Film Review - Bad Neighbours 2: Sorority Rising (2016)

Like many comedy sequels, Bad Neighbours 2: Soroity Rising, falls into the trap of telling exactly the same story and jokes as it did in the original albeit with a slight twist. In The Hangover 2 the twist was that the characters were going through the same ordeal only this time in Bangkok, here Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne‘s sleepless couple are kept awake not by a frat house next door but a sorority.

The first film, while not bringing anything new to the table, was rather funny, with Rogen, Byrne and Zac Efron providing excellent comedic performances. Here they are ed by Chloë Grace Moretz who despite being a very good actress fails to bring the laughs. The film tells the story of the Randers, a couple with a little daughter and another on the way. They’ve successfully sold their house, however at the last minute they find out the buyers could pull out in next 30 days. Unfortunately for them a party eager sorority move in next door; the Randers, who have already bought their new home, must try and get this sorority to keep the noise down (or move) or they could end up owening two homes and could easily go broke.

The film sets up the sorority as the villains but at the same time pretends to have a feminist agenda saying that girls have just as much right to party as boys. This is a perfectly decent point, the film states that frat houses are allowed to hold parties while sororities are not. This could make for a good film, especially if the sorority that wanted to party was rebelling against the Collage or the Dean but when they are working against a young family who might become homeless it becomes hard to care whether they have the right to party or not.

The film could have gotten away with it if it were only funnier but if you’ve seen the first film you’ve seen all the jokes and hijinks before. There are a few chuckles here and there but nothing to save this sour mess of a film.

The leads are all still likeable but Bad Neighbours 2 fails to amuse enough to warrant a complete rehash of the first film.