Review of Spinal Tap II: The End Continues
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025) Dir. Rob Reiner
“These go up to 11”. Who would have thought that from a humble 1984 mock/rock-umentary - itself spun off from a 1978 sketch show - this quote from a dumb guitarist would become part of our global lexicon and beloved by millions. Even if you don’t know its origins, you know the phrase and it’s that impact that demonstrates Spinal Tap’s importance in comedy film history.
For those uninitiated, Spinal Tap is a faux (now real?) band comprising of Christopher Guest (as Nigel Tufnell), Michael McKean (as David St. Hubbins) and Harry Shearer (as Derek Smalls). The comedians and (very good) musicians play as an English heavy metal band whose self-important songs, calamitous tours and angry rehearsals were so recognisable by musicians it quickly became a cult favourite.
But like UK institution that is Alan Partridge, what started as a one-off fictional comic creation has moved into real-life interviews, live shows at Glastonbury and the Royal Albert Hall and follow up appearances across multiple media AND in multiple decades - all expanding upon the film’s regard over the years.
Spinal Tap II catches up with the band after a falling out 15 years previously. And each member now indulges in their suitably comedic new careers - phone hold-music composer, guitar/cheese salesman and glue museum owner (!) But an unfulfilled contract pushes them together for a final/comeback show to try and recreate their musical magic one more time.
The film’s structure mostly apes the style of the original with clips from the past (essentially the previous film), talking head interviews, fly on the wall studio, tour and rehearsal time and a smattering of silly songs from the band.
Off the bat, the film’s nostalgia is pushed pretty much to the forefront. The nods to previous events bring a warm sense of recognition and I can’t deny I loved spending time again with the band themselves. The actors are so good at their roles - and brilliant improvisers - that finding out about their new relationships and dynamics was a huge joy.
Yet, the film isn’t without its drawbacks. No, it’s nowhere near as funny as the original. Some scenes drag despite its short runtime and the celebrity cameos (Paul McCartney & Elton John in the main) raised a smile rather than huge chuckles. The handheld style has been toned down too with Reiner using a much more formal documentary tone which takes away some of the “reality”, but does fit with more modern fare.
But Spinal Tap 2 doesn’t shy from the passing of time and its relevance. Not just on the actors’ worn faces, but their careers, past glories and their place in a contemporary music industry. How they deal with podcasting, Zoom calls and staying in shape with studio exercise questions their significance today, but also play out as funny sequences in themselves.
However, it’s certainly not a serious comment on society by any means . Whilst some jokes are mild and a bit anachronistic, there are visual jokes, witty word-play, surreal situations and hilarious one-liners that kept the joke-count pretty high throughout.
Overall though, and I think this can be true of many films, I don’t think it will convert or even impress anyone that isn’t already a fan. The references to the past and ongoing career, means you have to watch (and probably be a big fan of) the original for a lot to make sense. And owing to an additional 40-year history on top of that, the film is self-referential and possibly impenatrable to newcomers.
But luckily I am a fan. A super fan. This Is Spinal Tap is one of my favourite films of all time. Definitely helped by my experience in a rock band throughout the 2000s. And this was definitely noticeable in my screening which was mostly 40+ male rockers.
So, love Tap? Go and see it. It’s not brilliant BUT most importantly, it isn’t a disappointing delayed legacy sequel. It’s not a Crystal Skull, Zoolander 2 or Matrix Resurrections (All terrible). That recommendation may not be enough for some but I breathed a huge sigh of relief when my first laughs came during the opening few minutes.
Spinal Tap 2 is a solid entertaining rock n roll creation that although doesn’t hit the lofty heights of the original comedy classic, is a fan-focused continuation of their musical odyssey. And contains enough familiarity and heavy duty humour to satisfy many of us older (and big-bottomed) groupies.
4 / 5
★★★★
Michael Sales
X @midlandsmovies
