Thursday, March 28, 2024
ADVT 
Movie Reviews

Movie Review:'Horrible Bosses 2' - This One's Not Boss Material

Darpan News Desk IANS, 28 Nov, 2014 02:14 PM
    Cast: Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Charlie Day, Chris Pine, Christoph Waltz, Brandon Richardson, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey and Lindsay Sloane;
     
    Director: Sean Anders;
     
    Rating: * * 1/2
     
    "Horrible Bosses 2" conjures images of vicious and maleficent employers who treat their employees shabbily and probably that's why the 2011 released film "Horrible Bosses" was a predictable runaway success.
     
    But, taking off from its predecessor, "Horrible Bosses 2" graduates from this premise to the idea of being one's own boss and sensitive towards their employees. And thus, probably, this film fails to leave an impact.
     
    No longer burdened by their respective previous employers, the trio, Nick Hendricks (Bateman), Kurt Buckman (Sudeikis), and Dale Arbus (Day) have turned into entrepreneurs, producing an innovative shower. They are now looking out for partners to help them take this venture forward, to a different level.
     
     
    Soon their paths cross with a multi-millionaire businessman, Bert Hanson (Christoph Waltz), who lures them with a whopping order. They go all out, beyond their means, to achieve their targets. But when they are duped by Bert, they realise that after all they "are not boss material".
     
    Now down in the dumps and bankrupt, as their revenge and survival strategy, they plan to kidnap Bert's grown-up son Rex (Chris Pine), who willingly becomes their victim.
     
    Prior to that, they seek help and advice from their old pal Jones (Jamie Foxx) as well as Nick's foul-mouthed, now imprisoned ex-boss (Kevin Spacey). But all in vain.
     
    Packaged with a series of set pieces of crass slapsticks and insinuations which intentionally inject humour and sub-plots, which are loosely assembled events that swing on morality, the entire plot seems contrived.
     
    Director Sean Ander's efforts lack the much-needed punch. The writing is lethargic. The dialogues are on-the-face-blunt, tactless and mediocre, which suits the characterisation.
     
    With the trio acting as dumb-idiots, their performances are good and credible, but definitely not outstanding. Bateman seems like the sane one who is always frustrated, Sudeikis is always on a hop and Day is squeaky, loud and irritating.
     
    Of the supporting cast, Christoph Waltz and Chris Pine as the father-son duo are worth a mention. They are in fact, the surprise package in this edition. Waltz is good as the slime-bag businessman, but it is Chris Pine, as his over-enthusiastic, wayward as well as enigmatic son, who steals the show.
     
    Jennifer Aniston as Dale's filthy, sex-addicted former employer along with Kevin Spacey, in their short screen time, helps in keeping some semblance of consistency with "Horrible Bosses". They are just reduced to stock characters and hence leave no impression on the audience.
     
    With overall good production values, cinematography and action, which includes an unexpected car chase, "Horrible Bosses 2", with a potential for a truly dark comedy is, in turn just an ordinarily, good-natured comedy sans the bosses. It clearly lacks the zing.

    MORE Movie Reviews ARTICLES

    Movie Review: 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1' - mockingly tedious

    Movie Review: 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1' - mockingly tedious
    Overall, the film is well-made and drab. It is not in the least entertaining or satisfying. Yet it lures you to look forward to the concluding edition...

    Movie Review: 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1' - mockingly tedious

    Movie Review: 'Ungli'-Baazi could be good many times but not always

    Movie Review: 'Ungli'-Baazi could be good many times but not always
    So after seeing the faltering execution of "Ungli" we feel compelled to bite the notional bullet that "Ungli"-Baazi could be good many times but not always. Hence keeping in view...

    Movie Review: 'Ungli'-Baazi could be good many times but not always

    Movie Review: 'Zed Plus' - political satire which makes you laugh, weep

    Movie Review: 'Zed Plus' - political satire which makes you laugh, weep
    Muneesh Sappal's production design is not so much about design as intuition. These are visuals that come closest to describing the lives of Dwivedi's characters....

    Movie Review: 'Zed Plus' - political satire which makes you laugh, weep

    Movie Review: It's not just 'Happy Ending', it's a soothing journey too!

    Movie Review: It's not just 'Happy Ending', it's a soothing journey too!
     'Happy Ending' may not carry that peculiarity which could have made it a stand out or HATKE cine volume or it may not have the potency which could have pushed you in the arena of tremendous elation, but...

    Movie Review: It's not just 'Happy Ending', it's a soothing journey too!

    Review: 'Kill Dil' May Lack The Basic Maxim, But It Is Diligently Executed

    Review: 'Kill Dil' May Lack The Basic Maxim, But It Is Diligently Executed
    Keeping in view the quality of various constituents (obviously except script and abrupt climax) of Kill Dil and stupendous performances of Govinda and Ranveer...

    Review: 'Kill Dil' May Lack The Basic Maxim, But It Is Diligently Executed

    Movie Review: 'Chaar Sahibzaade' is a must watch emotional saga of gallantry

    Movie Review: 'Chaar Sahibzaade' is a must watch emotional saga of gallantry
    So to sum up all that could be said about this somewhat marvelous animated cine saga is that, it may lack the perfection which some of its western counterparts usually carry in them, but....

    Movie Review: 'Chaar Sahibzaade' is a must watch emotional saga of gallantry

    PrevNext