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There's a certain genius in something as stupid as "Zoolander 2." A definite bit of bravado as Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson and Will Ferrell return to the characters they created 15 years ago.
Way back in 2001, the original "Zoolander" was a movie about "really, really, ridiculously good-looking" imbeciles, done on a relatively tight budget. "Zoolander 2," on the other hand, is a movie about somewhat older "really, really, ridiculously good-looking" imbeciles done on a much larger budget.
(The original "Zoolander," by the way, was not a box-office success — perhaps because it was released two weeks after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, when moviegoers weren't ready for something so frivolous and dumb. The movie became a cult classic of sorts over the past 15 years on DVD and cable TV.)
If you look hard enough, you can find some sort of message about the fashion industry in "Zoolander 2." But you don't have to look hard to find laughs.
It sets out to be funny. And it succeeds.
There are laughs from the start. It's been in the trailers, so it's not a spoiler to tell you that the movie opens with Justin Bieber, as himself, being pursued by assassins. He's gunned down — to cheers and applause from some in the screening audience.
(For non-Beliebers, it's the greatest thing since he died in a hail of gunfire in a 2011 episode of "CSI.")
The killing of Bieber is tied to a larger conspiracy that has also killed Demi Lovato, Usher, Lenny Kravitz and Miley Cyrus. The crimes are being investigated by Interpol agent Valentina Valencia (Penélope Cruz), who's convinced that Derek Zoolander (Stiller) holds the key to the mystery. But, following a family tragedy many years earlier, Zoolander has disappeared from public view and is living a "hermit crab"-like existence in the frozen wilds of northern New Jersey.
Fashion diva Alexanya Ato (Kristen Wiig) persuades Derek and his former fashion model foe-turned-friend-turned-foe Hansel (Wilson) to come out of retirement.
They're a well-matched pair — equally idiotic. "I miss not knowing things with you," Hansel says.
It turns out that 15 years later they're the butt of the jokes on the runway. But it gets them to Rome, where Derek is reunited with his long-lost son, Derek Jr. (Cyrus Arnold), and they're all caught up in a plot that involves — you guessed it! — imprisoned fashion villain Mugatu (Ferrell), who's hilariously evil.
And spot on when he declares that Zoolander is "super white-hot blazingly stupid." Which also describes "Zoolander 2."
You might laugh despite yourself when Billy Zane delivers two Netflix DVDs to Derek — "Jack Ryan" and "Jack Reacher."
"Tonight's going to be a total jack-off!" exclaims the oblivious Zoolander.
And if you liked the scene in the original movie when Derek uses his "Blue Steel" facial expression to stop a throwing star in midair and save the life of the leader of Malaysia, you'll love the scene in the sequel when we see that Derek has lost that power as Hansel chucks things at his head.
It's soooo dumb. And very funny.
Justin Theroux not only returns as the Evil DJ (in disguise — sort of) that he played in the first movie, but he co-wrote the script with Stiller, Nick Stoll and John Hamburg. Stiller directs.
And the number of cameo appearances is off the charts. Kiefer Sutherland, Sting and Neil deGrasse Tyson are particularly funny, but it's a list that includes Fred Armisen, A$AP Rocky, Macauley Culkin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jourdan Dunn, Ariana Grande, Marc Jacobs, Milla Jovovich, Tommy Hilfiger, Kim Kardashian, Mika, Olivia Munn, Katy Perry, Susan Sarandon, Skrillex, Jerry Stiller, Alexander Wang, Kanye West and Anna Wintour, just to name a few.
You'll have to wait for the DVD release to find them all.
Like the original, "Zoolander 2" is hit-and-miss. There are jokes and bits that lie there and die, and others that drag laughs out of even the unwilling.
The batting average is high enough to make it fun, even if you haven't seen the original.
Twitter: @ScottDPierce —
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'Zoolander 2'
There are plenty of laughs in this sequel about incredibly dumb male models.
Where • Theaters everywhere.
When • Opens Friday, Feb. 12.
Rating • PG-13 for crude and sexual content, exaggerated violence and brief strong language.