Spinal Tap II: The End Continues

by Mike McGranaghan

This Is Spinal Tap is rightly considered one of the funniest and most influential comedy movies ever made. For that reason, attempting to make a sequel – forty years later, no less – seems like a bit of a fool’s errand. There is absolutely no way to fully recapture the magic of that groundbreaking mockumentary, especially since the format has been done repeatedly since 1984. But. Against the odds, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues still manages to offer a sufficient amount of fun for fans eager to indulge in some nostalgia.

Director Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner) is back to document the planned one-night-only reunion concert of heavy metal legends Spinal Tap. His cameras follow the group as they’re reunited, begin rehearsals, and, naturally, search for a new drummer. (The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith declines the invite, for fear of dying.) All is not well behind the scenes, though. Guitarists Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) and David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) are at odds, leaving bassist Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) in the middle.

New characters are introduced, the best of which is concert promoter Simon Fowler (Chris Addison), a guy so phony and superficial that he practically merits having his picture next to those words in a dictionary. A couple of the original film’s supporting players pop up momentarily, which is a pleasure to see. So are the extended cameos from two of the biggest rock stars in history.

Nothing in Spinal Tap II equals the hilarity of the “These go to 11” amplifier bit or the gag about a former drummer choking to death on someone else’s vomit. Nevertheless, by my count, the movie has about six really big laughs, a dozen or so chuckles, and a lot of jokes that made me smile. A couple fall flat, although that’s par for the course with any comedy. The point is that seeing these characters together again is a treat. Reiner, Guest, McKean, and Shearer still have solid comedic timing together, even if not every gag is a winner.

The best part is the ending, where we see highlights of the concert. “Hell Hole,” “Big Bottom,” and “Stonehenge” all make appearances with stage design that nicely spoofs the tropes of ‘80s heavy metal concerts. In a sense, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues mirrors real-life reunion shows. The band's not in its prime anymore, but it sure feels good to hear them play the hits one more time.

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