Spinal Tap II:
The End Continues

4 outta 5

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues is a decent legacy sequel inasmuch that it doesn’t tarnish the classic film, 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap. Is it as funny or have as many interesting things to say about the music business? Definitely not. But this is still very funny with constant quips, hilarious asides and musical star cameos. But the best is seeing this trio of bandmates together again, making dumb comments and bickering, but they also have become more caring towards each other in their old age. They may still be very stupid but still very fun to watch.

Decades after their hit movie and yet another final performance, Spinal Tap is lured out of retirement for another final, final gig. They have all split off in separate ways. Guitarist and singer Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) owns a cheese and guitar store with his wife. The other guitarist and lead singer, David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) works as a composer for true crime podcasts and phone on-hold music (he proudly states his last composition won a “Holdie”). Bassist and singer Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) owns a glue museum. Filmmaker Marty DiBergi (Rob Riener, who also directed and co-wrote) is following the guys around again, but Nigel and David are already at odds while oblivious Derek often just seems happy to be there. With the addition of a new drummer, Didi Crockett (Valerie Franco), because their last 11 drummers all died, they are gearing up for the final show. They are supported by their new manager, Hope (Kerry Godliman) while a sleazy concert promoter, Simon (Chris Addison) belittles every decision the guys make. Even with the arrival of musical legends like Paul McCartney or Elton John may not be enough to make the two guitarists stop feuding and end their comeback before it even begins again.

This movie has quite a lot more artist cameos than the first did, probably because that original movie has gone on to be a beloved classic, especially by touring musicians. The scene in the first film when the band gets lost under the venue, or just the malfunctioning of the equipment during the concerts, is funny and true to life on the road as a band. There is still malfunctioning equipment, like the return of the fake Stonehenge monument (along with the banger song “Stonehenge”), enlarged and almost collapsing. There is also a bit where the crew is rehearsing with a giant prosthetic rear end that has some funny moments when they’re comparing the tone of farts.

One of the more inventive cameo moments is when the band is interviewing for a new drummer and they interview Questlove, who turns it down because he doesn’t want to die. Then Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers passes but then tells them to try Lars Ulrich from Metallica, who then tells them to try Chad, as both drummers are trying to get the other one killed by working for Spinal Tap. The eventual drummer they get, Didi, is a joyful blast of energy, and Franco makes her very likable. Being a drummer in Spinal Tap is terminal but she makes the viewer root for her (her eventual fate is the movie’s closing gag after the credits roll). At one point, Derek awkwardly hits on her and she politely shoots him down. Paul McCartney shows up to motivate the band to play and he is rather chipper, but David can’t listen to Paul because of his own shortcomings, something that David is “very proud of.” Elton John rocks with the band in practice, as the smarmy tour manager asks if Elton has to use the piano. Nigel snaps that the manager should have been paying attention to the last 50 years of music. John gets to eventually be a part of the big Stonehenge number and where he ends up is hilarious.

Addison as the concert promoter makes for a good antagonist, saying it would be great promotion if one of them died. Hope inherited being the band manager when her father, the band’s original manager, passed away and willed her managing the band. As Marty the documentarian, Riener is great at the little asides as even after all these years Spinal Tap still fascinates and confuses him. Shearer as Smalls the bassist is still the dopiest one as he seems completely out of it. His talk about various types of glue in his glue museum is gloriously banal. Guest as Nigel has a funny bit where he explains his shop accepts exchanging guitars for cheese. Still a Primadonna, McKean as David is the guy who thinks all his ideas are great and he is harboring a deep resentment towards Nigel that comes out at a climatic moment. The trio still bounce off each other hilariously, constantly one upping each other’s jokes. But even as bitter as they are, ultimately, they do care about each other as they’ve gotten older.

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues shows that the band is still funny and can still rock, and even in their advanced age as they squabble about various unimportant things. This will generously be remembered as an aside than a critical part of the Spinal Tap story. But this is a fun way to revisit old friends.