It’s taken a long time but maybe that’s as it should be. As Spinal Tap II: The End Continues opens, the cultural landscape is awash with ancient rockers back on the road cranking out their greatest hits one last time. In that context the four decade gap since the original movie isn’t all that inappropriate.
The reason for the wait is prosaic. A legal wrangle over the rights to the Tap name, which were only concluded favourably (if you’re the band) in 2020, paving the way for the reunion.
In the intervening years rock as a vital musical form has died. In fact it was already dead in 1984, which is one of the reasons the original film was so on the money – living fossils are funny. That attack won’t work any more. Old guys and grizzled rockers are underdogs and jokes about rock excess and ridiculous pomp won’t work if there is none to be seen. It’s also hard to make fun of a group’s collective lack of self-knowledge if they’ve picked up a bit over the years.
Plus, the mock-doc, minty fresh in 1984, not so much now.
So, with all those caveats in place, was Spinal Tap II worth the wait?
Yes. The wheel has not been remade but it does spin nicely. Back in the directorial chair, Rob Reiner essentially does Spinal Tap all over again, though from a “getting the band back together” angle of attack. As we find the guys years on from their glory days, lead guitarist Nigel Tufnell (Christopher Guest) is running a cheese shop in Berwick-upon-Tweed. Singer David St Hubbins (Michael McKean) is composing the music you hear when your phone call is on hold. And Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) has a job as a curator at a glue museum. Do they want to re-unite, Reiner’s Marty DiBergi wants to know, not least because he’s not been able to get any work since the first film.
Of course they do, even though they are still cordially sick of the sight of each other. But needs must and so Nigel, David and Derek apply themselves to the matter at hand, knuckling down to rehearsing and doing their best to hide their true feelings, not always successfully – has someone been watching that Metallica: Some Kind of Monster doc?
In admirably brief and choppy scenes, the film follows the guys en route to the big reunion gig, being chivvied along by the daughter of their dead manager (Kerry Godliman doing a blunt-speaking Sharon Osbourne turn), challenged by new managerial blood Simon Howler (Chris Addison) – Cowell, they mean. Meeting fans Paul McCartney and Elton John, with Questlove, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood and Lars Ulrich also among those putting some real flesh on these prop bones.
There are unexpected moments – the guys sing an a cappella song and it’s actually good, shock. The moment all three forget themselves when they’re right by Elton John as he performs. The McCartney bit, where he sings a self-mockingly twee song (written by Guest) called Cups and Cakes.
At the big reunion gig itself someone in the audience screams out “Do Stonehenge!” – as the band are halfway through the intro to Stonehenge. It’s the sharp-eyed observations that get the biggest laughs, the little affectionate digs, and there’s a lot of enjoyment to be had watching men in their 70s who seem so obviously happy to be up there – here the distinction between character and actor appears to fade away.
If you remember Big Bottom and Bitch School, if you have smelt the glove and liked it, this has your name on it. For sure it’s a touch low energy here and there but it does not hang around, in 83 minutes of screen time saying everything that needs to be said and bowing out before overstaying its welcome. Spinal Tap the band may be as dumb as paint but no one has ever levelled that accusation at the guys behind it.
Spinal Tap II: The End Continues – Watch it/buy it at Amazon
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© Steve Morrissey 2025
