Movie Review: Zoolander 2

Hansel (Owen Wilson), Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) and Montana Grosso (Penélope Cruz) star in Zoolander 2.

I have to confess, I am a big fan of Zoolander. So it was with nervous excitment to head to the sequel. Was it going to be any good, or was I about to become bitterly disappointed?

I needn't have worried. Zoolander 2 is absolutely hilarious and in every way just as good, if not better, than its predecessor.

Zoolander 2 reunites "ridiculously, ridiculously good looking" male model Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) with his former bestie and equally dim-witted model Hansel (Owen Wilson). It also reintroduces Derek's son Derek Junior as a teenage bookworm.

The movie winds back to clock and brings the viewer up to speed with what has happened in the past 15 years, including a fallout between Derek and Hansel after the demise of the Derek Zoolander Center for Kids Who Can't Read Good (remember the centre for ants?!).

Back to present day, Derek and Hansel are invited to a major fashion house event but all is not what it seems.

Celebrities such as Justin Bieber are being murdered (note the extended killing scene here) and Interpol fashion agent Valentina Valentine (Penelope Cruz) tracks Derek down in effort to get to the bottom of the case. There's even a new look considered to be even better than Magnum or Blue Steel.

What follows is side-splitting, laugh-out-loud hilarity loaded with references to the original movie.

Zoolander 2 is absolutely ridiculous and incredibly entertaining. It points the finger squarely at the fickle, shallow nature of the fashion industry and pokes its tongue out for good measure. It also pokes fun at the story of Adam and Eve, so fans with faith might find it trying.

It is jam-packed with cameos, with some carefully orchestrated such as Susan Sarandon's subtle tribute to her former role in Rocky Horror Picture Show. Others such as Kiefer Sutherland's role leaves you perplexed, but entertained.

Will Ferrell returns as nemesis Mugatu and highlights his efforts at becoming a super-criminal mastermind. Zoolander 2 is expertly written, with the gags and innuendo well placed and balanced for maximum effect.

There were several laugh-out-loud moments, and other times where I couldn't stop giggling. Perhaps it was good there were not many others in the cinema. Days later, I still find myself chuckling away at a certain scene or joke from the movie.

Fans of Zoolander will love this movie but anyone who struggled to enjoy the original should probably steer away.

The sequel offers much, much more of the same humour, slightly inappropriate jokes and hammed up, silly ridiculousness that made the original so much fun for fans to watch.

Zoolander 2
Directed by Ben Stiller