LOS ANGELES, Sept. 10 (UPI) — Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, in theaters Friday, serves as a double legacy sequel of sorts. It is a sequel to 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap, but also to the world of music in the ensuing decades, including the reunions and farewell tours of major real-life acts.
Spinal Tap director Rob Reiner returns as his character Marty DiBergi, a filmmaker who meets Hope Faith (Kerry Godliman), the daughter of Spinal Tap’s former manager Ian Faith. When Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood perform a cover of “Big Bottom,” Hope sees the potential in a Spinal Tap reunion.
Marty seeks out the original members of Spinal Tap and finds Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) now owns a cheese shop, while David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) writes scores for podcasts and “on hold” messages, one of the film’s cleverest bits. Meanwhile, Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) owns a glue museum after an unwise crypto venture.
There’s not a lot of conflict between Nigel, David and Derek. All three of them seem to want the opportunity to reunite and try to make it work.
Nigel and David literally struggle to get back in harmony, however, as Nigel can’t play some of David’s compositions and David objects to some of Nigel’s new effects. Nigel’s collection of wah wah pedals is his new amp that “goes to 11,” and while the bit is not as funny, it is at least original.
Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner, R) finds Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) in his cheese shop in “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues,” in theaters Friday. Photo courtesy of Bleecker Street
The conflict only comes to a head at the tech rehearsal for the reunion show. It has resonance, given the band’s tumultuous history and would have been worthwhile to explore further, but it’s also not uncommon for people to avoid conflict until they can’t anymore.
Still directed by Reiner in a fake documentary style, the improvisation in the sequel leads to some truly clever one-liners. David’s zombie movie has a witty title, and asserting his pride in the acknowledged flaws in his character is classic Spinal Tap absurdity.
From left, Paul McCartney, Harry Shearer, Michael McKean and Christopher Guest star in “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues,” in theaters Friday. Photo courtesy of Bleecker Street
Marty finds other characters connected to the first This Is Spinal Tap, so actors like Fran Drescher, Paul Shaffer and June Chadwick get to do one scene each. Many real-life musicians cameo on a Zoom screen, but Paul McCartney and Elton John really jam and trade barbs with Spinal Tap.
Spinal Tap still needs a drummer and they hold auditions for “Tonight I’m Gonna Rock You Tonight.” These include some really exotic percussionists.
From left, Christopher Guest, Chris Addison, Michael McKean, Kerry Godliman and Harry Shearer star in “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues,” in theaters Friday. Photo courtesy of Bleecker Street
The one they hire is Didi Crockett (Valerie Franco). Franco and her character add young, female, LGBTQ+ energy to the comedy, and Didi just rocks.
Spinal Tap faces pressures from a young record executive (Chris Addison), like hiring a fitness coach (John Michael Higgins) to force them to exercise. New stage accoutrements accompany songs like “Big Bottom” as they argue with stagehands over the artistic integrity of letting the bottom literally fart.
Christopher Guest (L) and Rob Reiner star in “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues,” in theaters Friday. Photo courtesy of Bleecker Street
Most of the mishaps are much more predictable, as they’re either a redux or the opposite of something from the original film. Still, they are well-executed slapstick.
The finale is essentially a concert film of Spinal Tap’s greatest hits. Fans will appreciate how the set list includes deep cuts from the band’s 1992 Break Like the Wind album.
Overall, Spinal Tap II is an amiable romp with the boys, and now their drummer girl. Like a classic band performing new material, the new stuff is fun but it doesn’t hit quite as hard as the jokes with history.
Fred Topel, who attended film school at Ithaca College, is a UPI entertainment writer based in Los Angeles. He has been a professional film critic since 1999, a Rotten Tomatoes critic since 2001, and a member of the Television Critics Association since 2012 and the Critics Choice Association since 2023. Read more of his work in Entertainment.
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