Hot Tub Time Machine 2By Wilson Morales
Over the last years, John Cusack has been churning out films as if he needed the money to buy a couple of houses, but even his agents or reps were smart enough to read the script for “Hot Tub Time Machine 2” and take a pass. While the original was clever and funny from start to finish, this painfully written sequel offers the exact opposite and takes away any charm audience were expecting.
Without Cusuck, that leaves just Rob Corddry, Clark Duke, and Craig Robinson returning to their roles as Lou, his son Jacob and Nick respectively as well as its director Steve Pink.
Picking up years later from the original, Lou, who stayed in the past, is now a successful musician-turned-Steve-Jobs-like-businessman who created “Lougle” and living the rock star world as if he was Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. With the knowledge of the future, Nick is a well known musician, having ripped the songs of successful artist such as Lisa Loeb’s “Stay.” Jacob, who never got any respect from his then-uncle-now-father Lou, is still going through identity issue while Lou’s abandonment has left his company to the point of bankruptcy. When Lou is shot in the groin at a party, the trio go back to the tub to prevent the incident from occurring. Instead of traveling back to the past, the machine somehow takes them 10 years in the future.
As with the first film, the trio can see each other as they are, but their reflection shows them what they look like in the future and what their lives have been like. Neither is appreciative to what the future has granted them, especially Jacon, who works as Lou’s butler and bald. Without Adam in the picture, they are left to deal with Adam Jr. (Adam Scott) in determining who tried to kill Lou.
With Adam Jr. eager to help the guys out with his own wedding coming up, the trio throw him a bachelor’s party that he would rather forget. As things start to spiral out of anyone’s control, the question remains changes can be made to effect the lives of all involved.
With the first film taking in around $60M worldwide, how a sequel ever got greenlit is anyone’s guest, especially since Cusack, who was a producer on the first and the biggest draw, decided to sit this one out.
The charm of the film comes in the beginning with plenty of film references (from The Hangover, Terminator, and Back to The Future) and appearance by Lisa Loeb, but then it quickly fades as the jokes become crude, intolerable, and unfunny. At 93 minutes, one would like to see an entertaining comedy that goes by in a breeze, but when the producers feel the need to throw everything but the kitchen to draw out laughs, that’s when you know the film’s a mess.
None of returning guys bring anything new to the film. It’s a shame because there was an opportunity to showcase some comedy, but the writers didn’t give them good material to work with. As the latest addition, Adam Scott fails to deliver any of the charisma he brings to his other projects. He’s just as annoying as the three returning leads. There’s a really crude, and that’s saying it mildly, sex scene that goes beyond any explanation. In the end, it’s best to let the water from the tub drain so that a third film is not made.
Red Band Trailer
