Clerks 2

So, I've seen the movie now, twice.

There will be no spoilers in the first part of this review:

The first time I saw it, I got there 40 minutes early on opening night. Roughly 10 minutes later, a large group of View Askew fans showed up to join the "line" (which consisted of me). They let us in about 20 minutes into it, just as one of my co-workers was getting there. John showed up about 10 minutes later and we split to get some food.

When the movie starts, you're taken right back to Clerks. Instantly, I knew I was going to like this movie. It starts out a bit slow, then has ups and down for the next 90 minutes. It's a funny movie with some really serious parts.

I walked out of that first screening feeling like it wasn't much of a sequel and that I was a bit disappointed. I think this was due to the expectations I had for it and the fact that the original is one of my favorite movies of all time.

A few days have passed and John and I decided to go see it again this evening. Heather has decided she'll wait for the DVD, so it was just the guys solo on this one.

First of all, I have to point out that tonight, I saw it in the worst possible enviornment. I wanted to see the first show after work, so I went to the 6:40pm showing in my town's trendiest mall. Big mistake.

The theater was "filled" with only 8 other people besides my friend and I, none of whom laughed out loud more than once or twice each. There were 10, but 2 walked out somewhere after Dante and Emma on the swings. It was a very depressing crowd compared to the opening night fans.

Despite that, I really liked it this time. Knowing what to expect, the movie was build-up free. I had high expectations and anticipation during the 1st movie and I think I needed that first time just to process a sequel to my beloved Clerks. The second time was a charm.

Clerks 2 now stands on it's own as a great VA movie among the rest. I'm still not ranking it above my favorites, but I felt a lot more "in the spirit" this time than I did during my first viewing. The one plus about being in a totally silent theater was that I could hear EVERY line, right down to the radio station playing in the background while Dante and Becky are talking. That was a funny little throwaway joke.

My only gripe that I have after two viewings is the score. When Dante and Emma are on the swings, the music seems really out of place. It fits at other points in the movie and the soundtrack is great, but that scene with the blaring techno score really bugged me.

Other than that, this is a good movie. Worth the wait.