It's been over 40 years since Marty DiBergi first pointed his camera at “England's loudest band,” and honestly, I thought that was the end of it. The mockumentary, This is Spinal Tap, wasn't just a film; it was a cultural touchstone, a masterclass in comedic timing, and frankly, one of the few truly perfect comedies of the last half-century. Every line, every bizarre anecdote, every moment of utter cluelessness from Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer cemented its place in the pantheon. So, when news of Spinal Tap II: The End Continues first broke, my initial reaction was, predictably, a groan. Another sacred cow milked dry, I figured. Another attempt to recapture lightning in a bottle, only to find the bottle's cracked and the lightning's long gone.
And then the official trailer dropped.
Bleecker Street has snatched up the rights, setting a September 12 theatrical release date. That alone is interesting. An early September release, especially for a comedy, often signals a potential festival run. Could we see this pop up as a late addition to TIFF? It's not out of the realm of possibility. Toronto has a soft spot for the unexpected.
The premise, as expected, sees the fictional heavy metal group reuniting after two decades for one last hurrah. Rob Reiner, bless his heart, is back as the documentarian Marty DiBergi, pulling the strings behind the camera. And yes, Guest, McKean, and Shearer are all returning as David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls. That's the core, and without it, there'd be no point. What is intriguing, though, are the cameos: Elton John, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, and Trisha Yearwood. A curious mix, to be sure, but one that hints at the kind of self-aware silliness that made the original sing.
Reiner, of course, had an almost unbelievable run in the '80s and early '90s. We often forget just how consistent he was: This is Spinal Tap, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, A Few Good Men. That's an eight-year streak that few directors, then or now, could ever hope to match. It was a period of unadulterated quality.
Then… well, then came the last 25 years. LBJ, The Bucket List, Flipped, The Story of Us, Alex and Emma, Rumor Has It, And So It Goes, Being Charlie, Ghost of Mississippi, Shock and Awe, The Magic of Belle Isle. It's a list that reads like a catalogue of cinematic mediocrity, a long, winding road of uninspired choices and utterly forgettable films. There's no sugarcoating it; his output has been, to put it mildly, terrible. Unadorned mediocrity.
So, the question remains: Can Reiner, along with the original cast, rekindle the magic? The whole gang is back, and that counts for a lot. Comedy sequels are a tricky beast. They often fall flat on their face, trying too hard to rehash old jokes or leaning too heavily on nostalgia. But Spinal Tap wasn't just about jokes; it was about character, about the inherent absurdity of show business, and about the tragicomic nature of aging rock stars convinced of their own enduring relevance.
Perhaps, just perhaps, Spinal Tap II will be the exception. Maybe, after all these years of aimless filmmaking, Reiner has rediscovered his comedic touch. Or maybe, the sheer collective brilliance of Guest, McKean, and Shearer will carry it through. We'll know soon enough.
