August 11, 2001

By Veronica Mixon

Once AMERICAN PIE became a big hit in 1999 - the first millennium teen comedy to launch a new crop of fresh faces - of course, we knew that a sequel would in the works. While the first film was funny, raunchy and a bit sweet, AMERICAN PIE 2 is too raunchy for its teen audience and almost seems pointless since the filmmakers didn't bother to develop a plot.

AP2 reunites the gang after their first year of college but instead of placing them in one setting - the great beach house - some characters are off to Europe, road trips around the US and band camp. What happens at the beach house is actually boring! The guys (Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott and Chris Klein) get a job painting a house shared by two women whom they mistake as lesbians. (Oh, the great lesbian fantasy!) There's a repeat of the disgusting altered beverage, the flute joke - but this time it's a trumpet and the fantasy of fast, easy sex that never quite happens. Of course, the adoration of Stifler's Mom (Jennifer Coolridge) is still an issue since she had sex with one of her son's friends - much to his horror.

The lesbian jokes try to be amusing but the sequences that introduce sexual experimentation seem more pornographic in nature rather than good-ole teen fun. I felt that the director, James Rogers and screenwriter, Adam Herz forgot who would be in the audience for this film. Furthermore, only Jason Biggs (Loser and Saving Silverman) and Alyson Hannigan, best known as Willow on TV's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" until the AMERICAN PIE series, seem to have a storyline or shading to their characters. And, veteran actor, Eugene Levy (Best in Show) makes a hilarious return as Jim's uncool but caring dad. He provides the biggest laughs -- that's probably why he's in the trailer.

Chris Klein (ELECTION), for example, has developed into a handsome leading man but that's wasted here. And, so is AMERICAN BEAUTY'S Mena Survari as the sweet Heather and Tara Reid (DR. T AND THE WOMEN). Also, I think Seann William Scott should worry about being typecast as the thoughtless, wise-ass in films like EVOLUTION, ROAD TRIP and FINAL DESTINATION. He should watch that because once he's aged past the teen roles, this will definitely be a problem.