‘Murder Mystery 2’ On Netflix Movie Review: Jennifer Aniston-Adam Sandler’s Romcom Rides High On One-Off Jokes

Director: Jeremy Garelick

Cast: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Mark Strong, Adeel Akhtar, Mélanie Laurent, Jodie Turner-Smith, John Kani, Kuhoo Verma, Dany Boon, Enrique Arce, Zurin Villanueva, Annie Mumolo, Tony Goldwyn

Available On: Netflix

Duration: 1 Hour 29 Minutes

‘Murder Mystery 2’: Story

Full-time detectives Nick (Adam Sandler) and Audrey (Jennifer Aniston) are struggling to get their private eye agency off the ground. They find themselves at the centre of an international abduction when their friend Maharaja, is kidnapped at his own lavish wedding. Will the two be able to solve the mystery of the kidnapping? Or will they themselves become the chief suspects ending?up behind the bars? Well, you’ll have to watch the movie to find out.

‘Murder Mystery 2’: Performances

Jennifer Aniston picks up right from where she left the first part. After a few years, usually actors grow and they tend to see the same character in a different light. However, she is spot on when it comes to getting the slapstick part of the romcom onscreen. The little nuances she manages to bring into the character make you want to keep watching her over and over.

Adam Sandler with his antics is super fun. He brings liveliness to the character that it demands. The spontaneity that he brings to the character is fantastic.

Enrique Arce, despite having a minimal character, makes it memorable. You’re bound to remember his character from ‘Money Heist’ after watching this.

Mark Strong, Mélanie Laurent, Adeel Akhtar, and the other supporting cast don’t have too much of a storyline to even demand a mention.

‘Murder Mystery 2’: Script, Direction & Technical Aspects

James Vanderbilt’s writing is funny and brings in the necessary punches at the right junctures. However, the supporting characters are not as fleshed out as they were in the first film. It seems like the story wants to rush to the climax so as to capture the entire sequence atop the Eiffel Tower. In the previous film, every supporting character had a lot more to do, and you’re actually left confused as to who is behind the murders. Here that jolt of surprise of missing as the characters aren’t that well defined.

Jeremy Garelick takes you on another fun adventure like Kyle Newacheck did in the first part. This time the director pans across Paris and some exotic south-Asian islands. However, what’s missing this time is the surprise element. Firstly, Vanderbilt’s not built up on the supporting characters, so you’re not actually suspecting any one of them for the murder. To add to that Garelick doesn’t put in the necessary twists needed to give this romcom a necessary murder mystery twist. Till the very end, the first part had the twists coming one after the other. However, this one simply lacked that.

The cinematography by Bojan Bazelli is exquisite. From the fast chase sequences to the drone shots atop the Eiffel Tower, everything has been so nicely brought to screen that even if there are scenes which have been done on VFX, you’re not complaining. The way he has managed to get the locales to tell the story is brilliant. Every city the story hops on to has been blended so well with the storyline that it makes you feel like you’re actually there with the characters.

The editing by Tom Costain and Brian Robinson is taut and doesn’t let the story sag for even a bit. It jumps right into the problems of the lead pair, and the very next instant you’re in the middle of the storyline where the murder happens. Very precise and to the point, which makes the viewing even more fun.

Rupert Gregson-Williams’ music is nothing out of the ordinary. There is not a single point where you’re left gasping and the music just upholds the tension even further.

‘Murder Mystery 2’: Can Kids Watch It?

Yes

Outlook’s Verdict

‘Murder Mystery 2’ is a fine addition to the franchise. Jennifer Aniston is hilarious in every shot, and she is so ably supported by Adam Sandler’s antics. The two make a pair which will never let you feel bored. However, if you have to compare the film to the first part, this one slightly falls a bit lesser in the storyline, considering all the characters are not that properly explored like in the previous film. Besides that, there is hardly anything that’s not going in favour of the film. It’s indeed a Breezy Weekend Watch. I am going with 3.5 stars.