Review: Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025)

The talented actors and performers behind This Is Spinal Tap--Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer and Michael McKean--have lost not of their wit over the years. Unfortunately Spinal Tap II: The End Continues gives them very little to do. Even worse, whereas the first Spinal Tap movie from 1984 has become a classic for being a clever takedown of the rock star ego, this sequel, which arrives 41 years later, lacks just about everything that made the original so beloved. There are very few new songs, with the cast and director Rob Reiner (or is that Marty DiBergi?) opting instead for a leisurely-paced walk down memory lane in which pretty much every song from the first movie is re-presented here in a mellower, stripped-down version. 

Instead of parodying the hubris of the rock gods, this film seeks to get cozy with them by adding high-profile appearances by Paul McCartney and Elton John, both of whom sing Spinal Tap songs. In short, Spinal Tap II lacks teeth--and no, that's not an elderly joke, though it might as well be. For me, the funniest moments of the entire movie come as outtakes over the closing credits, which prove that the characters of Nigel Tufnel, Derek Smalls, and David St. Hubbins are still vital and sharp. Unfortunately, this movie is little more than a sentimental walk down memory lane with all their famous friends.