paris to study. Finch (Eddie Kaye
Thomas) is studying the Japanese art of Tantra . . .
This feeble soft porn passing as teenage sex comedy is so bereft of redeeming features it
feels as though its a three hour movie. To make matters worse, Shannon Elizabeth
sports an atrocious accent somewhere between Latvia and Latin America. But the real
problem is the script and the direction. Repetitive sex jokes well, one sex joke,
really, and lots of gross antics get boring and shallow. Sadly, several people in
our screening giggled (the young women) or guffawed (the young men). This is a sad
indictment of a generation. Penis jokes ( I use the word loosely) abound, as if they were
the holy grail of comedy. Peeing on someone is funny. Trombones in bum is funny. Perving
on anyone with bare flesh, especially en masse, is funny. Sexual ignorance &
ineptitude is funny. Parents who condone teenage sex are funny. Sex in any shape, form or
even if mentioned is funny. Stereotypes with no personality are funny. Bad acting
is funny. Bad writing is funny. Not.
Andrew L. Urban
If you enjoyed the first film, chances are you'll warm to revising the group. They may
have had a year in college, but nothing much has changed: they are still like overgrown
puppies, hungry to experiment. Many of the gags are revisited, which is the biggest
disappointment. Stifler's mother, Jim's dad, the flute girl, and instead of being exposed
on the internet, this time it's lesbians on CB radio. It's a shame to place so much
importance on these repeat gags, as they lack the spark or originality and freshness of
the original. But American Pie 2 does have charm, especially in its strong ensemble cast.
Jason Biggs takes centre stage as bumbling Jim, who gets stuck in a pretty sticky
situation involving supaglue and a porn video. It's pretty silly and rather overdone, but
Eugene Levy's delicious performance as Jim's Dad doesn't disappoint. The girls take a back
seat, and what was funny first time around the luscious exchange student Nadia, and
the funny intonation from the band geek flute girl fall flat. The soundtrack will
make your toes tap with 15 upbeat tracks, and although it may not be the film that the
original was, it is sunny, funny and entertaining.
Louise Keller
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CRITICAL COUNT
Favourable: 0
Unfavourable: 1
Mixed: 1
TRAILER


AMERICAN PIE 2 (MA)
(US)
CAST: Jason Biggs, Shannon Elizabeth, Alyson Hannigan, Chris Klein, Natasha Lyonne,
Eugene Levy, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Tara Reid, Seann William Scott, Mena Suvari
DIRECTOR: James B. Rogers
PRODUCER: Chris Moore, Craig Perry, Warren Zide
SCRIPT: Adam Herz (characters and script), David H. Steinberg (script)
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Mark Irwin
EDITOR: Larry Madaras
MUSIC: David Nessim Lawrence
PRODUCTION DESIGN: Richard Toyon
RUNNING TIME: 104 minutes
AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR: UIP
AUSTRALIAN RELEASE: December 6, 2001
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