Anchorman 2: the Legend Continues

Nearly a decade after Will Ferrell created the character of silly sexist newsman Ron Burgundy in Anchorman, he continues the legend with this rib-tickling tale of the moustachioed misogynist's involvement in 24-hour news. Estranged from wife (and news rival) Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) Ron is thrust into the arms of a New York network exec (Meagan Good) and her fledgeling rolling news channel. As ever, Ferrell (who again co-wrote the script with director Adam McKay) delights in flouting political correctness, with this "Supersized" version of the film boasting "763 new jokes" - some of which deserved to stay on the cutting room floor. For the most part, though, Ron's bouts of verbal diarrhoea are still eccentrically florid and there's great banter with old cohorts Brian Fantana (a strutting Paul Rudd), Champ Kind (David Koechner) and witless weatherman Brick Tamland (a goggle-eyed Steve Carell). But a romantic subplot that pairs Carell and Bridesmaids star Kristen Wiig is less sparkling, and towards the end a drift into Free Willy territory (with a shark not a whale) threatens to drag the film under. Ferrell's penchant for silliness is at it's best earlier in the movie through the satirical swipes at the dumbing-down of TV news. It's here that, even if Burgundy has lost a bit of shock value, the craziness still feels scathingly current.