Socko's Movie Review of American Pie 2

To pacify one Chris Jarmick, let me start by informing you all that there are spoilers abound in this review. It’s stated above, it’s stated here, so everyone should be happy. Let’s get started.

Well, I got one of my Epinions redemption checks today, so I was tickled pink to say the least. On top of that, I broke 5,000 member visits this morning, so you can imagine my excitement and glee. To celebrate, I decided to break my horror film kick for a day and went down yonder to ye ole movie theater to go see one of those big ole picture shows. Since I enjoyed the original American Pie so much, I decided it would be worth a shot to see the sequel. My only hesitation is that almost every movie this summer has been a huge disappointment (Jurassic Park 3, Planet of the Apes, Scary Movie 2, Pearl Harbor, etc.), so I didn’t want to get my hopes up too high. Luckily, it turns out that I had nothing to worry about.

American Pie 2 starts off right by bringing back it’s entire cast from the original movie. That’s right, the entire cast. From our four central characters-Oz (played by Chris Klein), Finch (played by Eddie Kaye Thomas), Kevin (played by Thomas Ian Nicholas), and Jim (played by Jason Biggs)-all the way down to minor characters like Sherman (played by Chris Owen), Stifler’s brother (played by Eli Marienthal), and the MILF guys, the producers managed to bring back every major to minor character from American Pie. That’s no small feat, and well worth it when you consider all the talent that’s involved.

We start our story one year after the first movie ended, and everyone is preparing for summer break. Everyone is still basically in the same spot as they were before. Jim is still a bumbling dork who doesn’t know the first thing about sex and women. Oz is still happily involved with Heather (played by the attractive Mena Suvari), while Kevin and Finch are still obsessing over their past loves, Vicki (played by the extremely hot Tara Reid) and Stifler’s mom (played by Jennifer Collidge) respectively. Throw in good ole Stifler (played by Seann William Scott), who is still trying to get laid as much as he can, and we have a heck of a summer shaping up.

Our five young friends decide that life back in town isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, so they head on out towards the beach for the summer. They get a nice summer place and a job, and the roller coaster ride begins. What ensues is hilarity to the maximum degree, and I can’t really go more in depth than that, since it’s hard to keep track of all the action with so many characters involved.

What works in this flick? How about everything for starters. The acting, the dialogue, the direction…everything is right on target. The movie is never boring, and keeps you rolling with laughter from start to finish. You can’t ask for more than that from a summer blockbuster, let alone a sequel.

But what most impressed me with the film was how it had matured from the last one. The first film was all about getting laid at all costs, while not carrying around all that much emotional baggage. American Pie 2, on the other hand, while still having a great deal of sexual pursuit, is more about finding true love and growing up than it is about just getting off. While Oz has already achieved what the others are striving for, he really doesn’t play as much of a part in this film as he did the last. This movie is more about Jim, Finch, and Kevin growing up and moving on towards adulthood.

Want an example. Let’s take Jim for example. The entire first film, Jim spent all of his time trying to get laid, first by Nadia, then as a last resort by band member Michelle (played by the hot and under-appreciated Alyson Hannigan). This time around, Jim is working with Michelle to try to become better at the act of sex, as he finds out that he is “terrible”. What follows though, quite unexpectedly, is Jim’s maturation from sex-crazed dork to, well, loving dork. Making the choice of Michelle over Nadia shows that the directors went in a different direction this time around. Personally, I think it made for a better movie.

Also, there was a lot more emotion put into this film than the last. Whether it be Kevin’s learning to move on without Vicki, or Jim’s dad (played by the hilarious Eugene Levy) comforting Jim after the super glue debacle (which you have to see to believe), all of the characters show that this movie is driven by heart. Again, this makes for a much more enjoyable movie to view.

Now don’t get me wrong, American Pie 2 doesn’t betray the first movie or it’s characters in the least. There is still a large amount of sexual activity (this movie is in no way for anyone under 17), and all the pieces are in place with a hilarious and fun script. Between masturbation woes, supposed lesbian affairs, enough strong language to make anyone blue in the face, and the guys being closer than they ever could have hoped, this will definitely play to the first movie’s fans. But while the first movie was a flat out comedy, nothing more, nothing less, this movie is more of a romantic comedy, complete with everyone going home happy.

I can’t say enough about the acting in this film. I could rattle of a list of every person involved, because everyone was just that good. If I had to go out on a limb, the movie came down to three performances. Between Levy, Biggs, and Hannigan, this one will become an easy classic (for those old enough to view it, that is). Throw in a smart dialogue, nice pacing, and great direction, and we have ourselves one hell of a film.

Overall, you can call me crazy, but I loved this film to death. I have to go the full monty and give American Pie 2 five stars (which of course, will draw lots of criticism from other advisors I’m sure) for just being a sweet and funny film that pays off big in the end. This is a must see, so get off your butts and see this one immediately. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed. HAVE A NICE DAY!