Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010). Psycho II (1983). Blues Brothers 2000 (1998). The Godfather Part III (1990). Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999). If you're wondering why I've listed off these films it's because they all have one thing in common; they are all sequels that took more than a decade to come out after their predecessors, and the general consensus was that these films were hugely inferior to the original classics, which is an assumption I'm afraid I will have to agree on.
I think it's no surprise that we constantly watch sequels get released in movie theaters. Maybe it's because the directors and actors are trying to bring life back into careers that have either slowed down, or just outright died. Maybe it's because even after many long years, the original film still has dedicated fans, and a sequel can satiate their need for closure knowing their favorite film will live on with a new chapter. Maybe it's just because the studios want to suck up whatever money the franchise can still conjure up, and don't care if the integrity of the original film is left intact.
Yes, whenever the word "sequel" is mentioned, I get both excited and annoyed. A part of me asks, why should they make a sequel when the original was so good? It'll never live up to the hype. On the other hand, a sequel will give me a chance to see my favorite characters again in an all new adventure. Yes, sequels have always had a mixed impression on me, but I honestly never expected to be seeing a sequel to a film that's as old as I am, Dumb and Dumber (1994), seeing the light of day.
Dumb and Dumber To (2014) is the "official" followup to the original 1994 classic that helped jump-start the cinematic career of Jim Carrey, guaranteed Jeff Daniels a healthy future in cinema, and introduced the Farrelly Brothers' unique brand of comedy to the world. In the past 20 years, however, times have definitely changed. Carrey hasn't made a truly impressive (or very financially successful) film in a decade since Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004). Jeff Daniels still has The Newsroom to fall back on, and he's had some decent performances in the past few years in films like Looper (2012), Howl (2010), and Paper Man (2009), but he's no longer the same box-office draw he once was. And even though I thoroughly enjoyed The Three Stooges (2012), the Farrelly Brothers haven't had a true, memorable bonafide hit since Me, Myself & Irene (2000).
Knowing this, I still walked into Dumb and Dumber To with some confidence, hoping that it could still live up to the expectations left upon it by the legacy of it's classic predecessor. Unfortunately, time has not been kind to Harry (Daniels) and Lloyd (Carrey); at times they can still be drop-to-the-floor floor hilarious. Unfortunately, most of the time I was reminded of meeting an old friend I hadn't seen in years, and while I had grown older and wiser, my friend was still the same person desperately clinging to the past. Sure, it can be nice to see the friend and have a few laughs, but then you sadly realize that you just don't have much in common anymore, and the meeting eventually becomes awkward. That's Dumb and Dumber To in a nutshell; a comedy that reunites a cast and directors together for one last roundup, but it's just not the same.
One of the reasons this film just doesn't really work is the fact that it's a complete retread of the original film. In the '94 film, Harry and Lloyd take a cross-country trip trying to find a young attractive woman and being chased down by a couple of criminals and FBI agents. I won't spoil anything, but this sequel has the exact same structure. It's still a road trip movie, only now Harry finds out he is a father, and Harry agrees to travel with him in order to meet up with the daughter. Naturally, Lloyd falls in love with the daughter, and the (attempted) hilarity ensues.
I will admit that Carrey and Daniels still have the same chemistry they had 20 years ago. I can tell that they were having a lot of fun making this movie, and I do commend them for still making their characters memorable and funny. Unfortunately, many of the situations in this film are retreads of the original, and it's just not funny when the same joke you heard years before is repeated again and again. The supporting cast is also pretty substandard. Laurie Holden (The Walking Dead's idiotic Andrea) is unimpressive in the role of Adele, a role that just gives her very little to do other than being the antagonist. Kathleen Turner is an unfunny, and bored-looking shell of her former self, and it's regrettable considering she once voiced Jessica Rabbit, and was the star of Romancing the Stone (1984) and Peggy Sue Got Married (1986).
Overall, Dumb and Dumber To feels not like a necessary sequel to a true comedy classic, but rather as a desperate act by Carrey, Daniels, and the Farrelly Brothers to relive the glory days. However, as past sequels have proved, you rarely catch lightning in a bottle twice, and for Harry and Lloyd, it was a commendable, but still unfortunate attempt to unsuccessfully carry on their story and cult legacy. If you're a fan, make your own decision about whether or not to see this, but as for me, I can not recommend this truly disappointing comedy, and it's a shame, because there was a good movie to be found here, but it wasn't meant to be.
