Common Sense Media Review
Dumb humor, insults, and gallons of bodily fluids.
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Why Age 16+?
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Scary Movie 2
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 17 parent reviews
Parents say this film is a raunchy comedy that appeals mainly to older teens and adults, with many finding it funnier than its predecessor despite its gross-out humor. While it contains some entertaining parody aspects, others criticize its lack of class and suitability for younger viewers, suggesting it's best avoided by those who are easily offended.
- raunchy humor
- mature audience
- parody elements
- offensive content
- mixed reviews
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 37 kid reviews
Kids say this movie is a mixed bag, with some finding it hilariously funny and an underrated sequel, while others criticize its excessive gross-out humor and inappropriate content, deeming it unsuitable for younger viewers. It features a lot of crude and sexual jokes, which appeal to a teenage audience, but many adults feel it relies too heavily on these elements, diminishing its comedic value.
- hilarious mixed reviews
- inappropriate content
- excessive gross humor
- crude jokes
- better for teens
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
SCARY MOVIE 2 begins with a brief parody of The Exorcist, with James Woods in the Max von Sydow role as the title character. This is the highlight of the movie, especially when Veronica Cartwright, in the Ellen Burstyn role, segues from singing "Hello Dolly" with her friends to a rousing chorus of "Shake Ya Azz." But it ends with tragedy, and we skip ahead to a year later, when a professor (Tim Curry) and his wheelchair-bound assistant take some students to the mansion where it took place for some paranormal experiments. The rest of the movie is just an avalanche of parodies of everything and anything, from Monica Lewinsky's dress to "The Weakest Link," and violations of every possible standard of good taste. Not one but two handicapped characters are played for laughs (with extended comic use of a withered hand), and there is something to offend everyone.
Is It Any Good?
Though a slight improvement over the original, Scary Movie 2 is the same hour and a half of easy, dumb humor. The inane insults, pop culture references, and political incorrectness are all there -- along with gallons and gallons and gallons of bodily fluids. It's not enough to simply insult someone or make a politically incorrect comment or drown someone in excretions. That's the easy part. The tricky part, and the worthwhile part, is to make those things funny, and this movie misses so often that its hits seem almost inadvertent. So what we have is a lot of fake and lazy attempts at humor. They may have the rhythm and cadence of jokes, but there is nothing really funny inside.
On the other hand, the movie is so cheerfully unassuming about being in the worst possible taste that it is hard to be bothered by it. Woods and Tori Spelling (!) should get good sport Oscars, but the other cast members are mostly forgettable.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the process and role of parody and satire in helping us to see what we take for granted in a new way. How does this movie poke fun at thrillers?
What is the appeal of gross-out humor? Who does it appeal to most?
Did you understand all the pop culture references, or are they out of date now?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 3, 2001
- On DVD or streaming : December 18, 2001
- Cast : Anna Faris , Marlon Wayans , Shawn Wayans
- Director : Keenen Ivory Wayans
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Director(s) , African American Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Dimension
- Genre : Comedy
- Run time : 83 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : extremely graphic and gross material and some violence
- Last updated : March 13, 2026
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