I have a hard time believing that someone who can milk the "bottom" gag from despicable me 2 half a year after it's release doesn't find the immature humour of anchorman funny. I genuinely believe that as much as I love mark, he is massively lodged when it comes to comedy.

Anchorman is not a cult film by the usual definition. It was a box office hit making back more than three times its budget.

Mark Kermode is my favourite living film critic, but when it comes to comedy I really usually disagree with him. So I'll still check out this sequel since I find Will Ferrell quite funny.

I think the over saturation of Ron Burgundy in the media for the last year will hurt this movie. I"m sick and tired of seeing the character, there's no way I would see this in the cinema. I will be interested to see how it does box office wise.

I don't think Mark has an issue with comedies, I think he just wants to see something decent! Much of the comedy that comes out of Hollywood is complacent, Self-indulgent and just generally un-intelligent writing..... I have seen the first Anchorman and wasn't bowled over by it, but generally find with other films of the last 10-12 years ago like Superbad and so on quite overrated (in my opinion) and in terms of the Hangover films the first one was a funny film no doubt because of the characters, however it for me doesn't go down as the greatest "rated r" comedy ever, it was just something that had some good moments and likeable characters, Part 2 & 3 however shouldn't have been made.... I don't know if the bad standard of comedy was ushered in with the success of American Pie at the turn of 2000 or not, but I would like to see something that doesn't rely on throwing an ensemble cast and expecting everyone to laugh at it.....

Mark Kermode has a tenure for comedies.

What is Steve Wright doing there?

I watched this for the first time last night when it was on tv. I’m glad I didn’t waste my time/ money seeing it at the cinema.

Personally in my viewing after the, "fight" most of the people in the audience had to take a breather after it. Personally I found it incrredibly funny too. Although I suppose the raises Charlie Atlas' point that comedies is one of the most subjective genres of film out there.

Completely agree with the review. Steve Carell was funny but the film was great for the first 45 minutes and then fell apart... Really liked the first Anchorman, such a shame...

The first movie was amazing

What's Count Arthur Strong doing in the studio?

Didn't find the first one particularly funny, but I really liked Anchorman 2. It upped the ante with the weird gags and sheer randomness, and as a journalism student I appreciated the satirical aspect.

Anyone who thinks the first Anchorman wasn't funny is probably the wrong person to be reviewing this film. Anyone who says Ferrell isn't funny should watch Step Brothers ASAP.

Why is Steve Wright sat at the piano?

This guy takes life too seriously!

thought the first one was the most overrated comedy in a long time, i was waiting for the jokes to start

Comedies are subjective. I have friends who I've shown Monty pythons two good films to, and they failed to laugh once. I personally feel blazing saddles is overrated. I enjoyed both anchorman films. But like anyone else's opinion, that is not a recommendation.

Kermode.. 60% of the time he reviews correctly everytime. Not this time, clearly he did not get afternoon delight

If you didn't like the first Anchorman than you probably won't like this one either. It requires a sense of humor that is completely abnormal. Die hard fans won't be let down. The audience at my attended screening were laughing off their asses..!!!!

Preferred the first one

Komode has a humour bypass

Everyone who believed Anchorman 2 was a good film vanished as soon as the theatrical run was finished. Kermode confirmed time traveller.

In the cinema I watched Anchorman 2 in, everyone was laughing raucously. It just depends on the audience I suppose.

I disagree with the Carell comment. There was far too much of him in the sequel, and his screaming and shouting became intolerable.

The comedy of Anchorman is OTT and childlike, but with enough cleverness and affection for the characters to make it work for me. I honestly don't think Kermode understands comedy. It doesn't have to have a point, or a through line or an intrinsic worth. It just has to be funny. And it's fine if you, personally don't find it funny. But you at least need to give a basic description of the problems. If it's hackneyed and flat, tell us why (the writing, the playing, etc). Maybe give examples of similar comedies that you feel DO make this style of humor work. It's a c- from me Mark. Must try harder.

I figured I'd enjoy this movie. Took a chance, watched the R-rated/extended edition that was released on Blu-ray and I was completely baffled by how ungodly bad the film was. So many tediously-lengthy scenes of forced, clearly improvised comedy. I thoroughly enjoyed the first installment, but this sequel was a chore and an absolute disappointment.

