by Karyn L. Beach

Hamlet 2 arrives in theatres with posters lauding how funny it is. “Dementedly hilarious!” and “Comedy Heaven.” With reviews like that I expected to be rolling in the aisles. I wasn’t; but that didn’t mean I didn’t laugh and laugh a lot.

For those of you who slept through English Lit, all the principles are dead by the end of Hamlet, one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays. Yet, failed actor, recovering alcoholic and broke drama teacher Dana Marschz (Steve Coogan) is up to the challenge when he finds out that the school is cutting the drama program. He decided, at the urging of the high school drama critic (Shea Pepe) to stop remaking popular movies (the last school play was a dreadful version of Erin Brockovich) and do the legendary sequel.

In addition to his two adoring drama students (Skylar Astin and Phoebe Strole ), he has a class full of Latino students from another school to round out the cast. In the spirit of Dangerous Minds, Stand and Deliver and Dead Poets Society, Dana decides to ‘inspire’ his students through drama. But when the school gets wind of some of his ideas: group sex with presidential candidates, homosexual makeout sessions between Satan and the president, and of course, Sexy Jesus, the school and the community say, “No way.” But as any good actor knows, the show must go on!
The movie opens with some funny commercials and a guest-starring role that marked the high points of his ‘career.’ Coogan is a very funny guy and the comedy is a mix of physical and verbal that hits a lot more often than it misses.

Adding to the fun are a dry Catherine Kenner as Dana’s wife Brie and David Arquette as their border (they are so broke they take him in for the rent money). The movie also features Elizabeth Shue playing Elizabeth Shue, who’s left Hollywood behind to become a nurse in Tucson.

I guess if I had a problem with Hamlet 2 is that it didn’t go far enough. The movie is being promoted as a politically incorrect opus bound to offend everybody and on that level it never really succeeds. By the end of Rock Me Sexy Jesus the Christian protesters were singing along as Sexy Jesus moonwalks across water.

Nevertheless Hamlet 2 is a sequel worth viewing. I only hope that the Hollywood execs don’t take a cue from Hamlet 2 and start remaking other impossible sequels: Romeo and Juliet – The Afterlife, Reservoir Dogs Bark Back, and Thelma and Louise Ride Again.