Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025) is directed by Rob Reiner, who wrote the script alongside Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer. It stars Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner, Valerie Franco, Kerry Godliman, Chris Addison, June Chadwick, Paul Shaffer, Fran Drescher, Griffin Matthews, Kathreen Khavari, Nina Conti, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Chad Smith, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Lars Ulrich, Questlove, John Michael Higgins, Brad Williams, and Jason ‘Wee Man’ Acuna.

 This sequel follows fictional filmmaker Martin DiBergi (Reiner) as he reunites with Spinal Tap to document the days leading up to their final show. After a 15-year break, Nigel Tufnel (Guest), David St. Hubbins (McKean), and Derek Smalls (Shearer) hesitantly reunite to cement their legacy as the gnarliest rock band of all time. After a few bumps, the trio seems to find its old rhythm, but it’s soon threatened by a combination of old grudges, stiff backs, and a slimy manager (Addison) whose only goal is to milk the band for every last cent they can earn. Fortunately for Spinal Tap, their legacy reaches further than they ever could’ve imagined, providing them a handful of unexpected allies who don’t intend to let the band fade away without the legendary sendoff they deserve. 

Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer return to their iconic roles without missing a beat. Their comedic timing remains surprisingly sharp, and their palpable excitement about reprising these roles is infectious. My primary worry about the film was that, after over 40 years, the trio would feel like entirely different people than the ones we know and love. It makes sense that these characters would change in some significant ways over the course of 4 decades, which they undeniably do. Thankfully, Reiner and the cast intelligently avoid changing any of the hilariously iconic traits we love and remember them for. They keep those traits sacred, I’m happy to report. It’s clear that the cast’s improv skills have only improved, so it’s a bit of a shame that they’re not fully able to recapture the magic of the original film. Considering the original’s comedic appeal is tough to analyze and/or explain, I was somewhat expecting this to be a step down. It ultimately fails to generate the certain X-factor that makes the original such a joy, but it actually gets much closer than I was expecting. 

For the most part, the film avoids shamelessly rehashing the jokes we all know and love. When they do decide to reference those moments, they either provide a clever twist on the joke or develop it in a way that justifies its inclusion. Although not as funny as the original, Spinal Tap II retains the ability to put a big, goofy grin across the viewer’s face. The film never feels like it thinks it’s funnier than it is, which allows it to squeeze every last comedic ounce out of even its dumbest jokes. 

This being a step down comedically seems inevitable, so it’s easy to forgive. The real thing that holds this film back is that it’s missing the very empathetic, human story that made the original satisfying on multiple levels. Instead, it almost entirely relies on fun but often meaningless, lazily connected scenes of the band’s continued nonsense. When the appeal of this comedic schtick starts to fade, there isn’t anything to fall back on. By the end, it feels as if we receive satisfying closure for Spinal Tap as a band, but it leaves a lot to be desired in terms of how it wraps up the stories of each member. The film seems to think that we love Spinal Tap, but doesn’t realize that we love Spinal Tap because of its members. 

The film features appearances by various famous musicians, which often made me roll my eyes. Still, I was surprised to find how much I appreciated the integration of its two most prominent cameos: Paul McCartney and Elton John. In the rock world, everyone knows and loves Spinal Tap, even the greats (apparently). This implied history feels fitting, but it also helps provide a kind of phantom prestige to the band’s music. This helps to further sell the reality of Spinal Tap, often effectively distracting us from how cartoonish they actually are. 

Overall, this is an expected step back from the original, but it’s not an insult by any means. In fact, I think most fans will find it to be a “worthy” sequel despite its handful of flaws. The returning cast is fantastic, despite the long gap between films, and I appreciated how the script portrays the hilarious pitfalls these characters face as they struggle to make rock & roll in the year 2025. The lack of a story is the main thing that holds it back, but if all you want is another 100 minutes with these characters, you’ll find your wish is granted. B-