MOVIE
REVIEW: TED
2

06/26/2015

SYNOPSIS: Seth MacFarlane returns as writer, director and voice star of Ted 2, Universal and Media Rights Capital’s follow-up to the highest-grossing original R-rated comedy of all time. Joined once again by star Mark Wahlberg and fellow Ted writers Alec Sulkin & Wellesley Wild, MacFarlane produces the live action/CG-animated comedy alongside Bluegrass Films’ Scott Stuber, as well as Jason Clark and John Jacobs.
REVIEW:
Mark Wahlberg and Seth MacFarlane are back as John Bennett and his childhood stuffed bear Ted in Seth’s latest effort, Ted 2. For those not familiar with the first flick, Ted comes to life after a Christmas wish a younger John makes and the calamity of an adventure begins. Now, fast forward to the present and both are grown up losers (of the lovable variety), smoking weed and drinking beer through life. A few years have passed in between the first movie and the sequel, and some things have certainly changed.
Some of the more enjoyable aspects of Ted 2, aside from the “Family Guy” style jokes are the frequent cameos and A-list stars popping up out of the woodworks. Of course Flash Gordon (Sam Jones) makes a return visit, but this time around he’s joined by the likes of Tom Brady (think deflate-gate), the honorable Morgan Freeman, and someone we’ve all come to know as having a “particular set of skills.” Also, as two lovers, Michael Dorn (Worf from Star Trek: The Next Generation) and Patrick Warburton (The Extendables, 2014) steal every scene they’re involved with, especially their scenes walking around New York City Comic-Con.
Aside from the obvious plot set ups, the sound track in this latest release mirrors its predecessor, almost to a “T.” Just think of the current pop-culture humor, the eventual fallout between Ted and John, Ted getting in trouble, John coming to his rescue and the list goes on and on. So needless to say, if one likes “Family Guy” or other likeminded comedies, then one will most certainly enjoy this movie. Even though, this time around, there are more misses than hits in the comedy arena, but when the wise-cracks do hit, they’re bound to be side-splitting.
Overall, when all is said and done, this latest effort turns out to be a decent comedy by all measures. It definitely doesn’t escape falling into a lot of the typical traps of other sequels. For instance it’s not as good as the original; it feels a bit lazy and not really well thought out, and certainly does not live up to the fun of its predecessor. While it’s worth watching for some kicks and giggles and for simply following up on the Ted character, Ted 2 falls more in line with a rental or DVD purchase instead of a theater visit. With that said, three and a half stars out of five are more than generous here. –
Review
By Movi-Man Stan
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