Zoolander/Zoolander 2 Review

Zoolander/Zoolander 2

Release Date: 1st November 2001 - Australia
                        (Zoolander)

                        11th February 2016 - Australia
                        (Zoolander 2)

Production Companies

Paramount Pictures (present)

Village Roadshow Pictures (present) (Zoolander Only)

VH1 Films (in association with) (Zoolander Only)

NPV Entertainment (in association with) (Zoolander Only)

Red Hour Films

Scott Rubin Productions

Distribution 

Roadshow Distribution (Zoolander Only)

Paramount Pictures Australia (Zoolander 2 Only)

Genre: Comedy

Rating: M

Runtime: 96 minutes
                (Zoolander)

                102 minutes
                (Zoolander 2)


Budget: $28,000,000
              (Zoolander)
              $50,000,000
              (Zoolander 2)

Box Office Gross: 
$60,780,981 (Worldwide) (Zoolander)
$56,722,693 (Worldwide)
(Zoolander 2)

Plot Summaries

ZOOLANDER

Zoolander is the most 

beautiful creature in the 

world and nearly as good 

looking as he thinks he is... 

With the face of an angel, 

the looks of a God and 

the brain of a single cell 

amoeba, Zoolander is the 

most famous face in the 

world; winning the 'Male 

Model of the Year' award 

3 years running. And he 

knows he's shoo-in this 

year. But a hot new 

contender has just hit 

the catwalks- Hansel. 

One name, no brain.

Now this pair of vain, 

vacuous airheads are 

about to contend fashion 

world's most catty 

contest- the 'catwalk-off'. 

Someone is going to get 

his hair messed up! But 

before the gel has time 

to set, a crazed fashion 

designer hatches a plot 

to brainwash Zoolander 

into committing a crime 

more heinous than bad 

fashion sense.

ZOOLANDER 2

Once the world's most 

famous models, Derek 

Zoolander and Hansel 

are old news - in fact, 

they're the source of 

amusement. The hottest 

supermodel on the circuit 

now is an androgynous-

looking model who goes 

by the name of All. 

They're disheartened, but 

that changes when they're 

contacted by Interpol 

agent Montana Grosso. 

She wants to recruit Derek 

and Hansel to help her 

find the criminal mastermind 

who is killing the world's 

most beautiful people, 

including Justin Bieber, 

Demi Lovato, Usher and 

Miley Cyrus. They all died 

with Derek's signature 

look - Blue Steel - on their 

faces. 

The male models are thrilled 

to be asked to infiltrate the 

world of high fashion, but 

Montana comes to question 

her decision when she sees 

their methods. (Source - Metro Cinemas)

Cast

Ben Stiller - Derek Zoolander

Owen Wilson - Hansel

Will Ferrell - Mugatu

Christine Taylor - Matilda Jeffries

Milla Jovovich - Katinka

Jerry Stiller - Maury Ballstein

Nathan Lee Graham - Todd

Billy Zane - Himself (Cameo)

Tommy Hilfiger - Himself (Cameo)

Lenny Kravitz - Himself (Cameo)

Justin Theroux - Evil DJ

Zoolander Only

David Duchovny - J. P. Prewitt

Jon Voight - Larry Zoolander

Judah Friedlander - Scrappy Zoolander

Alexander Manning - Brint

Asio Highsmith - Rufus

Alexander Skarsgård - Meekus

Donald Trump - Himself (Cameo)

Christian Slater - Himself (Cameo)

Tom Ford - Himself (Cameo)

Cuba Gooding Jr. - Himself (Cameo)

Steve Kmetko - Himself (Cameo)

Natalie Portman - Herself (Cameo)

Fabio - Himself (Cameo)

Gwen Stefani - Herself (Cameo)

Heidi Klum - Herself (Cameo)

DJ Mark Ronson - Himself (Cameo)

Paris Hilton - Herself (Cameo)

David Bowie - Himself (Cameo)

Tyson Beckford - Himself (Cameo)

Fred Durst - Himself (Cameo)

Lance Bass - Himself (Cameo)

L'il Kim - Herself (Cameo)

Garry Shandling - Himself (Cameo)

Stephen Doriff - Himself (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Sandra Bernhard - Herself (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Victoria Beckham - Herself (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Emma Bunton - Herself (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Veronica Webb - Herself (Cameo)

Lukas Haas - Himself (Cameo)

Carmen Kass - Herself (Cameo)

Frankie Ryder - Herself (Cameo)

Little Kings - Themselves (Cameo)

Matt Levin - Archie

Andy Dick - Olga the Masseuse

Woodrow Asai - Prime Minister 

of Malaysia

James Marsden - John Wilkes Booth (Cameo)

Vince Vaughn - Larry Zoolander (Cameo)

Zoolander 2 Only

Penélope Cruz - Melanie

Kristen Wiig - Alexanya Atoz

Cyrus Arnold - Derek Jr.

