Do you think David Koechner is constantly pissed off? The original Anchorman crew consisted of he, Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd and Steve Carell. Ferrell was the star; that hasn’t changed. In the interim, however, the stocks of Rudd and Carell have risen to the A-list outskirt range. Both actors have found homes as the main draw in fortysomething comedramas while get to take on challenges like parenting, infidelity, drug abuse and Ryan Gosling; in another universe, Koechner is probably overjoyed to get a part where a kid gives him the finger before quitting. It must be tough when society decides everybody in your peer group is talented except you. “Welcome, David Koechner, to the Ringo Starr Hall of Fame. Please take a seat besides Busy Phillips…”
Ron Burgundy (Ferrell) is back in all his obtuse glory. His San Diego studio and wife let him go and he’s offered a graveyard shift on a new all news network, GNN. Has the timeline finally climbed into the 1980s? I’m not sure. He rounds up his band of merry men, including Brick (Carell) whom he collects while delivering the eulogy at his own funeral.
Anchorman 2 is a silly film. It’s the kind of film in which a national anchor loses a bet and has to change his name to “Jack Lame.” It’s the kind of film in which a mistaken belief over “cruise control” accident is enhanced by scorpions and bowling balls. It’s the kind of film in which a blind man serves hors d’oeuvres straight from the oven consisting of caulk on poker chips. It’s best enjoyed if you’re under the age of 20 or simply think like a ten-year-old boy.
There isn’t a real plot in Anchorman 2. I was surprised we get some social commentary – out of frustration for the 2 a.m. time slot on GNN, Burgundy opts to eschew standard news in favor of the sensational, 
nationalism and cute. There’s no question that the film is taking a poke at current reporting standards – heck, add an ugly paranoia and an uglier resentment of anything resembling equality and you’ve invented Fox News.
The parody isn’t terribly sharp as most of us are too busy rooting for our side to care that news isn’t news any longer … and also because the commentary only exists so the film can have something to do in between gags. As with the first Anchorman, the climactic Battle Royale caught my interest much more than the rest of the film. The expanded set of participant warrior/newspeople cameos were hilarious; now if you can just get Peter Jackson to cameo-direct the action, you might have a four-star film on your hands.
♪ Burgundy
Superstar
No anchor comes close to you, by far
Burgundy
Superstar
Do you think you’re what you say you are?♫
Rated PG-13, 119 Minutes
D: Adam McKay
W: Will Ferrell, Adam McKay
Genre: Ferrell farce
Type of person most likely to enjoy this film: Stoners
Type of person least likely to enjoy this film: Fox News icons
♪Parody inspired by “Superstar”
