Studio: Decal Bleecker
Release Date: 11/11/2025
Rating: R
Film Grade: C-
The Story: It’s been 15 years since the last time Spinal Tap performed in concert, but a contractual obligation has forced the band to reunite for one final performance. To document the historic event, director Marty DiBergi once again decides to film the trials and tribulations of the band, some 40 plus years after their first collaboration.
My Take: I saw the original movie with a friend of mine and his girlfriend when this first came out way back in 1984. Any concerns about being the third wheel in this arrangement were quickly erased when he and I started laughing our butts off at the absolute insanity that unfolded, while she remained silent the entire time. It turned out that she had no idea that Spinal Tap wasn’t a real band, thereby missing out on all the comedy. Even if she had gotten it, it wasn’t her kind of humor, but my buddy and I loved it. It was our first introduction to the mockumentary genre, and what a special intro it was. Filled with an abundance of quotable lines, silly events, and surprisingly competent musical performances, it was a revelation.
Years later, I was able to talk to two of the three band members on a national call-in radio show, which was a big thrill. And after some more years passed, my wife and I attended their amazing Unwigged and Unplugged concert that featured actors Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer appearing as themselves, covering their Tap music among other pieces. That performance was filmed and later put out on DVD, so you might even say I’ve appeared with the group. (Yes, that’s a huge stretch, but I’m still counting it.) It’s with that background that I felt some trepidation after watching the trailer for this eagerly anticipated sequel.
The movie reunites the acting trio with director/performer Rob Reiner as DiBergi. The four of them are also credited with writing the script. For the original movie, almost all of the dialog was adlibbed, centered around general circumstances and events, giving it a natural, unrehearsed feel and allowing the creativity to flow freely. While the same was said to have happened here, it doesn’t come across the same way, with deliveries feeling flat, slow, and without bite. In general, lifeless.
The other thing that hurts the movie is the inclusion of actual rock music talent. Major segments featuring Paul McCartney and Elton John, and cameos by Chad Smith, Chris Addison, Lars Ulrich and Questlove, all pull focus from the stars. This is especially evident with McCartney and John, with them praising the group. Do we really benefit from having McCartney extol the literature-level lyrics of Big Bottom? Or John performing with them? It’s as if they aren’t in on the joke. This was wisely avoided in the original movie. Such appearances could have worked, had they taken the step to include spontaneous off-camera moments with the real stars either berating the band or showing their complete ignorance of them, cementing Tap’s status as D-listers.
Instead of shoehorning in legit musical talent, the film could have benefitted from giving returning secondary characters more time. There are a handful of short scenes with some updates from the original cast, but they felt shallow and ultimately unnecessary. This points out another problem with the film; the use of clips from the first movie only serves to remind the viewer of the brilliance that’s missing in this follow up.
The film does bring in some new, but mostly forgettable, faces. Kerry Godliman plays Hope, the daughter of Ian Faith (Tony Hendra’s presence is sorely missed here), but she’s little more than a plot device. On the other hand, Chris Addison offers the one bright spot of the movie as a shady promoter named Simon Howler. It’s the one role that still provides the acidic bite of the first film by offering crass marketing ideas that are only slightly outlandish. This is where the movie lost some of its bite, as it could have mined more of these opportunities that are ripe for satire. Crypto is an easy target that is touched upon but not developed. Instead, we get a stale reference to Stormy Daniels that falls completely flat.
There are some smaller moments that work in ways similar to the first film. Catching up with the band members before they reunite is a nice touch. It’s amusing to see Nigel in his new store and David discuss his current musical endeavors, while Derek’s museum plays far too broadly. There’s another equipment discussion between Nigel and Marty that feels a little too close to the “goes to eleven” segment that feel too familiar.
Visuals: Shot with two digital cameras, the picture quality on this disc is fantastic. Great colors, contrast, and deep blacks. This is starkly evident when contrasted with the clips used from the first movie. There are a few instances where I wish the camera would have backed off a bit on the closeups, but these scenes show off good skin tones and detail. There’s nothing to fault in the video presentation.
Audio: Like the movie itself, the DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix (sorry, no
Dobly here) is lifeless and disappointing. Heavy bass songs are missing impact. The bright spot is the dialog, which is always clear and intelligible, which is the most critical thing for this kind of movie.
Most of the musical numbers are rehashes from the first movie and their second album. The few new pieces aren’t given much of a chance to shine, and even the themes of death and dying feel stale and cheap.
Special Features: None.
Final Verdict: Nostalgia can be a double-edged sword. In this case, the desire to recapture something from decades earlier can be a powerful draw, but trying to live up to those memories creates a lofty goal. The cast gives it a go, but despite the throwback references included, the sequel never reaches the same level of comedy, satire, or edginess of that first movie. If anything, it plays things far too safe.
There’s a built-in audience for this movie, as my old friend and I discussed how much we were looking forward to it, eager to reexperience that feeling when we watched the first one. After seeing it, I can’t help but feel it was aimed at someone like his old girlfriend. She would definitely get the jokes this time and might even find them easily digestible. Unfortunately, it didn’t scratch the nostalgia itch for me, and it couldn’t illicit more than a light occasional chuckle out of me. While the first film was eminently quotable, nothing really sticks with this one once it’s short, 83-minute runtime has passed.
Mildly recommended for fans of the original that want to see what’s happened in the decades that followed. There are some aspects that almost reclaim that spirit and the cast looks like they’re having fun while playing music together. Fans of Paul McCartney and Elton John may also get a kick out of their appearances as well. Go in with low expectations to get the most out of it.
Unintentionally Fitting Quote: “It was a thrill ride that I wish I could enjoy more. . .”
My Review System:JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 117” Width with Infinitely Variable Height
Monolith by Monoprice HTP-1 16 Channel Processor with Dirac Live
Monolith by Monoprice 7x200 Watts Amp
Monolith by Monoprice 3x200 Watts + 6x100 Watts Amp
JBL Studio 590 for Left, Center, Right, Wides, and Rears
JBL Studio 580 for Side Surrounds
JBL Studio SCS 8 for Tops
JTR Captivator 1400 Subwoofer X 4
Panasonic DP-UB420 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
Oppo BDP-93
NVIDIA Shield Android TV - 4K
Xbox One X
HTPC Running madVR (work in progress)
Remote: URC MX-780
Mini DSP 2X4 HD controlling all subwoofers
APC S15 Power Conditioner with Battery Backup
1 Replies
206 Views