Spinal Tap II: The End Continues is the sequel to the cult classic 1984 Spinal Tap. I must confess that I don't have quite the emotional connection with that film as most people did. In fact I didn’t see it until just a couple of years ago. This sequel follows the band mates after they reunite following a 15 year absence. They are coming back due to a contractual obligation and are playing their gig in Louisiana because Stormy Daniels had to pull out. The mockumentary follows them 10 days or so before the concert.
The film doesn't quite have the underground vibe that the first one had yet the mockumentary is more concerned with the trio and how they deal with coming back together and building up to the concert. The mockumentary is on for 90 minutes long and I think that the time flies. It could probably have done with it being 10-15 minutes longer. It would have been nice to have a nice send off because lets be honest Guest is 77, McKean is 77 and Shearer is 81 so the odds of us getting another outing from these three is slim to non-existent.
Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer are all very funny for the entirety of the film. There is friction between Tufnel and St. Hubbins and Smalls manages to stay out of the drama although the drama centres around the fact that St. Hubbins believes that Tufnel slept with his wife when at the end of the films it is revealed that Smalls is the one who slept with St. Hubbins’ wife. The dynamic between the three of them is one of things that I enjoyed about the film. Rob Reiner does well doing double duty of directing the film and as Marty DiBergi who is like the fourth member of Spinal Tap. He is the viewer's voice as asks the questions that we are all asking and has fun doing it.
The film has quite a few cameos and most of them literally phone it in or at least video it in. The two big cameos are Paul McCartney who seems to annoy St. Hubbins even though the other two welcome the criticism of the former Beatle but the biggest cameo comes from Sir Elton John who at first waddles into the scene but does get to do some singing and ends up getting squashed by the giant Stonehenge.
Tony Hendra died in 2021 so Kerri Godliman steps in as his daughter and is quite good with what is a fairly small role. I think those outside the UK will not be familiar with her but they might be more familiar with Chris Addison who seems to be channeling his inner Simon Cowell as Simon Howler and is technically the film’s bad guy and he does what he does very well although his character just walks away with something about meeting his birth mother and I thought there might be some comment at the end when we get loads of funny moments but no….nothing. Seemed a bit odd to me.
The film ends with the concert and it must have been fun to be a part of. I think if you go in expecting it to be on the same level as the first one then you will be disappointed but if you go in wanting a fun 90 minutes then this will definitely satisfy you. Despite not having the emotional connection that most people have with the first one I probably look at this more favourably than other although the people in the screening that I was in laughed more than once.