Let me begin by pointing out the bad of the film, such as the excess with Brick. In addition to his being given more focus over Champ and Brian, Brick also finds a love interest that leads to a subplot that doesn't add much to the whole story, leaving Brick forced into the spotlight with little of his original character intact while Ron's other cohorts receive just enough focus to stay one step above Satellite Character status. In addition, there's also how the film tries to be too random for its own good (the Doby subplot, reuniting the news team, etc.). Part of what made the first film so great was that it was off-kilter in its own right, but knew how to do so in moderation; the crazy wasn't the focus of the whole movie, but gave it a style all its own. With The Legend Continues, whether it's a reference to the original film or not, it focuses less on the characters and a bit more on the antics they get themselves into.
That said, the film doesn't miss the mark altogether. There's still a fair share of original jokes, and some of the best hit the first film's quality (smoking crack live and Ron's dinner with his boss' family as a few examples). The references to the first film, hit or miss, thankfully, look at it as a nod towards the first film and its fans, so in that regard, it pays homage to a trip that shouldn't be taken seriously and, again, randomness aside, can't be faulted for it. And despite my complaints with the increased insanity in the film, it isn't entirely bad. The newscaster brawl 2, as an example, takes the original, which was grand because it came out of nowhere, and makes it grand by taking what everyone expects and making it the most over-the-top part of the whole film, like Will Smith calling in airstrikes or Stonewall Jackson's ghost stealing mens' souls.
To summarize, the film doesn't know what it wants to do. It wants to be The Legend of Ron Burgundy: Greatest Hits one minute before tossing in its own stylings and twists, completely independent of the original, the next. It suffers some for it, and undoubtedly won't be as remembered as the original, but still adds enough of its own flair to stand out and prove itself worthy of its title.
Not a legend, still a worthy successor
Let me begin by pointing out the bad of the film, such as the excess with Brick. In addition to his being given more focus over Champ and Brian, Brick also finds a love interest that leads to a subplot that doesn't add much to the whole story, leaving Brick forced into the spotlight with little of his original character intact while Ron's other cohorts receive just enough focus to stay one step above Satellite Character status. In addition, there's also how the film tries to be too random for its own good (the Doby subplot, reuniting the news team, etc.). Part of what made the first film so great was that it was off-kilter in its own right, but knew how to do so in moderation; the crazy wasn't the focus of the whole movie, but gave it a style all its own. With The Legend Continues, whether it's a reference to the original film or not, it focuses less on the characters and a bit more on the antics they get themselves into.
That said, the film doesn't miss the mark altogether. There's still a fair share of original jokes, and some of the best hit the first film's quality (smoking crack live and Ron's dinner with his boss' family as a few examples). The references to the first film, hit or miss, thankfully, look at it as a nod towards the first film and its fans, so in that regard, it pays homage to a trip that shouldn't be taken seriously and, again, randomness aside, can't be faulted for it. And despite my complaints with the increased insanity in the film, it isn't entirely bad. The newscaster brawl 2, as an example, takes the original, which was grand because it came out of nowhere, and makes it grand by taking what everyone expects and making it the most over-the-top part of the whole film, like Will Smith calling in airstrikes or Stonewall Jackson's ghost stealing mens' souls.
To summarize, the film doesn't know what it wants to do. It wants to be The Legend of Ron Burgundy: Greatest Hits one minute before tossing in its own stylings and twists, completely independent of the original, the next. It suffers some for it, and undoubtedly won't be as remembered as the original, but still adds enough of its own flair to stand out and prove itself worthy of its title.