Netflix released the “Happy Gilmore” sequel today on Netflix, with the film seemingly not available to screen ahead of time for press, as no reviews were up when it went live.
Now, enough have come in that the film has hit the review aggregators with the title scoring 61% on Rotten Tomatoes with critics and 74% with audiences, along with 52/100 on Metacritic with critics and 4.8/10 with audiences.
In other words, a very mixed reception it seems, with much of the criticism levelled at it being a movie more about fan service and nostalgia than any real reason for existing.
Kyle Newacheck helms the film which sees Adam Sandler reprising his iconic role from the 1996 original along with actors like Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen and Ben Stiller reprising their parts as well.
Here’s a sampling of reviews:
“Between Happy’s family life and a whole new series of challenges for him to tackle, there’s enough freshness to the plot to keep it from feeling like a total rehash of what came before, while still delivering wild golf stunts and a huge range of cameos.” – Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence
“Sandler’s desire to go low had always been an aesthetic choice, a conscious embrace of the elemental in himself. He was American screen comedy’s first and greatest cathartically disreputable Jewish punk-rock comedian. In “Happy Gilmore 2,” he still is.” – Owen Gleiberman, Variety
“These are all big questions, if occasionally funny ones, and ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ attempts to answer them with humor and a touch of sadness. More often than not, it makes the shot. Thirty years on, that’s not too bad of a comeback.” – Kate Erbland, Indiewire
“The rule for sequels is: give them the same, only different. Happy Gilmore 2 adheres to this concept beautifully, along with doling out enough blatant fan service to choke a one-eyed alligator.” – David Fear, Rolling Stone
“For the generations who still quote summer comedies from eons ago (ahem), Sandler’s second round offers a refreshing trip down memory lane.” – Andrew Lawrence, The Guardian
“Director Kyle Newacheck, taking over for the original’s Dennis Dugan, keeps things moving as quickly as he can, given the sprawling cast and truckload of cameos.” – Jesse Hassenger, AV Club
“The result is less a continuation than an exercise in fan service. If you’re watching Happy Gilmore 2 at home, don’t be surprised if some of the castmembers show up at your door offering autographed pictures for a fee.” – Frank Scheck, THR
“Arguably the least inspired film in the actor’s canon, if not all of movie history.” – Nick Schager, The Daily Beast
“Happy Gilmore 2” is now available on Netflix.
