FanUnity B(uzz)log

It’s not really accurate to call “Wake Up, Ron Burgundy” a movie, although I rented it as one from Netflix. It’s actually a strange collection of cutscenes from “Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy” spliced together into a semi-coherent direct-to-video-ish sequel. After watching it, it is amazing how much footage they must have shot for “Anchorman.” The sequel drags on and on.

The story mirrors the original film, Ron is at the top of his game, Veronica shows up (again), love sparks, Ron falls from grace and Ron returns from the ashes.

The details this time around focus on a story Veronica is working on that Ron steals from under her. A radical political group called The Alarm Clock is robbing banks around San Diego. Ron’s sloppy journalism spooks the group just before the FBI is about to bust them, and they go undercover. Ron’s fired, and they decided to kidnap Veronica so that they can force her to broadcast their views and deliver them with the credibility of an Anchorperson.

The jokes aren’t nearly as funny this time around — which is expected since this is material that was cut. There are a few very funny moments though. One is an extended scene where the Ron, Brian, Brick and Champ are in a car, and the secretly gay Champ reveals his lust for Ron in excrutiating detail while the others ignore him. The other is a scene in which the gang gets lost for 5 minutes while in a wooded area and nearly turns canibal on one of its members out of panic that they may never find civilization again.

“Wake Up, Ron Burgundy” is recommended if you only really, really loved “Anchorman.” You’ll see the same goofy characters again, but they aren’t doing anything quite as funny this time around.

1.5/5 Stars.