Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (2015) Directed by Steve Pink. Starring: Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke. IMDB says: “When Lou finds himself in trouble, Nick and Jacob fire up the hot tub time machine in an attempt to get back to the past. But they inadvertently land in the future with Adam Jr. Now they have to alter the future in order to save the past – which is really the present.”
Hot Tub Time Machine 2 is the new sequel to the 2010 cult favorite, Hot Tub Time Machine. The new one follows in the footsteps of the old as a science fiction comedy film with elements of an adventure mixed in. The foursome cast is made up of Rob Corddry, Criag Robinson, Clark Duke, and Adam Scott with help from a few others including Chevy Chase. The biggest departure from the original is the lack of Jon Cusack, who was first billed in the original film. In his place, the sequel picks up Adam Scott who fills his role perfectly. This brings me to why Hot Tub Time Machine 2 was really enjoyable.
It’s funny all the time. The first film was absolutely a comedy and it was absolutely funny but it was a mix between funny and serious, with Cusack paying the straight man. The plot of the first is innocent enough, 4 guys are down on their luck and they go back in time to relive their glory days and Cusack is looking for love. The plot of this film takes it up a notch. Set in present day, which is the future, the threesome has used their knowledge in the past to become wealthy and successful but after one is shot in his wedding vegetables, they must act fast to travel back in time and stop it. And this is where their journey to the future and past begins.
I felt the acting was really solid. Every single character lived up to what I expected from them, with the exception of Scott who I didn’t know what to expect from. Everyone is funny in their own way and they all work really well together. That being said, the dialogue almost felt sharper than the first film, there were a lot of zippy one lines and witty banter. As in the first, the humor is not appreciated by everyone, some may call it irreverent, childish, or just rude. For me, I enjoyed it, the dialogue pushes the line at times, but given this film’s “R” rating, that’s what it should do. This would be a decidedly different, and hugely lesser film if they had gone for a PG-13 rating.
The actual storyline can be a hair tough to follow at times as the cast delves into the intricacies of time travel, but it’s easy enough to pick up, especially if you don’t think too hard about it. There are a couple of funny references to other films, pop culture, and the first film. I’m sure I didn’t catch all of them, and because of that I have a built in reason to rewatch this film. I also want to be able to quote lines of this film on demand and I’m not yet able to do that. As far as sequels go, this is better than Anchorman 2, it doesn’t rest on its laurels and it doesn’t back down from where it started, it just adds fuel to the flames.
All in all, this is a well put together film. While not something that’s going to win an Oscar or probably even get a ton of critical praise, this is a fun film, which is what it was designed to be. This film probably has more laughs per minute than anything else I’ve seen this year (hey, it is only February). While probably not something you need to see in theaters, you will want to see this, with like-minded friends, if possible.
