History YMMV / PaulBlartMallCop

* FridgeBrilliance: Subtly, Paul Blart's [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass unusually successful defeat]] of the goons is a subtle allusion to the principles of guerilla warfare.
** Paul Blart's opponents are not only in better shape than Blart but have more resources and skill. But one thing they lack is an understanding of the environment they are trying to rob.
** Paul, meanwhile, is incredibly knowledgeable about how the mall works. He even remembers the guy running the Dunkin' Donuts is supposed to give leftovers to charity. Paul's knowledge of his environment works in his favor since he can lure his opponents into traps and take them down.

* TearJerker:
** Paul's situation: he married a woman who only wanted him for citizenship, he's trapped in a dead-end job, and his body's inability to regulate its own sugar means he can't get his coveted job at the New Jersey police.
** While played for laughs, the dating site scene underscores how desperately lonely Blart is.

%%* TheWoobie: Blart has elements of this in some scenes, especially the dating website scenes.

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: For the sequel. The first film did well financially, but there certainly wasn't an active fanbase clamoring for a sequel, especially not six years after the first one came out. But the biggest turn-off is the enormous HappyEndingOverride where Blart's LoveInterest divorces him six days after their wedding and his mother is killed by a milk truck two years later. The first film did play Paul's TheWoobie status for laughs, but never to such an incredibly mean spirited degree. For any fans of the first film who genuinely cared for TheProtagonist, the startlingly dark beginning can greatly hurt your desire to watch his story continue.

* CriticalDissonance: The critics ''hated'' the sequel, but it made back its budget on opening weekend and has a [=CinemaScore=] of B-.

** Apparently [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7wyfTsIm1k the sequel syncs up eerily well]] to ''Music/TheDarkSideOfTheMoon''.

* {{Sequelitis}}: ''Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2'' was given a lambasting by critics. Website/RottenTomatoes show a 6% fresh (94% rotten) from 49 reviews, with only three fresh reviews. The first film was far from a critical darling, but even some of Creator/KevinJames and Happy Madison's detractors admitted to it being okay. You'll find few of them would argue that point about the second installment.

* TrailerJokeDecay: The second film features one of the final scenes where Blart pats a police horse, which kicks him into a parked car ([[SpecialEffectsFailure with awful CGI]]). No doubt this gets played in the trailer and TV spots.

* TheWoobie: Blart has elements of this in some scenes, especially the dating website scenes. He becomes much worse in the sequel due to Amy dumping him after six days and his mother dying after being hit by a milk truck. So basically, besides his daughter, he lost pretty much all he had from the first film.

* WorldOfJerkass: In the first Paul Blart movie, only a handful of characters seem to like and even respect Paul Blart. Everyone else is just a [[JerkAss jerk.]] Especially [[JerkWithAHeartOfJerk SWAT Commander Kent]] and pen salesman [[HateSink Stuart]].

* TearJerker: The dating site scene, while played for laughs, underscores how desperately lonely Blart is.

* CriticalDissonance: Though fans of the movie are quick to admit it's hardly a contender for the best movie of all time, it certainly didn't deserve the amount of panning certain reviewers gave it. Except for Creator/RogerEbert, who gave it three out of four stars.
** The critics ''hated'' the sequel, but it made back its budget on opening weekend and has a [=CinemaScore=] of B-.

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: For the sequel. The first film did well financially, but there certainly wasn't an active fanbase clamoring for a sequel. But the biggest turn-off is the enormous HappyEndingOverride where Blart's LoveInterest divorces him six days after their wedding and his mother is killed by a milk truck two years later. The first film did play Paul's TheWoobie status for laughs, but never to such an incredibly mean spirited degree. For any fans of the first film who genuinely cared for TheProtagonist, the startlingly dark beginning can greatly hurt your desire to watch his story continue.

** When Paul kindly escorts Amy on his Segway all in SloMo to no audio except Music/{{Survivor}}'s [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9uv9G3qdhA "I Can't Hold Back"]] perfectly conveying his romantic jones for her.

* MemeticMutation: Photoshopping the movie cover [[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/paul-blart-mall-cop to say incredibly silly things.]]

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: The first film did well financially, but there certainly wasn't an active fanbase clamoring for a sequel. But the big reason it's this trope is because of the enormous HappyEndingOverride where Blart's LoveInterest divorces him six days after their wedding and his mother is killed by a milk truck two years later. The first film did play Paul's TheWoobie status for laughs, but never to such an incredibly mean spirited degree. For any fans of the first film who genuinely cared for TheProtagonist, the startlingly dark beginning can greatly hurt your desire to watch his story continue.

* FirstInstallmentWins: Even though the first movie isn't usually considered a classic, most critics and viewers find it to be a stronger film than the sequel.

** When Paul kindly escorts Amy on his Segway all in SloMo to no audio except Music/{{Survivor}}'s [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vej9qH30xc "I Can't Hold Back"]] perfectly conveying his romantic jones for her.

** When Paul kindly escorts Amy on his Segway with Survivor's "I Can't Hold Back" perfectly conveying his romantic jones for her.

* TrailerJokeDecay: The second film features one of the final scenes where Blart pats a police horse, which kicks him into a parked car. No doubt this gets played in the trailer and TV spots.