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★½☆☆☆
27 April 2012
This article is a review of AMERICAN PIE: UNION a.k.a. AMERICAN REUNION. |
“I once caught Steven sticking my hairbrush up his ass. It wasn't the handle side either,” Stifler's Mum.
1990s nostalgia fever is burning hot in London right now. New Kids On The Block and Backstreet Boys are about to descend on us in a concert mash-up, where the screams will likely be heard across the Big Smoke. And coupled with that blast from the past is the release of AMERICAN PIE: REUNION, which feels as tired as THE SEX AND THE CITY MOVIES (but not as woeful thankfully, though that had far farther to fall). Everyone, and I mean everyone, is back from the first movie. Including The Sherminator. Those who lap up this franchise will get some mileage, but for everyone else, this will be akin to watching a raunchier SAVED BY THE BELL episode. A few gags hit the mark, everything else clangs.
1990s nostalgia fever is burning hot in London right now. New Kids On The Block and Backstreet Boys are about to descend on us in a concert mash-up, where the screams will likely be heard across the Big Smoke. And coupled with that blast from the past is the release of AMERICAN PIE: REUNION, which feels as tired as THE SEX AND THE CITY MOVIES (but not as woeful thankfully, though that had far farther to fall). Everyone, and I mean everyone, is back from the first movie. Including The Sherminator. Those who lap up this franchise will get some mileage, but for everyone else, this will be akin to watching a raunchier SAVED BY THE BELL episode. A few gags hit the mark, everything else clangs.
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As in THE SIMPSONS MOVIE, Homer and the PIE lead Jim never seem to learn any lessons, and constantly have to go through the same maturity tuition in every instalment. The plot is by-the-numbers mawkish life lessons, kick-started by a high school reunion catalyst. The familiarity will be like a comforter perhaps for some. In light of THE HANGOVER and BRIDESMAIDS and PINEAPPLE EXPRESS, mainstream gross-out humour has evolved, and the filmmakers have not kept pace.
Like a couple trying to resuscitate their dying relationship, references are made to past glories, and in-jokes are sullied by their repetition. F*ck off about band camp. It’s not funny to mention it 13 years on. Someone put this franchise out of its misery.
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