Review: Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj (2006)

Directed by: Mort Nathan | 97 minutes | comedy, romance | Actors: Kal Penn, Lauren Cohan, Daniel Percival, Glen Barry, Anthony Cozens, Steven Rathman, Holly Davidson, Tom Davey, William de Coverly, Beth Steel, Amy Steel, Jonathan Cecil, Roger Hammond, Kulvinder Ghir, Shobu Kapoor, Rupert Frazer , Cornelia Pavlovici, Christopher Robbie, Trevor Baxter, Ashly Rae, Adam Sinclair, Olivia Scott, Elena Tecuta, Bart Sidles, Gabriela Modorcea, Elvin Dandel, Mirela Gafei, Christopher Recupito Rossi

Taj is back! After learning all about parties and women from the master (“Van Wilder: Party Liaison” (2002)), he will apply this knowledge in dusty England. Taj (whole name Taj Mahal Badalandabad) leaves Coolidge College behind for Camford University where his father lived wild times as a member of the corps. But once arrived, the reception by the Fox and Hounds association turns out not to be as warm as expected. Taj is banished to a house far from campus where all the losers come. It’s up to him to give these outsiders confidence and start the coolest sorority ever!

Ryan Reynolds is unfortunately not featured in this sequel. Kal Penn’s character really got its own movie. Fortunately, the infamous bulldog Balzac returns, just like the golf cart. The plot is the same: beautiful girl soaking from stiff corps jellyfish. Lots of clichés about universities and plain jokes, but that’s what the National Lampoon film is for. This is how Taj establishes the Cock and Bulls association. Cock and Bulls also compete in sorority competitions to win the Hastings Cup. The beer competition is won by Sadie’s (Holly Davidson) see-through jersey. The dog competition by the huge balls of dog Balzac. With the competitions and the beautiful campus, there is enough to do something super fun, but the makers are working hard for that. But actor Kal Penn is okay and sympathizing with those underdogs isn’t that hard.

Penn is the first Native American actor to achieve success in mainstream Hollywood. He was in the TV series “24” and the famous “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle” (2004). The female opponent (Lauren Cohan) isn’t bad here either as the neat Charlotte. But these people could have gotten more better equipment to work with. So it’s not super funny, but if you can laugh at films like ‘Road Trip (2000),’ Van Wilder: Party Liaison ‘(2002),’ Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle ‘(2004), this one is also nice to see.