Kyle Mooney - Don Atari

Beck Bennett - Geoff Mile
John Malkovich - Skip Taylor (Cameo)

Justin Bieber - Himself (Cameo)

Sting - Himself (Cameo)

Benedict Cumberbatch - All

Susan Boyle - Herself (Cameo)

Katy Perry - Herself (Cameo)

Neil deGrasse Tyson - Himself (Cameo)

Susan Sarandon - Herself (Cameo)

Joe Jonas - Himself (Cameo)

Macaulay Culkin - Himself (Cameo)

Demi Lovato - Herself (Cameo)

Kiefer Sutherland - Himself (Cameo)

Matt Lauer - Himself (Cameo)

Anna Wintour - Herself (Cameo)

Katie Couric - Herself (Cameo)

Lewis Hamilton - Himself (Cameo)

Natalie Morales - Herself (Cameo)

M.C. Hammer - Himself (Cameo)

Skrillex - Himself (Cameo)

Christine Amanpour - Herself (Cameo)

Valentino Garavani - Himself (Cameo)

Marc Jacobs - Himself (Cameo)

Don Lemon - Himself (Cameo)

Alexander Wang - Himself (Cameo)

Jourdan Dunn - Herself (Cameo)

Crew (*/**)

Based on Characters (**)/
Story/Screenplay/Producer/
Director - Ben Stiller

Based on Characters (**)/
Story/Screenplay (*) - Drake Sather

Screenplay - John Hamburg,
Justin Theroux (**) and
Nicolas Stoller (**)

Executive Producers - Joel 

Gallen, Adam Schroeber 
and Lauren Zalaznick

Producers - Scott Rudin, 

Stuart Cornfeld and 
Clayton Towsend (**)

Co-Producer/Unit Production 

Manager - Celia Costas (*)

Production Designers -
Robin Standefer (*) and
Jeff Mann (**)

Costume Designers - David
C. Robinson (*) and Leesa Evans (**)

Directors of Photography - Barry Peterson (*)
and Dan Mindel (**)

Editor - Greg Hayden

Music Supervisors - Randall Poster (*)
and George Drakoulias

Music - David Arnold (*) and Theodore Shapiro (**)

Review

This is the second time I've reviewed two features in a single post, I was hoping to see 'Kung Fu Panda 3' at the movies when I ended up watching 'ZOOLANDER 2' instead. It's time to shine the spotlight on 'ZOOLANDER 1' and '2' in a double feature critique as the two movies were a product of genius by comedic actor Ben Stiller. He not only acted as the title character but wrote, produced and directed the movies which I've ranked them below in order.

ZOOLANDER

In the first 'ZOOLANDER', it wasn't painful or anything like that at all, but the picture was a stylish showcase for Ben Stiller in his handling of pure laughter. He has the character portrayed as an endless parody to all male models who would trade their intelligence for their own good looks. I liked how Stiller got all the aspects in the satire movie apart from the title character he's portrayed. This includes the humour, the cast and even the celebrities who have guested on this picture. Owen Wilson, his real-to-life wife Christine Taylor and his real-to-life father Jerry Stiller are among some of its actors in its glorious ensemble cast. The one actor that may be worth mentioning is Will Ferrell who acts deliciously as the highly flamboyant and evil Mugatu who may be both as silly and evil in trying to upstage Mike Myers' Dr. Evil in the 'Austin Powers' series.

Some of the celebrity guest stars that are featured include the late David Bowie, Billy Zane, the infamous Donald Trump and others whose credentials have been boosted on this brand comedy. Finally, the part of 'ZOOLANDER' that I've liked in its well-processed amusement is the fight at the gas station which ends in a explosive finale that is to say that it's a highly unforgettable scene.

I think the original 'ZOOLANDER' has taken the stylish satire to great heights. It was wonderful for me to have seen it at home. Buy it, rent it or see it however you can, this movie is highly recommendable to all audiences.

Star rating: (9/10) Excellent Movie 

ZOOLANDER 2

It's been fifteen years since 'Zoolander' is built to have the largest appeal to a comedy for all the adults. I have grown very sceptic about 2016's sequel to the amazing cult classic. Many of us are expecting that it could be one of the less-fortunate sequels. Maybe the prediction about it came true after all and though the trailer was a huge stand-out. Mainly because of the part where Justin Bieber is killed in having the crowd (excluding fans) cheer for his fictional demise. Sadly, it wasn't enough that 'ZOOLANDER 2' has the gags that were mostly recycled from the original in a cheap fashion. There were a few jokes that were funny or at least some weren't there at all or were offensive and sad to begin with. The film relied too heavily on celebrity cameos that featured Sting, Susan Boyle, Kiefer Sutherland and many other talents. 

It is good that we've got Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson and Will Ferrell returning as some of the original characters conceived from the original 'Zoolander'. These two were back as the eponymous model hero and his rival turned companion in their idiocy, while Ferrell again plays as the twisted and comical mastermind of evil. These middle-aged actors have done all they can to revisit the glorious moments but they couldn't rescue of what is missing in this whole unstylish sequel. Even with the new actors like Penélope Cruz and Kristen Wiig are a huge waste of talent to Stiller's weak script and woeful direction of the sequel. 

All things being said, I would watch 'Zoolander 1' again instead of re-watching the second installment. People should stay away from this bloated attempt of a sequel.

Star rating: (4/10) Below Average

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