A sorority moves in next door to the home of Mac and Kelly Radner who have a young child. The Radner's enlist their former nemeses from the fraternity to help battle the raucous sisters.
Bad Neighbours 2 rents out double the parties, crude gags and tampered air bags. The first instalment to this rather unoriginal series of comedy features was still somewhat refreshing, mostly due to the kinetic energy sparking off the cast members. The jokes were all nasty, dirty and filled with enough profanity to start its own sewerage works, yet solely functioned based on the cast’s delivery. Coming from me, it was surprisingly funny. This sequel replicates the structural basis of its predecessor. A society of college students move into the house next door, hosting raucous parties and marijuana shindigs, preventing buyers from purchasing the Radners’ house. But, instead of sweaty males in a fraternity, the new residents are independent females in a brand new sorority. Commeth the sorority uprising!
This sequel is categorically unnecessary. It is not pivotal viewing. You will live a glorious life without having watched girls hurl used tampons at the neighbours’ windows. Having said that, the recycled formula does still bring in a few intermittent laughs sprinkled throughout. From scathing one liners such as “there’s a Jew in the oven” to Efron revealing his hairy (or were they hairless, can’t remember...) nuts during a grand distraction. Once you bypass the level of crudeness and ganja that pollutes the air, you’ll have an enjoyable time. Even if you won’t remember any of the shenanigans the next day.
Naturally, with a sorority house being showcased, the narrative includes a feminist spin. Addressing several segments of sexism and misogyny that invade frat parties, such as spraying of water on the bosoms of young girls. Whilst initially this type of prejudice acts as a catalyst to form the new sorority house, it collapses in on itself when the overtly feministic overtone is constantly referenced over and over again without providing any fuel for the actual plot. Essentially, it feels forced for the sake of maintaining a complexion of equality. I’m all for a feministic perspective, but in a comedy it needs to provide foundations for hilarity. Stoller’s sequel fails to capture that tone and fully maximise its potential.
A shame really considering the talents of Efron and Moretz who command every scene with their comedic delivery. Consistently on point. Awkwafina was grossly underused as well as Kudrow. Rogen and Byrne take a backseat approach in comparison to the predecessor, but still function well together and provide organic chemistry. Aside from that introductory vomiting scene. That, was hideous. Their bad parenting sub-plot was undercooked and only provided padding to the already short runtime.
Still, Bad Neighbours 2 is more of the same. In fact, more of the exact same. So if you loved the frat boys partying the night away, I’m sure you’ll love the sorority girls pretending to be minions from ‘Despicable Me’. If you failed to laugh at Franco doing his best De Niro impression, well think twice before venturing into this sequel which sees an infant play with a pink vibrator.
