Ted 2
Dustin Chase
How tempting to just copy and paste the original review since nothing besides a few cast members have really changed for the sequel. Following the $200 million dollar gross on a $50 million budget, writer, director and voice star Seth MacFarlane returns with more Family Guy style antics. “America doesn’t give a s*** about anything,” is one of the opening lines to the film, and MacFarlane might have a point, seeing how popular this film series is over more intelligent cinema. As with the first Ted and MacFarlane’s A Million Ways to Die in the West flop, he is making fun of his own audience as much as he is the subject matter. Once again nothing is off limits in Ted 2, from racism to gay marriage, all social topics get a bit.
Following his divorce from Lori, John (Wahlberg) leads a depressed, porn filled life. His former celebrity best friend, teddy bear come to life Ted (MacFarlane) has married girlfriend Tammy Lynn (Barth). When they decide to pursue having a baby, to save their marriage after year one, red flags are raised and Ted is downgraded from person to “property” by a high profile court case. He quickly loses his job at the supermarket, his marriage to Tammy Lynn is annulled and now the magical bear and John intend to fight this ruling by hiring pot smoking, Arizona State grad, Samantha (Seyfried) on her first court case. Ted will stop at nothing to prove he is just as human as everyone else despite the difference in his appearance.
If you don’t enjoy MacFarlane’s off taste humor or weekly Family Guy episodes, you won’t enjoy this second helping of Ted.
The opening credits musical sequence is a head scratcher since it looks and sounds like something out of a Disney film. A dancing bear dressed in a tuxedo with no perversion or adult themes in the sequence almost makes this look like a family friendly film. Filled with the familiar celebrity cameo’s MacFarlane fans are accustom, Ted 2 limps from an already fledgling plot line towards overused and tired jokes. The one element that might keep even the most uninterested fans awake are the movie references which include Jurassic Park, Contact and other 90’s icons. The sequel can’t go 20 minutes without a drug reference and maybe that’s the gag, it’s only funny if illegal substances are used.
Finally the film gets to the Morgan Freeman extended cameo and he says exactly what I have been thinking about Ted and his human counterpart: No positive effect on the world. Freeman’s character also compares the trouble making bear to Justin Bieber (ok, maybe I laughed at that). He goes on to say that Ted (imagining Freeman is talking directly to MacFarlane) contributes nothing good to society, mentioning his drug arrests, bad behavior. If you don’t enjoy MacFarlane’s off taste humor or weekly Family Guy episodes, you won’t enjoy this second helping of Ted.
Final Thought
The latest American summer movie sequel serving up leftover trash.