Mini-Review: Clerks 2

Review by FAT JACK
My Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Rotten Tomatoes: 63% Rotten
Netflix: 3.8 stars out of 5
BrandonCrain Blog: 8 out of 10

There are some big differences between the two Clerks films and most of those differences are in favor of the original. There are minor things as well, such as the use of color in the second film, but those are inconsequential. The first film utilized what Kevin Smith does well, and that is write compelling dialogue in the league of Quentin Tarantino and the writers of Seinfeld. Interesting and engaging dialogue is hard to write, especially when that dialogue does not push the plot along. Smith did that flawlessly in the first film, but Clerks 2 somehow falls prey to the same thing that plagues the entire film. It is forced. That does not mean that there is not excellent dialogue in this film. There are short burst of it. One little gem is the whole Trilogy v. Trilogy issue that is speckled throughout. The argument between which trilogy rules, Lord of the Rings versus Star Wars, is ecstasy. I had been warned about this ahead of time and I found it as entertaining as any piece of dialogue in the Clerks franchise. Genius to be sure. I am left wishing that the rest of the dialogue had been this funny.

To continue with the problematic theme, the acting felt forced too. It appeared that they were trying too hard to make Clerks again, to touch into that edgy vein, and the fact that the actors cared so much showed on the screen and took away from the film. Replacing it was a hackneyed attempt to simply gross us out, rather than show us the characters. Not that I mind the whole donkey thing. I’ve heard those stories about what goes on in Mexico. But somehow the portrayal didn’t ring true. Some of Jay and Silent Bob’s diatribes were choppy and simplistic, even for them. The Silence of the Lambs spoof was hysterical, or it would have been had they not shown that in the trailers. By the time it hit my screen it was old hat.

All in all, I guess I enjoyed Clerks 2 but not as much as I should have. Just so we are clear, Lord of the Rings is a much higher quality trilogy than Star Wars. The acting is better, the special effects are incredible and the plot is rich.