 "Horrible Bosses 2")
The first part of Horrible Bosses, while smutty, had a dazzling star cast and a well-scripted story and was a refreshing change from the predictable comedy flick. A storyline that saw a group of irate friends plotting to kill their awful bosses was rather unconventional, and was nothing like any comedy we had watched earlier. Well, the sequel to the 2011 surprise hit is nowhere close. Ever since Hangover 2 came out, the fate of comedy sequels has been largely dispiriting. That curse seems to have struck again, and Horrible Bosses 2 is its latest victim.
In Horrible Bosses 2, the dimwit trio of Nick (Jason Bateman), Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) and Dale (Charlie Day) is back. After freeing themselves from the ignominy of working for their terrible bosses, they start their own business venture and come up with an intricate new product called the "Shower Buddy". After persuading Boulder Stream, a retail chain owned by an ingenious businessman called Bert Hanson (Christoph Waltz), to place a huge order with them, they think they have their life mapped out. But they're in for a rude shock as Hanson cancels the order at the last minute, leaving them staring at potential bankruptcy. To get back at Hanson, they decide to kidnap his son, Rex (Chris Pine). After the supposed kidnapping plot goes dreadfully wrong, Rex comes to their rescue, deciding to kidnap "himself" as he is desperate to get his hands on the massive family fortune.
While the first part was well written and made the audience laugh, the sequel is nothing more than a mindless, crass comedy. Nick, Kurt and Dale try to draw up plans like master criminals, but their execution fails them miserably. The movie has its share of funny moments, but the gags are largely a miss. The jokes are often too vulgar and repetitive. Jennifer Aniston's portrayal of a sex-mad dentist is jarring, and the crotch-talk gets insufferable after a while. Aniston came out of the first part well, and but her raunchy ways in the second may prove repellant to many.
Pine single-handedly carries the movie in the middle, fitting into his rich spoilt brat role perfectly. He pulls off the plan to get himself kidnapped (nothing new there) surprisingly well. Waltz, though, is a major disappointment. With an exceptional actor like him on board, director Sean Anders could have done a lot more with his character, but in the end he is nothing more than a heartless, money-loving businessman. If you thought that Waltz's portrayal of Russian mobster Benjamin Chudnofsky or "Bloodnofsky" in the 2011 dud, The Green Hornet, was a disaster, wait till you watch Horrible Bosses 2. Quentin Tarantino would have sleepless nights if he watches Waltz in this one.
Kevin Spacey and Jamie Foxx both make cameo appearances. While Spacey's dark portrayal of a domineering boss was a clear standout in the first part, a bigger role in this one would have probably gone a long way in saving the movie. Foxx acts as a shady accomplice to the trio of Nick, Kurt and Dale, playing the role of Dean "MF" Jones. He is visited by the trio in a shoddy bar a couple of times for "expert" criminal advice, but his bravado is neither intimidating nor amusing. Colin Farrell, who played a key role in the first part - not with much aplomb though -, must be glad he decided to give this one a miss.
All-in-all, Horrible Bosses 2 is watchable, but only barely. Sequels to comedy hits have always been difficult to handle, with the challenge of rehashing the same plot in a different manner proving a bridge too far for most directors. Horrible Bosses 2 is not, by any stretch of imagination, a classic. In fact, it is one of those comedies that you would want to forget by the time you got home from the theatre.