Final Verdict: 4/10
I think it's no surprise that we constantly watch sequels get released in movie theaters. Maybe it's because the directors and actors are trying to bring life back into careers that have either slowed down, or just outright died. Maybe it's because even after many long years, the original film still has dedicated fans, and a sequel can satiate their need for closure knowing their favorite film will live on with a new chapter. Maybe it's just because the studios want to suck up whatever money the franchise can still conjure up, and don't care if the integrity of the original film is left intact.
Yes, whenever the word "sequel" is mentioned, I get both excited and annoyed. A part of me asks, why should they make a sequel when the original was so good? It'll never live up to the hype. On the other hand, a sequel will give me a chance to see my favorite characters again in an all new adventure. Yes, sequels have always had a mixed impression on me, but I honestly never expected to be seeing a sequel to a film that's as old as I am, Dumb and Dumber (1994), seeing the light of day.
Dumb and Dumber To (2014) is the "official" followup to the original 1994 classic that helped jump-start the cinematic career of Jim Carrey, guaranteed Jeff Daniels a healthy future in cinema, and introduced the Farrelly Brothers' unique brand of comedy to the world. In the past 20 years, however, times have definitely changed. Carrey hasn't made a truly impressive (or very financially successful) film in a decade since Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004). Jeff Daniels still has The Newsroom to fall back on, and he's had some decent performances in the past few years in films like Looper (2012), Howl (2010), and Paper Man (2009), but he's no longer the same box-office draw he once was. And even though I thoroughly enjoyed The Three Stooges (2012), the Farrelly Brothers haven't had a true, memorable bonafide hit since Me, Myself & Irene (2000).
Knowing this, I still walked into Dumb and Dumber To with some confidence, hoping that it could still live up to the expectations left upon it by the legacy of it's classic predecessor. Unfortunately, time has not been kind to Harry (Daniels) and Lloyd (Carrey); at times they can still be drop-to-the-floor floor hilarious. Unfortunately, most of the time I was reminded of meeting an old friend I hadn't seen in years, and while I had grown older and wiser, my friend was still the same person desperately clinging to the past. Sure, it can be nice to see the friend and have a few laughs, but then you sadly realize that you just don't have much in common anymore, and the meeting eventually becomes awkward. That's Dumb and Dumber To in a nutshell; a comedy that reunites a cast and directors together for one last roundup, but it's just not the same.
One of the reasons this film just doesn't really work is the fact that it's a complete retread of the original film. In the '94 film, Harry and Lloyd take a cross-country trip trying to find a young attractive woman and being chased down by a couple of criminals and FBI agents. I won't spoil anything, but this sequel has the exact same structure. It's still a road trip movie, only now Harry finds out he is a father, and Harry agrees to travel with him in order to meet up with the daughter. Naturally, Lloyd falls in love with the daughter, and the (attempted) hilarity ensues.
I will admit that Carrey and Daniels still have the same chemistry they had 20 years ago. I can tell that they were having a lot of fun making this movie, and I do commend them for still making their characters memorable and funny. Unfortunately, many of the situations in this film are retreads of the original, and it's just not funny when the same joke you heard years before is repeated again and again. The supporting cast is also pretty substandard. Laurie Holden (The Walking Dead's idiotic Andrea) is unimpressive in the role of Adele, a role that just gives her very little to do other than being the antagonist. Kathleen Turner is an unfunny, and bored-looking shell of her former self, and it's regrettable considering she once voiced Jessica Rabbit, and was the star of Romancing the Stone (1984) and Peggy Sue Got Married (1986).
Overall, Dumb and Dumber To feels not like a necessary sequel to a true comedy classic, but rather as a desperate act by Carrey, Daniels, and the Farrelly Brothers to relive the glory days. However, as past sequels have proved, you rarely catch lightning in a bottle twice, and for Harry and Lloyd, it was a commendable, but still unfortunate attempt to unsuccessfully carry on their story and cult legacy. If you're a fan, make your own decision about whether or not to see this, but as for me, I can not recommend this truly disappointing comedy, and it's a shame, because there was a good movie to be found here, but it wasn't meant to be.
Final Verdict: 4/10