Ted 2 Movie Review (Spoiler Free)

The bear is back with his best friend, Mark Wahlberg and a whole load of jizz-y fun. Joining the bromantic duo is Amanda Seyfried as the charming lawyer Sam Jackson.

Genre: Comedy

Director: Seth MacFarlane

Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Seth MacFarlane, Jessica Barth, Amanda Seyfried, Giovianni Ribisi, John Slattery, Cocoa Brown, Ron Canada, Sam J. Jones & Morgan Freeman. 

Run Time: 115 min.

US Release: 26 June 2015

UK Release: 08 July 2015

German Release: 25 June 2015

Hello, fellow film lovers and apologies for the late review, but I’ve been very busy these last couple of days. So, let’s waste no more time and get to it.

Ted 2 is an American comedy film released last Thursday and serves as the sequel to the successful first movie, Ted. It is directed by and stars Seth MacFarlane as the titular teddy bear, alongside Mark Wahlberg, Amanda Seyfried, Jessica Barth, Giovanni Ribisi, and Morgan Freeman.

I’m a fan of Seth MacFarlane’s sense of humour. I loved the first Ted film and still enjoy Family Guy and American Dad. The only production of his I disliked so far is A Million Ways to Die in the West. Naturally, I had to watch the sequel when it came out in theatres,  and it was… okay.

The story continues the events of the first film. Ted marries his girlfriend Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth), while his best friend John Bennett has recently been divorced from his wife Lori Collins (played by Mila Kunis in the first one). The newlyweds’ happiness is soon in danger when they try to adopt a child, but Ted is denied the right to become a foster father, as his status as a sentient being is questioned. To prove that he is alive and capable of human emotions, Ted goes to court with his lawyer, Samantha Jackson (Amanda Seyfried).

I actually like the main storyline, which focuses on the civil rights of a living teddy bear; it is a refreshing take. However, it quickly veers off into a recycled subplot when Donny (Ribisi), the villain from the first movie, reappears to kidnap Ted once again. Some parts of the film also felt a little too much like Family Guy episodes, using an overload of cutaway gags and musical sequences.

The biggest issue I had with the movie was its lazily written ending, which simply replays the exact same scenario as the first film. Still, when the jokes started flying, I did have my fair share of laughs. I’m also glad I only watched the first trailer before seeing the film, as it helped preserve a few surprises.

The movie’s best and worst aspect is its heavy reliance on pop culture and movie references. While I appreciated the Jurassic Park homage, it went a bit too far at times. In the end, I still find the first Ted superior to this sequel.

The characters remain as entertaining as they were in the original, and their dynamics haven’t changed much. The bromance between Bennett and his teddy is one of the most redeeming aspects of the film, while Ted remains one of the most enjoyable and controversial comedy characters ever created.

Mark Wahlberg once again plays, well… Mark Wahlberg. His acting style doesn’t vary much between films, but these kinds of roles suit him. One of my favourite additions to the cast was Amanda Seyfried. Although I missed Mila Kunis, Seyfried had great chemistry with both Wahlberg and the CGI teddy. They made a fun trio and created plenty of laughter.

I was a bit disappointed that Morgan Freeman didn’t have more screen time; it made his role feel somewhat redundant, though I did enjoy the joke about his voice.

As for Donny (Giovanni Ribisi), I was underwhelmed to see him return as the villain again. His story felt complete in the previous film, and his reappearance added little to the plot. Also, what happened to his kid? He’s never mentioned again.

From a technical standpoint, the film looks solid. The lighting is well handled, and the CGI work on Ted remains impressive. Cinematographer Michael Barrett, who also shot the first film, has a good eye for balancing comedy and action (he also worked on Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, another excellent comedy flick).

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Verdict: Overall, Ted 2 is an okay sequel. It has its funny moments, and the foul-mouthed, pot-smoking teddy bear remains the best part about it. However, the story strays too often from its central plot, and the ending feels downright lazy. If you liked the first film, you’ll probably find this one entertaining enough, but it’s not a movie you need to rush to the cinema for. It’s a 6.0 out of 10.

So did you watch Ted? What did you think of it? If you are interested, stay tuned for my review of the first flick, Ted, this Saturday.