Spinal Tap II: The End Continues

In 1984, This Is Spinal Tap was released—a mock documentary about a fictional rock band. Beyond being one of the pioneers of the “mockumentary” genre, it was a delightfully absurd comedy that satirized rock bands and the films about them with charm and wit, earning a well-deserved cult status. Forty-one years later comes the sequel, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. Even from the title, you can tell which way the wind is blowing. The new film reunites the band’s members decades later, with a reunion concert serving as the official reason for this renewed documentary. The journey there—rehearsals and all—is filled with cameos from the who’s who of music, from Paul McCartney to Elton John. The humor remains dry and precise, the dialogue largely improvised, and the characters still embody the same mix of pathos, arrogance, and egomania that made them unforgettable in the first film. The result is an entertaining, sharp, and gently cynical comedy that’s a joy to give in to.