Ted 2 [2015] is Seth MacFarlane’s sequel to his smash hit, Ted [2012], a movie about Ted, a teddy bear that comes to life. Just as last time, MacFarlane returns to write, direct, produce and act. Also returning is Mark Wahlberg as John, who has been Ted’s best friend since he was eight years old. Newcomer Amanda Seyfried plays Ted’s lawyer (we’ll get to that in a minute). The plot? Ted and his girlfriend want to have a baby. The twist? Ted is not a person, and therefore, is not recognized as one by the government. Upset by this news, Ted decides to sue the government for his civil rights.
Is it funny? Yes! Actually, it’s very funny. If you’re a fan of Ted, Seth MacFarlane, or early Family Guy, then you’re bound to enjoy this one. Flashbacks, cutaways, and endless pop-culture references, it’s the same type of humor that we’ve come to expect from Seth MacFarlane. If that’s not your thing, then this sequel won’t win you over. It’s certainly not “smart comedy”, but it still had me laughing. And that’s all you need from a comedy.
No rehash here. Credit to MacFarlane for not copying the original beat-for-beat. He does manage to tell a new story and even puts a twist on some of it. In a world where movies like The Hangover 2 and Pitch Perfect 2 just rehash old things and pass them off as new, I respect MacFarlane for trying something new and different.
Some minor quibbles. As talented as MacFarlane is, he doesn’t have the best sense of pacing or story structure. It was a problem in Ted, it was a problem in A Million Ways to Die in the West, and it’s still a problem here. At 90 minutes, this could’ve been a blast, but at two hours it begins to drag. Still funny, mind you, but the pacing is not one of MacFarlane’s strengths. Thankfully, his style of humor is fast and furious, much like Zucker-Abrams-Zucker (Airplane!). Didn’t like that joke? Don’t worry, the next one is coming in hot.
A little too long, but a very funny sequel.
