Plot: What’s it about?
Sherman Klump (Eddie Murphy) thought he had left Buddy Love behind once and for all, but now Buddy has started to take control of him at inopportune moments. At first this is a small problem, but with vital research on a breakthrough formula and a potential love interest in the mix, Buddy couldn’t have chosen a worse time to show up. Sherman and his assistant Jason (John Ales) have been working with the beautiful Denise (Janet Jackson) on a special formula, one that will reverse the process of getting older. They’ve tested it on a small dog, Buster and while it did work, further testing is still needed. But that didn’t stop a high profile drug company from making a very large cash offer for it, which the college would love to have. After Buddy’s meddling ruins his romantic proposal to Denise however, Sherman has had enough and he extracts the DNA that makes Buddy present, which leaves him free, but with a problem. Sherman is slowly losing his intelligence and with his wedding and presentation on the formula right around the corner, it will be up to Denise and Sherman’s family to save the day. Will the Klumps and Denise be able to make Sherman smart once again, or has Buddy Love won once and for all?
This is the sequel to the hit 1996 Eddie Murphy edition of The Nutty Professor, which introduced us to the Klumps. The first film was hilarious, but a lot of people I know wished there was more screen time for the Klumps, which this film delivers in spades. The main character is still Sherman of course, but this time around his family plays an active role in the storyline and the results are fantastic. We see more of Granny Klump and her sexual fantasies about news anchormen, more Cletus and his hilarious threats against Granny, and in the end, more of the all the family members. Even though Murphy plays all but one of the Klumps, he brings a unique spark to each of them and that is what drives this film. Had they all acted the same, then the movie would have been terrible, but Murphy is able to give each one a specific persona and mannerisms. A lot of other cast members return also, so the film has a nice sense of connection to the original. This film uses low brow humor in heavy doses, so if you’re offended easily, then this might not be the film for you. From passing gas to massive horny hamsters to Granny’s insatiable lust, this movie pushes the limits on bathroom humor. I think this film is hilarious in all respects and I recommend it highly, but I do know that this style of humor will not be for everyone.
Back in a plethora of roles here is Eddie Murphy, who had to undergo a wealth of transformations in the makeup chair in order to bring these characters to life. I can imagine how tedious it would be to endure all that time to prepare to be turned into one character, let alone the number of characters Eddie plays in this film. He dons layers of prosthetics, makeup, and immense bodysuits, but his skills never become dulled in the least. He is able to deliver outstanding performances in each role, both in vocal delivery and body language. He might play a virtual army of characters within this film, but each one of them has a distinct personality and selection of quirks. At times, Murphy plays up to three characters on screen at once and even then, it seems like three different actors. I think this is one of Murphy’s finest performances and I recommend you look into his other films, such as Beverly Hills Cop, Coming To America, Bowfinger, Holy Man, and The Distinguished Gentleman. The cast also includes Janet Jackson (Poetic Justice), Jamal Mixon (Bulworth), Larry Miller (Pretty Woman), and John Ales (Spy Hard). The director of Nutty Professor II: The Klumps is Peter Segal, who also helmed such films as Naked Gun 33 1/3, My Fellow Americans, and Tommy Boy.
Video: How does it look?
Nutty Professor II: The Klumps is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This is another razor sharp transfer from Universal, one with no real issues to complain about. The print used look good and I saw minimal errors in terms of compression, so a solid base is present from the start. The colors in this movie are juiced at times, very rich and bright, but I saw no signs of bleeds and smears. I was impressed by that, as this movie uses some pretty intense reds and greens, with no flaws present in the least. The contrast is also up to the task, as detail level is high and black levels look stark & well balanced. I think this transfer is just short of reference, no real complaints to file with this one.
Audio: How does it sound?
This disc uses a very active Dolby Digital 5.1 track, so your speakers will see much more action than you might expect from a comedy. The film’s soundtrack sounds excellent in this mix and comes off in immersive form, very effective in the end. As far as sound effects, I heard a lot of surround use, but not always in high impact form. So, there’s a lot of subtle and medium level surround use, as well as a decent amount of high impact audio as well. I was very pleased with how expansive this mix was, so I doubt anyone will be let down in the least. I never had a problem hearing the dialogue though, which is good since it is the heart of this audio presentation. This disc also houses a French 5.1 surround track and English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This is a collector’s edition release, so you know the supplements are loaded on this disc. You’ll find a very cool behind the scenes featurette, which runs a little under twenty-five minutes and gives a nice glimpse into how the film was made. I liked the makeup and special effects sequences the most, but I was taken in by this whole piece. I do wish it was longer and more in depth, but this is still better than most featurettes. You can also view some interesting storyboard to film comparisons and in a movie like this, storyboards are vital, I am sure. I was pleased to see these included, as I know they played a substantial role in visualizing the complex effects needed to pull off the shots. Next is an audio commentary track with director Peter Segal, which is both interesting and entertaining. Segal seems relaxed here and discusses how hard some of the effects work was, how unusual the shoot was, and various other aspects of the production. Also included is another audio track, but this one runs about a shade short of half the flick. It is a conversation between Segal and producer Brian Grazer and the two share their feelings on the film. I think this should have been expanded, as it is very informative and ends much too soon into the movie. Also found on this disc are two pieces which run in time lapse and show the process Eddie went through to become a couple of the characters. This is a cool feature, because it shows how much work and dedication it took for Eddie to turn into the characters. An extended version of the restaurant scene is also included, as well as a deleted scene, The House Fantasy. Rounding out the extras are some production notes, talent files, Janet Jackson music video, outtakes reel, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
