Over the years I have lamented the fact that Hollywood seems to have lost the ability to produce quality, mass-audience humor without an R-rating, and while some may attribute this pop culture shift to Superbad or The Hangover, there is really only one series that can be identified as having legitimately served as the lightning rod for the raunchy comedy. Back in 1999, screenwriter Adam Herz introduced hormone-riddled and sex-obsessed teenagers in a far edgier and awkward manner than had ever been seen before, and thanks largely to one infamous scene in particular, American Pie became a legend and spawned a franchise. Two sequels and four direct-to-DVD spin-offs (which I would prefer not to acknowledge) later, NBCUniversal decided it was time to go back-to-basics and release another theatrical entry focusing on the original characters. Granted, nine years have passed since we last saw Jim and the gang in 2003’s American Wedding, but marketing tactics were clearly geared to remind fans of a cinematic legacy that should not only be remembered, but also revered. As a fan of the original series, I was thrilled when American Reunion was first announced, and regardless of the story that might accompany a third sequel, I knew I could expect some strong laughs generated by very familiar faces.
Within the first ten minutes, it is clear that the biggest appeal of American Reunion is sheer nostalgia; unfortunately, over-reliance on this selling-point comes at the significant cost of story, character development, and humor. Though it is impressive how many members of the original cast returned for this sequel, most of the subplots supporting their appearances either fall flat or amount to little more than glorified cameos. To be fair, none of the narratives of the original American Pie films have been exceptionally strong, but this time around there is no central “event” to drive urgency or audience investment in the characters. Now, in terms of the humor, there are a handful of scenes that demonstrate the series’ trademarked, awkwardly hilarious situations, but in its entirety, it still feels like the film tries too hard to generate continuous laughs. So, if you are a fan of the series, you will undoubtedly enjoy American Reunion, but for the rest of the potential movie-going public, there is little impetus to see a sequel that was made more out of obligation as opposed to genuine inspiration for the continuance of a story.
Overall Recommendation: Medium
