American Pie 2

One year has passed, the school year is over, and all the guys are back in American Pie 2. It's a pretty amazing feat that the entire cast and many of the supporting characters all appear in the sequel, although some have roles that amount to little more than extended cameos. American Pie 2 picks up right where the first one left off, with the guys still on the prowl for sex. In fact, the sequel essentially uses the first as a template. It is funny and it is outrageous, but is so just like the first one. There is not much original, it's just the same thing over again. What American Pie 2 has going for it is some heart behind the toilet humor, so because of that it is better than the legion of cheap imitators.

As an ensemble, the actors have good chemistry together. They are basically riding the coattails of American Pie, skimming merrily along. After one year, there has been no real change at all. Same faces, same personalities, zero growth. In fact, for people who did not see American Pie, much of American Pie 2 will make no sense. It is full of inside jokes and references to the first film. Like the original, the main focus is on Jim, and Biggs again must deal with horribly embarrassing moments as he navigates through the summer. The shock value of the best jokes are not there, and there are fewer memorable lines and scenes than the first. So while American Pie 2 may be fun to watch, it will be hard to remember long.