I get a kick out of movie critics saying what is and isn't funny. I'm not panning the concept of film criticism however. To listen to a person tell you what "gags" are and aren't funny is ridiculous. I laugh every time I watch Anchorman and laughed my way through Anchorman 2. Therefore, it is a good COMEDY film. If you want to criticize the sets, the direction, the screenplay, whatever ... fine ... just don't try to say what is and isn't funny ... it is a completely subjective thing that has no place in film criticism.

I personally hated the first movie. I found it to be boring, repetitive, stupid (and not funny stupid), annoying, and just not funny. I think I giggled twice but it was almost painful. When my dad showed me it, I looked at him about 15 minutes in and said, "Is this it?" and he said, "Is what it?" And that's when I knew that Anchorman was awful.

The film maybe poorly directed & unfocused like its predecessor, however the film’s funny, stylish, well scored, well acted & is better then its predecessor. (76%) (4/5 stars) (positive)

Wait did he just say that Ron Burgandy in the first film was a mix of Richard Branson and Rupert Murdoch? I think Kermode missed the joke somewhere.

I guess Kermode's not a fan of National Lampoons European Vacation. I wished Kermode didn't bother reviewing comedy films. He talks about a through line, who cares, who cares if there's a through line, a satirical backbone, yadda yadda. Comedy is such a subjective thing and laughter is what rules a film like this, there's no point then trying to analyze it like you're trying to find some kind of "worth" in it all. He starts out saying he doesn't like the first film and he doesn't like Farrell (though he worked with Emma Thompson, whatever that has to do with anything) so straight from the beginning this will never be for Kermode.

It just reinforces the argument that American comedy is inferior.

Another proof that investing more money into the movie won't get more laughter from the audience. Steve Carell was not funny at all,. He was more annoying. Through the whole movie I was just thinking, please, please stop yelling because it's not working.

mark, you need to lighten up a bit when it comes to comedy! anchorman 2 is not perfect nor laugh a minute by any means, but it does have plenty of laughs and is a good entertaining 2 hours i think

Watched an hour of anchorman 2 without so much as cracking a smile and that was me done. First one was watchable but nowhere near as good as its cult status suggests.

Mark Kermode believes his sense of humour, and in general his opinion of any film is the only one that matters. If a movie doesn't appeal to HIS personal taste, then it's not a good movie. If it doesn't make HIM laugh, then it's not funny. I would suggest if you're really that interested enough to look up reviews about a picture, just watch the film and form your own opinions about it

Maybe you should get someone else to review comedies, Mark.

Will Ferrell is another fella who isn't as funny as he was on Saturday Night Live. He takes his place along side the once great Chevy Chase. Still, you can't blame a man for wanting to make a living from what he's good at.

I didn't think the original was particularly good. It's of a certain breed of modern American comedy that seems incredibly smug and self-satisfied to me.

some of it was funny but a large part of it was brutally the opposite

Anchorman is a decent comedy, possibly deserving of its cult appeal...the 2nd?? (sigh, sigh, exhale, sigh.) How can the interracial humour be deemed as ironic when it's not even well written!! That's what particularly surprises me. How this film even got decent reviews... 'BLACK, BLACK!' Naaaaahhhhhhhh, not funny, embarrassingly offensive, yet that didn't stop people clapping and cheering like some tamed seals. Oh and something about black women being 'crack, smokin' bitches'. 'Dumb' in the sincerest sense! I could see the irony if it made a valid social point or had a bit of subtlety, but no...there's no payoff to any jokes, no build up, just BAM!! ...duhhhhh'. Americans don't do irony very well apparently!! Oh my gaaaawwwwwddd... shoot me!

Its down to personal taste again. I dont find Will Ferrel funny at all and monty python is massively over hyped.

Mark needs to stop making those thumping noises, they are really distracting.

I know I'm going to dislike this over-hyped trash already. The first one was mediocre - somehow over time it's been built up to be something we're supposed to feel affectionate for. Crap.

just stop, for god sake, just stop rating comedies... you know nothing mark kermode