Super Troopers arrived on screens in 2002, months after the U.S. was still reeling from the 9/11 attacks. The Broken Lizard comedy troupe provided a much-needed laugh in a mindless, comedic lark that finds the ensemble portraying Vermont state troopers doing battle with the local police in a flick that not only found a bevy of boisterous LOL moments, but an army of movie quotes that are still used ad nauseum today.
It may have taken 16 years, but the boys are back in Super Troopers 2 and the Broken Lizard comedy troupe have quite a premise for their return to the big screen as those hilarious and hapless state police officers.
Super Troopers 2—out now on Blu-Ray, DVD and digital download formats—follows our favorite law enforcement crew recruited for the most unique of assignments.
A swath of Canadian land north of Vermont had been discovered to belong to the United States. With this new declaration, a crew of American law enforcement officers was needed to help assimilate former Canadian officers of the ways of U.S. policing. Good thing they sent our boys from Super Troopers. I am kidding because anyone who witnessed the first movie knows, although these guys know how to have a good time and provide a litany of laughs for anyone who has experienced their unique brand of policework—serving as our nation’s sole representatives of laying down the law might not be their strong suit.
Mac (Steve Lemme), Thorny (Jay Chandrasekhar), Foster (Paul Soter), Rabbit (Erik Stolhanske) and Favra (Kevin Heffernan) dole out the advice for our northern neighbors who are now countrymen and women and along the way, as expected, get into trouble, right a few wrongs and alienate and insult as many people as possible. Think there will be a few Canadian jokes lobbed? Bet on it, and many of them are bloody brilliant.
The original cast returns, and are joined by superstar Rob Lowe, who we think is doing his best Justin Trudeau impersonation as the Canadian official charged with being the go-between. Entourage veteran Emmanuelle Chriqui also charms in a newly created role, and back for more is Wonder Woman herself, Lynda Carter.
Chandrasekhar not only stars but directs and co-wrote the screenplay with the rest of his Broken Lizard crew—Heffernan, Lemme, Solhanske and Soter. These guys know these characters inside and out and even though it has been a decade and a half since they last played them, the material they crafted for their triumphant return is worthy of the high anticipation level put forth by the millions of fans who have waited patiently for a sequel since either leaving the theater during the first film’s run or the legion who discovered the cult classic on home video.
As is the case with most sketch comedy troupes, the film is essentially best described as a pretty well-connected collection of skits woven together by an overreaching plot that holds the entire comedic affair together. Whereas the first film had a bevy of moments that became instant quotable classics, Super Troopers 2 is definitely hilarious, but does not give us as many moments that will be recalled for decades to come. It’s somewhat hard to capture lightning twice, but the boys from Broken Lizard do their best to give fans of their work something to cherish. It is for those appreciators of Super Troopers that Super Troopers 2 was made and that adoration for their fan base is evident on every frame of film and especially ever-present on the bonus features that take us deeper into the madcap minds of these comic geniuses.
Check out the opening scene of the movie!
The trend of late is for making-of featurettes to be featured in some nice and tight little packages. Making Super Troopers 2 rides in at almost 40 minutes and for those appreciators of the first film, this bonus feature is an utter delight. Also, of late, making-of featurettes tend to be pedantic and essentially serve as EPK (electronic press kits) for hawking the movie without giving away too much from the plot of the film and failing to produce any insight that is worth writing home about.
That is so not the case with Making Super Troopers 2. The entire cast waxes poetic about what it is about these Vermont state troopers that have so resonated with audiences over the last decade and a half. New additions also get to add their two cents and it is a marvel to witness someone such as Lowe with his esteemed Hollywood history, seem so genuinely excited about joining a film series that allows him to show his funny side. The guy needs to do more comedy, after this turn and recalling his scene stealing role in Wayne’s World, what more proof does Hollywood casting agents need to give this guy more comedic work?!
What else comes to light in this making-of is the supreme talent that inhabits all the souls that make up Broken Lizard. These guys have a short-hand that is priceless, especially in the comedy game. That fact comes through in the film itself, sure, but especially when one is allowed the priceless gift to see them in between takes talking about the light of their lives—which is working with one another, especially on something as profound to them all as another Super Troopers movie.
The extended and deleted scenes are hilarious and as a longtime fan of these guys, I am so thankful that these moments were included in the home video release. When comics at the top of their game riff on a movie set, it does not always add up to something brilliant that the director can use to move the plot forward or any other element of the movie making process. Scenes need to be cut down or deleted for the sake of elevating the story itself. The inclusion of extended scenes and deleted scenes on the Super Troopers 2 Blu-Ray is nothing short of a true gift for fans who get to see the comedy gold that did not make the final cut.
Even though it is only ten seconds shy of two minutes, Kevin Heffernan: Method Actor is beyond hilarious—especially for those who appreciate humor of the 420 variety (wink wink, nudge nudge). The man who is Favra may be the most loathsome of characters on the screen (and as such the subject of many a joke in the film), it is not easy being that jerky and this featurette puts a spotlight on the comedic actor behind the mustache.
Film Grade: B
Bonus Features: B-