Ted 2 (DVD) Review
After the success of Ted in 2012, a sequel was inevitable. It tries to shoot for the moon conceptually by adding themes like marriage equality and civil rights into the raunchy stoner comedy about a foul-mouthed talking bear.
It doesn’t always work, but it’s still a lot of fun to watch. You’ll get laughs from pop-culture segues and jokes that seem like they were written well before Deflategate happened.
1. 105 minutes
The original Ted worked because it was a funny movie that also had some touching moments. But Ted 2 feels like it is trying to be a road trip movie, a court room movie and a caper movie all at once. This doesn’t work and makes the film seem disjointed.
Despite the crude language and sexual innuendo, MacFarlane’s comedy is not mean-spirited and goes for comic rhythm rather than shock value. His characters are likable and his cast, especially Jessica Barth as the brassy checkout girl Tami-Lynn, is terrific.
But the 115-minute running time stretches on, with a climax that is reminiscent of the first film’s (minus a big finale at Comic Con). And while it is entertaining, this film has not added any new material to the stale concept.
2. 93 minutes
Ted 2 lacks the surprise and charm of its predecessor. The movie tries to be too many things at once – a road trip, a caper and a court room drama. It also projects a strange world view in its depiction of minorities and homosexuals. MacFarlane’s oddball non sequitur and cultural references are still fun but there is less of the original wit and spirit here.
The film misses the mark in its attempt to be a political statement and too often falls into cheap shock humor like when the gang pelts joggers with food or rapist Donny (Giovanni Ribisi) tries to cut up Ted’s crotch. The 115-minute running time dragged on and the climax at New York Comic Con felt padded.
Mark Wahlberg and Jessica Barth are solid but they cannot carry the whole load.
3. 93 minutes
Ted 2 is not the worst movie ever made, but it does lack a lot of the mischievous magic that was found in its 2012 predecessor. Despite the fact that the film made a lot of money, it never quite reached the heights of its predecessor.
The main problem with this sequel is that it tries to be socially relevant in a very odd way. It wants to be a film about a person being not just a mere piece of property, but also a soul and that is not the right direction for this kind of movie.
In addition to that, some of the characters seem less endearing and more mean-spirited this time around. For instance, the scene where John, Ted and Tami-Lynn pelt joggers with food is just plain rude.
4. 93 minutes
After he and Tami-Lynn finally tie the knot, Ted is forced to prove that he’s a person in court with the help of his best friend John (Mark Wahlberg) and their new lawyer Samantha (Amanda Seyfried). But this MacFarlaneized sequel commits the cardinal sin of sequels: it’s not as funny as the original.
Despite a few choice laughs and a Busby Berkeley-esque dance sequence, the movie quickly wears thin. There’s a distinct lack of chemistry between the leads, and a lot of ill-advised humor. One scene sees the gang pelt joggers with food, an act that’s more mean than funny. And when the film attempts to get serious about civil rights, it veers into the territory of satire. It’s a shame, because MacFarlane can still be disarmingly funny.
5. 93 minutes
After a sleeper hit in 2012, the foul-mouthed anthropomorphic talking bear gets his own movie sequel. Like its predecessor, it shoots for the moon conceptually but ultimately splatters to the ground like gallons of donated semen.
Ted and his new wife, Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth), try to have a baby through sperm donation. But when the court rules that he is not a person, they seek help from an eager young civil rights attorney played by Amanda Seyfried.
While the legal drama in Ted 2 doesn’t quite have the heart of its illustrious predecessor, it still offers plenty of locker room humor and bounteous pop-culture in-jokes. As such, it should please fans of the original and satisfy those who clamor for more time spent with this lovable slacker.