Spinal Tap II: The End Continues Review
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025) Film Review, a movie directed by Rob Reiner, written by Michael McKean, Rob Reiner and Christopher Guest and starring Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner, Kerry Godliman, Garth Brooks, Fran Drescher, Elton John, Trisha Yearwood, Paul McCartney, June Chadwick, Griffin Matthews, Paul Shaffer, David Furnish and Chad Smith.
Rob Reiner was once a great director (A Few Good Men, The American President) although he had a few bombs along the way like North from 1994. He returns to his directing roots with a sequel to an early 1980’s mockumentary he made which was called, This is Spinal Tap. What was funny back then isn’t really that funny anymore as the sequel, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, ultimately proves. Though the concept is initially enjoyable, the new film quickly outwears its welcome with one too many flat jokes in-between the celebrity cameos that the movie prides itself on.
We meet three members of an aging band named Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) and Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer). Reiner’s inquisitive character, Martin DiBergi, finds Nigel in a cheese shop where he is now working while selling guitars to customers who exchange cheese for them and vice versa. Nigel’s significant other is a customer he met while working there. While the other guys from the band seem to be more serious about keeping music in their current lives, they all reunite to put on a show after a 15-year absence from the spotlight.
In reality, it has been over 40 years since the first movie came out and, perhaps, they should have left the original alone. John Michael Higgins pops up in a cameo as his character, Bob Kitness, tries to teach these old dogs new tricks and maneuvers in order to help them perform better. Higgins has a funny character at his helm, but the movie eventually fizzles despite Higgins’ best efforts which don’t take up much screen time anyhow.
There are a number of humorous scenes which occasionally work in spurts. I liked the way they brought “tap” water into the film which is funny when considering Spinal Tap is the name the band goes by. Elton John struggles to be believable in his role as -who else- himself as he says he has an admiration for the old-timers, but seems to be patronizing them rather than sincerely believing they’re any good. Paul McCartney pops up in a cameo that could have been funnier and it feels more could have been done with many of the stars who appear here. Elton John has a fairly big role in the action and plays a key part at the end concert where everything that could go wrong does go wrong. Reiner and the writers could have written more clever stuff for Elton John who was obviously onboard to help, but the comedy never feels truly perfected, for whatever reason.
Also, the end credits come up with at least five more minutes of movie to come which may suggest the filmmakers are trying to clear the theater and make room for the audience for the next show rather than taking the time with the material and letting it play out organically. Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer all play the parts of the quintessential washed up rock band members satisfactorily, but the script is all over the place with what appears to be improvisation happening a lot. Some of it plays well while many of the jokes seem to come out too fast without much thought given to them.
While the band members are simply going through the motions to justify their one-time enormous success, they are still a bit relatable in terms of the fact that they’re far from spring chickens anymore and aren’t in touch with the modern-day realities of the world. They look like they’ve seen better days, and try to adapt to the expectations their old fans have for them. Reiner as the “voice of reason” interviewer often asks condescending questions and maybe if one of the band members slapped him at one point, there’d be a reason to cheer these band member characters on.
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues doesn’t have a lot of meat on its bones, but it puts in a lot of effort and I respect that, whether the movie succeeds or not. It really doesn’t hold a candle to the original movie, but the sequel can be entertaining when it works which is about 40 percent of the time. You’ll want to see the band members make a “go” of their last hurrah and seize the day, but Reiner and co. won’t let that happen.
These characters are all screw-ups by the time the ending arrives and, though this rock band had a nice run, their teaming up again should have been for a reunion more than to create another concert. If they made a reunion movie where the characters relive their past through memories of their success, it could have been funnier. As for the idea of them making a comeback on stage, that idea should have been left well alone before the events of this movie begin. Spinal Tap II: The End Continues is a misfire, but I’m glad to see the characters from the early 1980’s are still breathing. That’s worth something. Elton John should have sung, “I’m Still Standing” at the end. It would have been way funnier than anything else in the new movie.
Rating: 5.5/10
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