 20th Century Fox // Buy from Amazon.comVAN WILDER II: THE RISE OF TAJ is the sequel to the successful 2002 release, National Lampoon's Van Wilder. Taj (Kal Penn) from the first film, heads to England's prestigious Oxford University to further his studies while in the process, showing the uptight student body how to party. Hmm... While I would not say I was a fan of the first "Van Wilder" film, I was amused by it, and definitely rank it as the best post-80s National Lampoon's entry. I think they were really reaching for straws, though, to take a midling character from that first film (played by the very talented Kal Penn, he of "Harold & Kumar" and, most recently, "24") and have him try to recreate the magic of the first film. This sequel does have its amusing moments, but the most it could get out of me were a few toothy grins, as well as a few winces - not once did I laugh out loud. I'm not sure if that's any kind of scientific measurement of the comedic quotient of a film, but I think it's rather telling -- I really did hope to enjoy this film, but just found it to be an amusing, goofy time killer. I can definitely think of worse ways to spend an hour and a half, but this one is slim pickings... Video Given the 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, the picture quality of this DVD is top-notch, with no flaws or scratches to detract from the Shakespearean tale. Audio Dolby 5.1 surround mix delivers all of the sonic goodness in fine form. Extras Closing Thoughts Mildly amusing sequel to a decently funny National Lampoon entry + some decent extras = good rental for a weekend's enjoyment Labels: review |
