Movie review: Bad Neighbours 2

Entertainment reviewer for NZ Herald.·NZ Herald·

14 May, 2016 02:00 AM2 mins to read

Zac Efron and Seth Rogen in Bad Neighbours 2.

Bad Neighbours was puerile entertainment, which relied on jokes about dicks, dope and dildos but was well-cast and delivered some cracker gags.

Second time around the formula is the same, but with an ever-so-slightly more thoughtful approach.

The original film put a spin on the frat-house comedy genre by making it a generational tussle between Mac (Rogen) and Kelly (Byrne), a young married couple with a baby, and their party-loving, frat-house neighbours, led by Teddy (Efron) and Peter (Dave Franco).

In Bad Neighbours 2, Mac and Kelly have to deal with another group of college kids who have moved in next door, although this time it's not just sleep deprivation they're worried about, it's selling their house. Aware they're milking the success of the original film, the screenwriting committee of five (including Rogen and returning director Nicholas Stoller), provide a feminist twist.

College girl Shelby (Chloe Grace Moretz) and friends Nora (Beanie Feldstein) and Beth (Kiersey Clemons), disgusted by the boys' misogynistic frat-house parties, set up their own sisterhood, where girls can party on their own terms, and can smoke weed instead of drinking punch and getting "Cosby'd".

Teddy, who has left college but is struggling to move on from his partying days, helps the girls set up their renegade sorority.

It's not long before Shelby cuts "old" Teddy loose and he finds himself playing for Team Mac and Kelly as they try to evict the girls.

Though it's refreshing to see college life to be portrayed how it really is, and for Mac and Kelly to be shown as well-meaning but terrible parents, the comedy quickly reverts to the gross and stupid, and relies on familiar gags.

More swearing, sex toys and bongs don't add a lot, although the repeated appearance of a car airbag gag belatedly delivers genuine laughs.

If you enjoyed version one, you'll find something to chuckle over this time as well, and it's good to see female characters treated with a little more respect.