Full-time detectives Nick and Audrey are struggling to get their private eye agency off the ground. They find themselves at the center of international abduction when their friend Maharaja, is kidnapped at his own lavish wedding.
Chuck says:
I hadn’t seen the Adam Sandler-Jennifer Aniston comedy “Murder Mystery.” Having watched its sequel, I need to go back and check it out. As the neo-Nick and Nora Charles, the duo has a charm about them that’s completely winning and coupled with the whimsical lunacy of James Vanderbilt’s scripts, this lightweight comedy proved be an entertaining way to while away 90 minutes.
The actors return as Nick and Audrey Spitz, who are having a hard time getting their detective agency off the ground, despite solving the murder in the series first entry. (It should be noted many people died before they caught the culprit.) Spinning their wheels and getting on each other’s nerves, they’re thrilled to get a call from their old friend The Maharajah (Adeel Akhtar) who informs them he is getting married and would like them to be at the wedding. Jetting off to an island paradise, the nuptials are interrupted when the groom is kidnapped and a ransom of $50 million is demanded for his safe return.
Metaphorically donning their deerstalkers, the Spitzes begin to analyze the long list of suspects. Could it be the Maharajah’s wife-to-be Claudette (Melanie Laurent)? Perhaps it’s his ex-fiancée Countess Sekou (Jodie Turner-Smith) or maybe the chairman of his board of directors Francisco (Enrique Arce). Of course, his sister Saira (Kuhoo Verma) certainly has her reasons. These usual suspects are joined by expert hostage negotiator Miller (Mark Strong), Inspector Delacroix (Dany Boone) and the Maharajah’s bodyguard Colonel Ulenga (John Kanni), all of whom are eager to solve this crime.
Each actor overplays their roles the tiniest bit, allowing the Spitzes to poke fun at them, leading to some generously hilarious moments. One of the highlights is a scene reminiscent of a sequence from the Marx Brothers film “Animal Crackers” in which a succession of people visits the Spitzes’ room, all subsequently hiding from the others until there’s nary an empty space left. The crackerjack pacing keeps the laughs coming at a steady pace, the cast all in tune with the ironic tone director Jeremy Garelick sustains throughout. By no means a classic, “MM2” is still a pleasant enough diversion.
3 Stars
Pam says:
Adam Sandler and Jennifer Anniston join forces to create their sequel to the successful Netflix film “Murder Mystery” with “Murder Mystery 2.” While the title may not be inventive, the sequel isn’t either, but it holds fast to the tried and true recipe that murder mysteries are made of making it yet another fun and funny romp in Sandler’s world.
We catch up with Nick and Audrey whose fame and fortune from their previous murder mystery has been sunk into a full-time (and failing) detective agency. Their marriage mirrors their business until a fateful phone call from The Maharajah (Adeel Akhtar) opens the doors for a much needed all-paid vacation to a private island wedding. Of course, amidst the vivid chaos of the pre-wedding ceremony complete with an elephant, a murder occurs as The Maharajah is kidnapped. Seasoned detectives Nick and Audrey place themselves in charge of the situation only to be ousted by the ultimate detective who wrote the book — literally — on private investigations, Miller (Mark Strong) who shows up with a crack team to save the day.
The antics that ensue thanks to the marital issues and crazy overlapping motives and opportunities of the suspects who inadvertently gather in Nick and Audrey’s palatial room set the pace for the remainder of the movie. It’s quick, silly and smart (a difficult combination to pull off), and keeps us guessing as to who the murderer really is.
Traveling from a tropical paradise to Paris, not a moment is lost to poke fun and laugh at the unexpected. From a cafe crash to explosions and hit and runs, you’re in for a fast-paced good time. Aniston and Sandler balance each other and play off one another sublimely to create that comedic tone and make the most of each scene and their dialogue. Much of this comedy is non-verbal and with a supporting cast of characters who find their place and hunker down for a good time, “Murder Mystery 2” is a sequel worthy of our time. Strong plays the tough guy to a T while Jodie Turner-Smith and Zurin Villanueva play inseparable sycophants with an evil edge and a laugh that sends chills down your spine while laughing hysterically.
As with all Sandler movies, the entire cast is having fun and that means we are, too. Sit down and check out “Murder Mystery 2,” a whodunnit worthy of your time.
3 Stars
