NEIGHBORS 2: SORORITY RISING (2016) REVIEW

I went into Neighbors 2 not expecting too much because I knew what I was getting myself into: a comedy sequel that was trying to rehash jokes from the original and keep the same basic formula that worked in the previous film… or so I thought. Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is not a sequel just to make money. It has something to say, it’s fun, original and most importantly, hilarious.

The movie’s premise is simple enough: a sorority moves into the house next to Mac (Seth Rogan) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) as they are trying to sell their home. The couple turns to their former neighbor, Teddy (Zac Efron) for help to break up the sisterhood. The movie quickly becomes unique in addressing the issue of sexism. In the United States, sororities cannot legally host parties, the members must go to fraternities to “party” and socialize. This rule is sexist and the movie really hits it right on. It jokes about sexism (towards both men and women), which makes the movie feel like more of a social commentary than a sequel to a successful comedy about fraternities.

Neighbors 2 is also original in its jokes. It doesn’t recycle too many of the successful bits from the first film. The airbag gag is used but only sparingly (and let’s be honest, it’s always funny). The movie has all kinds of comedy init as well, from slapstick to raunchy to racial. The comedy may be great; but the story is even better. Usually in comedies like these, the conflict of the film is solved pretty predictably. In Neighbors 2 the audience is shown both sides of the conflict (the sorority vs. the neighbors) and can see how both sides are right. In a Q&A with Nicholas Stoller following the film, he addressed this. He said that in comedy, all the characters should be likeable. He explained that if there is a clear-cut villain, it is difficult to make that character likeable and funny with the audience cheering against them. In Neighbors 2, there is no villain, which makes the film funnier but it also adds a rich, unpredictable story.

Another great thing about Neighbors 2 is that it approaches it’s depiction of Greek life so well that it becomes both nostalgic for those who have been involved in Greek life and relatable for those who haven’t. There are scenes with alcohol, drugs and partying, but there are also scenes where the characters come together as a sisterhood. This combination was apparent in the first film as well, and I was very pleased they continued to truly understand what Greek life is about.

Now the real question: Is Neighbors 2 as good or better than the first film? It depends. I certainly enjoyed the story in Neighbors 2 better than in the original, so if you were looking for a better movie, I would say yes. If you’re asking me if it’s funnier than the original, the answer is no. While still hilarious, Neighbors 2 is slightly tainted if only slightly by the fact that they used all of the more obvious jokes in the first film. Don’t worry though, it will still keep you laughing from beginning to end and the film is filled with guest stars like Kelsey Grammer, Hannibal Buress and Selena Gomez. Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is one of the best comedic sequels in recent memory. It is smart, quirky, and original. B

Directed by Nicolas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah marchall, Get Him to the Greek, Neighbors)

Starring: Seth Rogan, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ike Barinholtz, Kiersay Clemens and Dave Franco