Alright, party people, let's rewind the tape. Remember that electric buzz in '92 when Wayne's World exploded out of Saturday Night Live and onto the big screen, becoming a full-blown phenomenon? It was HUGE. So, naturally, the studio suits saw dollar signs, cranked up the amps, and barely a year later, BAM! We got Wayne's World 2 hitting the shelves of our local video store. Sequels, especially comedy sequels, were always a bit of a crapshoot back then. Could the Aurora dream team possibly catch lightning in a bottle twice? Pop this tape in, adjust the tracking, and let’s find out.
### If You Build It, They Will Schwing
Picking up not long after the first film, Wayne Campbell (Mike Myers) is pondering his future beyond the basement cable access show. After a bizarre desert dream sequence featuring a "weird naked Indian" and none other than Jim Morrison (of The Doors fame, played hilariously straight by Michael A. Nickles), Wayne gets his divine mission: put on a massive outdoor rock concert in Aurora – Waynestock! Meanwhile, Garth Algar (Dana Carvey) is navigating his own awkward romantic entanglements, this time falling under the spell of the dangerously alluring Honey Hornée, played with surprising gusto by Kim Basinger. Apparently, Basinger actually lobbied Mike Myers for the part after enjoying the first film – a pretty excellent retro fun fact right there!
The plot, essentially "let's put on a show," feels looser, more episodic than the original's "save the show" narrative. Stephen Surjik steps into the director's chair, taking over from Penelope Spheeris (who helmed the first film and the iconic rock doc The Decline of Western Civilization), and while he keeps the energy high, the film sometimes feels like a series of sketches strung together. It’s still funny, often riotously so, but lacks the focused drive of its predecessor. The whole "build it and they will come" Waynestock concept itself is a blatant, acknowledged riff on Field of Dreams (1989), setting the tone for a film packed with movie parodies, from a brilliant send-up of The Graduate (1967) to quick gags referencing Jurassic Park (1993).
### Still Excellent, Still Bogus
The absolute core, the reason this tape got worn out in so many VCRs, remains the dynamite chemistry between Mike Myers and Dana Carvey. Myers is Wayne – the optimistic, slightly dim, rock-loving goofball whose earnestness makes the absurdity work. Carvey, as Garth, continues to be a masterclass in physical comedy and endearing awkwardness. His storyline with Honey Hornée allows Carvey to shine, delivering some of the film's biggest laughs as he navigates her not-so-subtle advances. Their friendship, the easy back-and-forth, the shared glances to the camera – it’s still infectious.
While the central plot might meander, the supporting cast and cameos are frequently excellent! Christopher Walken joins as the slick, slightly sinister record producer Bobby Cahn, bringing his trademark intensity to lines that are pure comedic gold. His delivery is just… chef's kiss. We also get the glorious return of Ralph Brown as Del Preston, the legendary roadie whose nonsensical rock'n'roll war stories are highlights. Tia Carrere is back as Cassandra, Wayne's rock goddess girlfriend, getting more chances to perform with her band, Crucial Taunt.
And the cameos! Oh, the cameos. Seeing Heather Locklear pop up again feels right. Drew Barrymore makes a brief appearance. But the showstopper? Charlton Heston. Yes, that Charlton Heston. In a moment of sheer inspired lunacy, Wayne needs someone to deliver a line with gravitas in a B-movie scene, goes to a diner, and finds Heston himself. Myers reportedly wrote Heston a heartfelt letter asking him to do the cameo, and incredibly, the screen legend agreed. It's brief, baffling, and utterly brilliant – the kind of weird magic only Wayne's World could conjure.
### Waynestock Woes and 90s Quirks
Despite the laughs, Wayne's World 2 didn't quite replicate the box office magic of the first film. Made on a significantly higher budget (around $40 million, double the original's cost), it pulled in about $48 million domestically ($72 million worldwide). Compared to the first film's staggering $121 million domestic haul ($183 million worldwide), it was seen as something of a commercial disappointment. Perhaps the novelty had worn off slightly, or maybe the looser structure just didn't connect as strongly.
Watching it now, the film is pure, unfiltered early 90s. The fashion, the slang (though much of it invented for the show), the specific cultural references – it's a time capsule. The fourth-wall breaks, the non-sequiturs, the sheer density of gags feel very much of the SNL-to-screen era. Some jokes land harder than others today, but the overall sense of fun is undeniable. The soundtrack, while maybe not boasting a "Bohemian Rhapsody"-level moment, is still packed with great rock tunes that anchor the film's spirit. It's less reliant on elaborate effects and more on comedic timing, clever writing (courtesy of Myers and original Wayne's World TV writers Bonnie Turner & Terry Turner), and the charm of its leads. Remember how even simple gags like Garth's "camera one/camera two" felt fresh back then?
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Rating: 7/10
Justification: Wayne's World 2 doesn't quite recapture the lightning-in-a-bottle perfection of the original. The plot is thinner, and it sometimes feels more like a collection of great bits than a cohesive whole. However, the core duo of Myers and Carvey remain hilarious, the supporting cast (especially Walken and Brown) is fantastic, and the film delivers consistent laughs and that specific, beloved brand of absurdist humour. It’s packed with memorable moments, quotable lines, and that undeniable early 90s charm. It might be the lesser Wayne film, but it’s still a worthy sequel and a guaranteed good time on a Friday night rewind.
Final Thought: While not quite achieving godhead status like its predecessor, Wayne's World 2 is still a most excellent blast of pure, unadulterated 90s silliness – proof that sometimes, even if you don't totally nail the landing, it's still fun to watch them try to stage dive. Party on!