by Holley Gibson

After the recent box-office success of Captain America: Civil War, the cinemas are packing out once again for another hit of adult humour. This time, Zac Efron (Dirty Grandpa) and Seth Rogen (Knocked Up) return to our screens in Bad Neighbours 2 for a sequel that was all too inevitable considering the first instalments critical success, and total grossing of $270.7 million against the productions modest $18 million budget.

It is fair to say that US comedy sequels rarely stack up against the novelty of their successful predecessors and unfortunately this film doesn’t quite become the exception. The largely predictable narrative differs only a little from the first movie and a rather flat ending doesn’t seem to leave the audience asking for more, but as a watch on its own merit, the short 92 minute run provides plenty of giggles, a handful of humorous slapstick moments and of course the ever welcomed sight of Efron’s well oiled torso.

After finding himself in a in a kind of post-graduate limbo, ex-fraternity president Teddy Sanders (Efron) returns to help his old neighbours Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne’s Mac and Kelly as they battle a sorority, lead by Chloe Grace Moretz (The 5th Wave). With the girls proving to be more of a challenge than the boys who previously caused havoc next door, the distressed couple must secure a 30 day window without disturbance as their house sale enters a period of ‘Escrow’.

Sure, there are already a number of comedies which exploit the gap between young and old but Bad Neighbours 2 pits the young against the even younger in a bid to address the conflicts we all experience when the responsibilities of adulthood come calling. While Mac and Kelly unwillingly adjust to early parenthood and the burden of responsibility, Teddy also begins to feel the pressure of becoming an adult when he realises that he cannot party forever. But just like the characters, this production can’t quite find its feet and tries to address some important issues in a goofy comedic style, giving the film a kind of unwelcomed ambivalence.

One of the productions rather more charming features is the development of Mortez’s quirky character as she attempts, in a feminist rebellion, to step outside the geek system, after discovering that only fraternities are entitled to throw their own parties. Instead, her newly formed sorority, Kappa Nu, has decided to host events which celebrate female icons to oppose the existing rituals of the over sexualised frat affairs. This minor plot twist creates a sympathy for Mortez’s character, and provides the context for some of the movies funnier moments, and her evident struggle to fight the system neatly reflects the individual difficulties of the other characters.

At its heart, Bad Neighbours 2 is a comedy with enough good jokes to keep the story moving along at a quick pace. Some funny slapstick moments give Efron his most entertaining performance- “Why would it make eggs hard?” he declares as Mac boils a pan of water, “It makes pasta soft” – but it does seem to be much of the same with a little feminism thrown in. Perhaps the muddling of identity politics is a little confusing, but there is still enough entertainment in this spirited second instalment to warrant a one off watch.

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Holley Gibson
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