'American Pie 2' - Review

Comedy sequels are tough to make. Most of the time, they are simply the same film re-done with a few tweaks and worst of all, they fail to capture the magic of the first film and they fail to make you laugh. And while not as good as the first film, I can safely say that American Pie 2 is a is a fun time.

Now, I was born in '95 so for me, my mid-university years were 2014-15, a full 13 years after Jim, Oz, Kevin, Finch, and Stifler decide to spend the summer at the lake. But for some reason, I feel very attached to the pop culture of the late 90s and early 2000s (AKA the Y2K era). Maybe it was because I first figured out what pop culture was at that time. When guys had spiked up hairstyles, listened to bands like Sum 41, and played Tony Hawk Pro Skater on PlayStation. Although I was 6, that was me, trying to be like the cool older kids. So immediately, I have a somewhat sentimental attachment to films released at this time period.

So what's the plot for this sequel to one of the biggest teen hits ever? Well, while the main plot is fairly similar, it does feel different enough to be interesting. While characters like Finch, Kevin, and Oz all have their side stories (which never really go anywhere), the main story is still with Jim. This time, his struggle isn't simply trying to find someone to have sex with before prom, it's trying to be better at it before his second chance with the hottest exchange student to ever live, Nadia. Along with that, he gets help from the girl who actually slept with him that night, Michelle, the quirky, kinky, band girl.

Of course, in trying to accomplish those things, horny hijinks ensue. While the first film took our characters through some embarrassing moments, the second film doubles down. While not all of these scenes hit the mark, they do provide some laughs. I mean, talk about cringeworthy disgusting humor. I'm not going to give them away because honestly, some are just so bizarre. I will say this though, the main sexual scene and gag of the movie was so surreal and felt extremely out-of-place, even for a movie like this. You sit there saying, "Okay, now way! Those girls would never willingly do that." But you have to remember what film you're watching. It's a sequel to American Pie.

That being said, although horniness and raunchiness are littered throughout the film, there are a couple moments that are extremely heartwarming and really sweet, one of which includes Jim's dad played by Eugene Levy. He might be the most understanding parent ever. After Jim goes through the most embarrassing moment of his life, even after his webcam incident in the first film, Jim's dad simply says, "I'm proud of you, son." It was a really nice moment. Now, I'll be honest, the ending to this movie almost made me emotional. Weird to say, I know, but in terms of the character of Jim, he gets the happy ending he deserved but didn't get after the first movie. While Oz, Kevin, and Finch's storylines (I don't even consider them arcs because they don't change) are simply played for jokes, Jim is the one who emerges as the hero.

While some of the raunchy set-pieces can go on too long and not all the characters have the same development as they did in the first film, American Pie 2 is a welcome addition to the series. Now, who's down for a party at Shuswap Lake this summer? This movie makes me want to host one!