Have you ever been at a party where there is a group of old friends who haven’t seen each other in ages, and are exchanging jokes, but none of the mirth is connecting with anyone else in the room even after repeated visits to the punch bowl? Well, that’s sort of what it is like watching Super Troopers 2, a comedy film directed by Jay Chandrasekhar (Senior Trooper Arcot ‘Thorny’ Ramathorn) and starring Kevin Heffernan (Trooper Rodney ‘Rod’ Farva), Steve Lemme (Trooper MacIntyre ‘Mac’ Womack), Paul Soter (Trooper Jeff Foster) and Erik Stolhanske (Trooper Robert ‘Rabbit’ Roto).

Who are these performers, you ask? Well, if you don’t know the answer to that question then perhaps you should avoid Super Troopers 2 and start with Super Troopers (2001), a comedy that failed to impress critics or theatre-going audiences, but turned into a cult classic thanks to excellent DVD sales. Eventually, Super Troopers put this group of comedic actors and their troupe Broken Lizard on the map. I must confess that I haven’t seen any of the eight Broken Lizard comedies aside from the two Super Troopers films, which might mean that I am not part of the intended target audience.

I must also confess that while Super Troopers 2 didn’t get a lot of laughs out of me, certain sections of the audience in the theatre I was in chuckled at every joke. I suppose the rest of us may have joined in if theatres served something stronger than soft drinks.

The jokes in the film Super Troopers 2 largely feel like recycled versions of the gags from the film’s predecessor

My indifference to the jokes in Super Troopers 2 may stem from the fact that they largely felt like recycled versions of the gags from the film’s predecessor. This is especially disappointing considering that Super Troopers 2 was released 17 years after Super Troopers, which is a long time for Broken Lizard to have come up with something that lacks in originality and is pure fan service.

Sadly, the plot isn’t compelling enough to carry the film for viewers unimpressed by the humour. Set in Canada, the film is about an international border dispute between Canada and the United States, where a small French Canadian town is discovered to actually be American. Here, our heroes from the first film, who were let go as police offers and now work in construction, are given a chance at redemption by patrolling this potentially new American territory. Of course, culture clashes take place and shenanigans follow, though unfortunately, hilarity does not ensue.

The only thing I really enjoyed about Super Troopers 2, strangely enough, is the performances. Former Wonder Woman Lynda Carter returns as an American governor, and is entertaining to watch. Rob Lowe (Guy Le Franc) who plays an ex-hockey star and the mayor of the disputed town is also fun to watch, especially if you enjoyed him in Parks and Recreation. The main cast, Broken Lizard themselves certainly have an endearing quality to them, thanks to a level of camaraderie that can’t be faked. After all, they’ve been together for decades. Unfortunately, this comradeship and affableness simply doesn’t translate into a good comedic chemistry.

Rated R for crude sexual content and language throughout, drug material and some graphic nudity

Published in Dawn, ICON, April 29th, 2018