I Know It's A Hot Take, But Here's Why Anchorman 2 Is Better Than The Original

I would say that a vast majority of people disagree with my opinions on movies, especially when it comes to sequels.

For example, when people proclaim that Terminator 2 is far superior to the original, I’ll be that one guy who chimes in with, “But is it, though?” Inversely, when people say that the first Ghostbusters is way better than the sequel, I’ll swoop in with a, “Are you sure about that?” Well, in keeping with that, I’m going to say that Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues is better than the original, which I know pretty much nobody agrees with.

Here’s the thing about a hot take: it’s hot for a reason. While some may say that I’m being a contrarian just for attention, I genuinely do think Anchorman 2 is better than the first movie, and for a number of reasons.

First Of All, I Find It Way Funnier Than The Original

Do you want to know something? I love Will Ferrell! But, mostly the old, “Frat Pack” era one who starred in films like Old School, Step Brothers, and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. However, I never understood why people loved Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, even though it also falls into that time period. Yes, it does have a lot of great one-liners, but overall, I never really found it all that funny.

That said, I find its sequel utterly hilarious, and I think it's because it’s even zanier than the first one. The jokes are more surreal, and more consistently weird. For example, one of the funniest moments is when Champ Kind (David Koechner) opens a “chicken” restaurant, only to reveal that he's serving bats on the menu (“But the good quality kind”).

Or the dinner scene where Ron is with his new girlfriend and he’s talking about “bustin’ nuts like a squirrel” to her family. Honestly, I’m probably one of the only people who doesn’t really laugh at the first Anchorman, but who laughs uproariously at the sequel. The jokes just land with me more with this one than in the first movie.

I also like all of Ron’s friends a lot more in this film. I kind of found Steve Carell’s Brick character a bit grating and obnoxious in the first movie, but I really like his courtship with the equally weird Chani (It doesn’t hurt that she’s played by Kristen Wiig). In every way I can think of, I laugh a lot harder with Anchorman 2, but that’s not the only reason why I think it’s the superior film.

I Also Think The Plot Is Much More Interesting

Here’s the thing about the ‘70s: the decade oftentimes was as colorful and as crazy as a movie like Anchorman makes it out to be. Case in point: The Warriors, which actually has a gang of make-up wearing street thugs in baseball uniforms out for blood. Or, what about a movie like Every Which Way But Loose, which sees Clint Eastwood as a bare knuckle brawler with an orangutan? It’s outlandish, but it’s played for laughs and it’s great because it’s so weird. The first Anchorman really leans into that ‘70s weirdness, making the decade like a character in itself.

That said, while the first movie did feature a competent enough plot, I feel like it’s more of a comedy about the ‘70s first, and a plot-driven narrative second. This might be why it’s so hard for me to find it funny, as I often feel like it’s trying too hard. The second movie, though, has a pretty good story, so the jokes are more effective for me.

In this one, Ron gets fired and his wife gets promoted. He then abandons his family, and eventually gets a second chance at a 24-hour news network, where he gets the group together again, even though they all went their separate ways after the last movie. In the end, Ron reconciles with his family, so it has a solid character arc for him.

This makes the plot feel a lot more organic for me, and like the story is more important this time around, which might be why a lot of people find it less funny than the original. But, it works for me, even though it does tend to recycle a few gags from the first movie, which I’ll get into next.

Yes, It Retreads A Few Things From The Original, But It Also Makes Them Bigger And Funnier

I mentioned Brick earlier, and he’s just as dumb as ever. I know this is a character trait of his, but it also feels like they’re treading similar territory as the first movie. This might seem like a bad thing, but I actually view it as a positive this time, and I think it’s because they gave him an equally dim-witted character to bounce these outlandish lines off of, so it almost feels like character growth in a way. He’s not just spouting nonsense like “I love lamp.” He’s actually having conversations.

Or what about the big brawl at the end of the first movie? Yes, they have another big brawl in this movie, but it’s so much bigger, and over-the-top that it feels like a plot point in itself rather than just some ridiculous gag like in the first film.

In this star-studded battle royale, we get so many different news organizations, like ESPN, BBC, and my personal favorite, The History Network, with John C. Reilly as the ghost of Stonewall Jackson. It’s just so much more bombastic this time around, which makes me appreciate it even more since they pushed it past 11.

It's why I would personally include Anchorman 2 on a list of comedies that I would watch when I want to cheer up. I know people don’t look down on the sequel, but I do think many don’t appreciate it enough, because they just think the original is that much better, and it’s definitely time for a rewatch if you’ve come to that conclusion.

Overall, I Think It's A Great, Underappreciated Sequel

Is anybody going to call Anchorman 2 a sequel that is better than the original (Besides me, of course)? Probably not. But, here’s what I’m asking you to do. Give it another shot. Because I honestly feel like it has been all but forgotten. But, unlike the Hangover sequels which genuinely did get worse by the end of the trilogy, I think that Anchorman 2 is an under-appreciated sequel.

It might be because it came out nine years after its predecessor, which is a pretty damn long gap. 2013 is, after all, a far cry from the “frat pack” era of Will Ferrell that we got in 2004, so I understand why some people may have distanced themselves from the bawdy humor that they used to like in the early 2000s.

That said, if you can get yourself in that mindset again, then you might just find Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues to be even funnier (and more cohesive) than the original, like I do.

Or not. I did say that most people don’t agree with my opinions on sequels. But, what do you think?