December 6th 2024.
In 2001, the talented Ben Stiller brought us the unforgettable character of Derek Zoolander. This iconic role quickly became a fan favorite and solidified itself as a cult classic. However, when Stiller decided to release a sequel in 2016, it faced a lot of criticism from both fans and critics. Despite this, Stiller has stood by his movie and defended it against the harsh backlash it received.
At the age of 59, Stiller once again stepped into the shoes of Derek Zoolander for the sequel, titled Zoolander 2. Along with Stiller, the movie also saw the return of other beloved characters such as Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, Milla Jovovich, and Christine Taylor. The star-studded cast also included celebrity cameos from the likes of Naomi Campbell, Justin Bieber, Anna Wintour, Usher, Kate Moss, and Susan Boyle. While the first movie was met with rave reviews, the sequel received a disappointing 22% score on Rotten Tomatoes compared to the 20% audience rating.
During an appearance on Hot Ones, Stiller was asked about which of his movies he believed was the most misunderstood or treated unfairly by critics. He replied, "It's very hard to analyze why critics like something or don't. I'm always surprised when they love something and when they hate something because it's so subjective. Probably Zoolander 2. It got kind of... It's hard to think it was that bad, that people didn't like it that much. But maybe I'm wrong."
In 2001, Zoolander took the world by storm and introduced us all to the fading male model, Derek, who was struggling to stay relevant in the fashion industry compared to his rival, Hansel McDonald. In an attempt to save his career, Derek gets tricked by fashion mogul Jacobim Mugatu into assassinating the Prime Minister of Malaysia. The movie quickly became a cult classic and is still quoted today. However, the sequel failed to live up to its predecessor and was deemed a "fashion faux pas" and "desperately unfunny" by many.
Stiller, who perfected his famous "Blue Steel" look for the sequel, was left baffled by the rough reviews. Brent McKnight from The Last Thing I See called it a "pointless, soulless rehash," while Joe Morgenstern from The Wall Street Journal said, "Zoolander 2, a dud glitter-bomb of a sequel, eventually leaves you in a state of suspended animation." Richard Lawson from Vanity Fair agreed, calling it "a deeply depressing mess of a movie." Even Collider's Matt Goldberg added, "The special spark that made the original Zoolander special and quotable is largely absent, and it makes Zoolander 2 really, really, ridiculously pointless."
Reflecting on the criticism the movie received, Stiller shared in a podcast interview, "I thought everybody wanted this. Everybody didn't go to it. And it's gotten these horrible reviews. It really freaked me out because I was like, 'I didn't know it was that bad?' What scared me the most on that one was I'm losing what I think is funny, the questioning yourself... on Zoolander 2, it was definitely blindsiding to me. And it definitely affected me for a long time."
Despite the negative reception, Stiller has stood by his movie and continues to defend it. He even admitted that the criticism left him "scared" and questioning his own sense of humor. So, if you're a fan of the Zoolander franchise, don't be discouraged by the harsh reviews, as even Stiller himself was surprised by the negative reaction.
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