Anchorman 2: More Campy Comedy That's Sometimes Way Too Over The Top

DETROIT (WWJ) – Ron Burgundy - that is, Will Ferrell dressed as his Anchorman character Ron Burgundy - has been everywhere it seems. He co-anchored an actual evening newscast in North Dakota and he's appeared in ads for the Dodge Durango. No surprise then that Ferrell's new movie "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" has become one of the most talked-about movies of the year.

It's been nine years since the first Burgundy film: "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" opened in theaters. But it wasn't until 2010 that Ferrell and Adam McKay, director/co-writer/producer of Anchorman 2, considered a sequel. According to Ferrell, it took several years before the original Anchorman grew into a phenomenon, which led the two, and producer Judd Apatow, to start work on Anchorman 2.

Listen to my review:

Along with Ferrell, Anchorman 2 brings back the news team of sports guy Champ Kind (David Koechner), man on the street Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) and weatherman Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), along with Burgundy's co-anchor and wife, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate).

In Anchorman 2, the news team moves from reporting the local news in San Diego to helping launch the first global news network, GNN, in New York. So, not only do they have to compete for ratings against traditional networks, they're competing with other GNN news teams, most notably the show anchored by the network's golden boy, Jack Lime (James Marsden).

With the original cast and crew intact, fans of the original Anchorman movie will find a lot to like about the sequel. Yes, there's plenty of campy comedy throughout the film, and I found myself laughing out loud several times, but in some of the scenes, the comedy/acting seems forced: for example, the scenes featuring Carell as Tamland and Kristen Wiig as his newfound love, Chani.

But, Anchorman fans are sure to enjoy the familiar tie-ins to the original film; the news team gang fight is one. That scene alone will undoubtedly bring laughs and smiles from not just the gang fight, but also from the surprise appearances by some of Hollywood's biggest stars, including … oh, wait, I wouldn't dare ruin the surprise.

Rated PG-13.

See you at the movies!

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