REVIEW: Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising Does No Such Rising
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is the unneeded follow up to 2014’s Neighbors. The original film raked in $240 million globally which meant, from Universal’s perspective, it warranted a sequel. However, Sorority Rising falls flat.
In Neighbors 2, Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) are preparing to sell their home, but need to make it through escrow first. Essentially the pair have thirty days to keep the sorority who moved in next door, Kappa Nu, from doing anything to scare the new buyers away.
Kappa Nu, led by Chloe Grace Moretz, is a newly formed sorority that wants to be able to hold parties just like the fraternities, leading the Kappa Nu sisters to move off campus and into the old Delta Psi Beta house. The sisters soon realize their neighbors are preventing them from making the money they need to keep their sorority house by asking them not to party or make much noise until Mac and Kelly’s escrow is up.
Leading her first raunchy comedy, Chloe doesn’t keep up with the movie’s alumni (Rogen, Zac Efron, Dave Franco, etc). The character spends more time spewing dialogue that never hits the humorous mark. The other sisters are forgettable with not a standout in the bunch.
Like the first movie, Mac and Kelly go to war with the women of Kappa Nu, only this time, Teddy (Efron) is there to help out. The return of the first film’s three stars provide some entertaining chemistry but there isn’t enough story for them to work with. Too much jumping from plot point to plot point and too many unfunny jokes prevent the movie from finding its ground.
The first film worked because of the outrageous pranks and shocking events but in the second everything feels tired. Zac, Seth and Rose have a small number of enjoyable scenes but they are few and far between.
If you know going into this movie that there is no real plot and only a handful of good laughs than this movie is for you. However, this is definitely a film better suited to watch at home, On Demand.
Grade: C