The first film emerged after the four concocted the characters for a sketch in a television variety show. Lampooning not-particularly-bright rock musicians with thick British accents may seem common today, but few had done it with such insight before. And though \u201cThis is Spinal Tap\u201d didn\u2019t invent the idea of the mock-documentary, it certainly popularized the form. So many hit television shows, like \u201cThe Office,\u201d \u201cParks and Recreation\u201d and \u201cModern Family,\u201d owe a lot of their comic grammar to what Reiner and company created.<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\tGet The Times of Israel’s Daily Edition
\n\t\t\tby email and never miss our top stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\tBy signing up, you agree to the terms<\/a><\/p>\n There was a lot of lightning in the bottle with \u201cThis is Spinal Tap.\u201d Part of what made it work was its scrappy quality \u2014 Marty DiBergi\u2019s crew is on the road with the band, catching what it can backstage and in quick interviews. Many of the set pieces have become classics \u2014 like the guys getting lost in a Cleveland arena, or the props malfunctioning on stage \u2014 but there is always forward momentum in the narrative. (This, as I\u2019ll get to in a bit, is the primary problem with the new movie.) There are also a slew of memorable characters, not celebrities playing themselves, who interact with our three leads, even if only for one scene.<\/p>\n The other thing about Spinal Tap is that the music is actually very good! \u201cTonight I\u2019m Gonna Rock You Tonight\u201d may have (intentionally) idiotic lyrics, but it\u2019s a straight-up power rock anthem. \u201cBig Bottom,\u201d as lewd as it is, has a funk riff that is legitimately terrific, and the Jethro Tull-like anthem \u201cStonehenge\u201d is legendary for a reason. It\u2019s not that different from the prog rock hits of the 1970s it is parodying. The annoying \u201cCups and Cakes\u201d nails that mid-1960s Kinks vibe and \u201c(Listen to the) Flower People\u201d is almost indistinguishable from genuine pop psychedelia hits of the era. All of it is super catchy.<\/p>\n \t A still from \u2018Spinal Tap II.\u2019 (Courtesy Bleecker Street Films)<\/p>\n Between 1984 and now, Spinal Tap released a second album (\u201cBreak Like the Wind\u201d), have made many television appearances, and have given in-character concert performances. It\u2019s always been great when they\u2019ve shown up in places \u2014 but all they\u2019ve had to do, really, was put on the outfits, fake the accents, and play one of the hits. Making a second movie as good as the first, unfortunately, has proven to be far too difficult.<\/p>\n \u201cSpinal Tap II\u201d starts out well. It\u2019s been 15 years since the three members have spoken to one another. David is composing hold music (one recent ditty, so he claims, won a \u201choldie\u201d award), Nigel owns a cheese shop, and Derek manages a museum dedicated to glue. (There\u2019s a bit with tortoise glue from the Galapagos that did make me cackle.) Derek also recently debuted a show called \u201cHell Toup\u00e9e,\u201d in which Satan sports a bad wig. That, too, made me laugh.<\/p>\n \t Christopher Guest, left, and Rob Reiner in a still from \u2018Spinal Tap II.\u2019 (Courtesy Bleecker Street Films)<\/p>\n But soon the action moves to New Orleans, where the boys will give a reunion concert. There\u2019s an attempt at emotional stakes \u2014 with David and Nigel mad at one another \u2014 but it is hard to squeeze much drama out of this. Whereas the first movie was a road trip, this new one just stays put. It feels lazy and cheap.<\/p>\n The bulk of the movie involves the gang in the rehearsal room, mostly playing the songs we already know. In lieu of jokes, there are cameos. Yes, it is cool that Paul McCartney and Elton John show up, but\u2026 have you ever known either of these guys to be particularly funny? Both are super awkward doing unrehearsed schtick, and even master improvisers like Christopher Guest can\u2019t make these scenes work. (They should have gotten Ringo instead!)<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Other cameos don\u2019t even make it to the set: Questlove, Lars Ulrich and Chad Smith (of the Red Hot Chili Peppers) check in via Zoom. These sequences are painful.<\/p>\n \t A still from \u2018Spinal Tap II.\u2019 (Courtesy Bleecker Street Films)<\/p>\n There are a few zingers thrown around \u2014 these are naturally funny men \u2014 but they are mostly quick gags, nothing resembling the layered scenes that build on absurdity as seen in the original. A walk-through of Nigel\u2019s gear is an attempt to recapture the \u201cnumbers all go to eleven\u201d bit of the first movie, but it falls flat. (Times of Israel readers, however, may enjoy a throwaway moment where Rob Reiner compares someone rocking due to a knee injury to \u201cdavening, like at the Wailing Wall.\u201d)<\/p>\n \t Christopher Guest, left, and Rob Reiner in a still from \u2018Spinal Tap II.\u2019 (Courtesy Bleecker Street Films)<\/p>\n What was weirdest to me is the lack of new songs. There are a few that we hear, but only very small clips, and they are all intentionally bad. I know a masterpiece like \u201cStonehenge\u201d only comes around once in a lifetime, but they could at least try?<\/p>\n On a positive note, it looks like everyone involved had a good time. Harry Shearer turns 82 soon, so who am I to complain that his new movie kinda stinks. For all the laughs the group has given me over the years, I guess they\u2019ve earned the right to hit a wrong note.<\/p>\n
If so, we have a request.\u00a0<\/p>\n Every day, even during war, our journalists keep you abreast of the most important developments that merit your attention. Millions of people rely on ToI for fast, fair and free coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.\u00a0<\/p>\n We care about Israel – and we know you do too. So today, we have an ask: show your appreciation for our work by joining The Times of Israel Community, an exclusive group for readers like you who appreciate and financially support our work.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t
\t\t\t
\t\t\tAlready a member? Sign in to stop seeing this<\/a><\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t You clearly find our careful reporting valuable, in a time when facts are often distorted and news coverage often lacks context.<\/p>\n Your support is essential to continue our work. We want to continue delivering the professional journalism you value, even as the demands on our newsroom have grown dramatically since October 7.<\/p>\n So today, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6 a month you’ll become our partners while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing\u00a0exclusive content\u00a0available only to Times of Israel Community members.<\/p>\n Thank you, \t\t\t
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/SPINAL-TAP-II-Still-1-640x400.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/SPINAL-TAP-Still-11-640x400.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/SPINAL-TAP-Still-5-640x400.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/SPINAL-TAP-Still-4-640x400.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tIs The Times of Israel important to you?\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tYes, I’ll give\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tYes, I’ll give\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tYou appreciate our journalism\t\t\t<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/DH-new-headshot-circular.png\" "\\"\\"\/")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\tJoin Our Community\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n