MovieChat Forums > Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003) Discussion > It's clear they didn't try very hard wit...

It's clear they didn't try very hard with this one...

posted 9 years ago by KingofSweden
7 replies | jump to latest

I'm a guy that thought I could not enjoy a movie called "Legally Blonde" no matter how good anyone else said it was. The premise just seemed too ridiculous, the lead seemed gleefully shallow, and as a film, impossible to take seriously.

My preconceived notions about the film would end up perfectly describing my reaction to the second and third (*shudders*) films. But definitely not the first.

Yes, the film started out simple, as I expected, but as the film transitioned to Harvard, I noticed that the film actually took the message it was trying to sell seriously enough to make me believe it. Yes, the prospect of someone with Elle's demeanor getting into Harvard Law is quite hard to swallow given what most Harvard Law students are like, but the movie had two morals, for the bully and the bullied:

Never dismiss someone without getting to know who they really are on the inside. You might be surprised.

and

When others dismiss you, don't back down and don't change. You must always have faith in yourself.

I'm not a douchebag or a meathead, and I know a good moral when I see one. And yes, Legally Blonde had it. Sure the movie was funny, but I seemed to forget I was watching a comedy at times because the story was taken so seriously. There was no stupid antics or cheap jokes or explosive fails, just a straightforward story of how a girl learned that she had what it took to succeed all along.

As a whole, I was impressed by Legally Blonde and it is today one of my favorite films. But the sequel?! Awful. Just plain garbage. It felt and sounded like a strictly made-for-TV movie. It felt poorly thought out, poorly written, and that it didn't take its message seriously. I mean it basically had the same message as the first movie, but rang so resoundingly hollow. I mean gay dogs? The cheerleading scene!? (seriously. WTF) That pathetic attempt at drama with the sabotage of the bill? What were the writers thinking? I couldn't take a frame of this joke of a movie seriously. Just a completely childish over-the-top ridiculous mess.

It felt so easy for me to make a good sequel. Keep the generally serious tone of the first with the same well-timed jokes, and make the plot about her work as an attorney. Have her be head litigator for a top law firm while planning her marriage to Emmett. We can see her kick ass but then boom, she's selected to represent a huge client but her opposing council is...Warner! The guy got a chip on his shoulder and worked his way up the ladder to kick Elle's ass, only to be outsmarted by some cunning work on her part when she thought she couldn't do it. She could expose Warner for fraud or perhaps his client? And the story doesn't even have to stay at her firm. The first film went from CULA to Harvard Law and then the trial. The sequel could have done the same and succeeded.

It's frustrating, given how strong the first film was. Perhaps because they didn't have a novel to base the second film on, they just failed at creating an original story? Wouldn't have surprised me.

The world looks to Sweden. 

[–] brit-haviland 8 years ago

Your idea for a sequel sounds excellent!

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] monstermayhem32 8 years ago

I agree the idea of Elle and Warner facing off as rivals would have been interesting.

[–] tpcorless 8 years ago

I like your idea, too. I remember when I saw this in the theatre and within 15 minutes, I knew it was a stinker. I never walk out on a film but with this one, it was not easy.

It really is a terrible sequel.

[–] MisterDenton 8 years ago

I just rewatched the first two films and was reminded of two things:

1. How exceptional the original is. I agree with everything you said about it - it really is a classic to be.

2. How shockingly subpar the sequel is. Really, this one should've been so easy but somehow almost every choice they made was so utterly bizarre and shallow.

Elle became an annoying caricature, the jokes are way too goofy, the animal testing subplot is tired and most importantly I don't for a second believe that it takes place in any conceivable reality.

It wouldn't be a terrible film if it weren't a sequel to a really good one. But unfortunately it fails to recapture the magic of the original and pales in comparison.

[–] johnmichael-2 7 years ago

Elle became an annoying caricature, the jokes are way too goofy, the animal testing subplot is tired and most importantly I don't for a second believe that it takes place in any conceivable reality.

Totally agree with this, and with your entire post, and with the OP's entire post.

As someone who has actually worked in politics & worked with politicians, it was especially excruciating to watch how they treated DC in every way: the politicians, the way they tried to get a bill passed, the way they "leveraged" citizen support, the way they appealed to politicians' self interest OR politicians' emotions... it was all so completely off-base that, as you just said, I couldn't for a second suspend disbelief and imagine that this could happen in any conceivable reality.

Add on top of that how completely asinine and petty her reason for going to Washington was... to stop cosmetic testing on animals?? And even worse, all just so she could have her dog's mom at her wedding?? It was painful to watch the amounts of energy and effort put in by her & all the other characters into such a petty fringe issue when they could have been working to pass something more meaningful. Anything would have been more meaningful, even if it was still a plot device in a comedy. And it was especially disappointing after having rewatched the first and loved it even better the second time.

Though it would have been pretty funny if Elle spent the whole movie getting Bruiser's Bill through the House, only for it to die in Senate committee, or to get vetoed by President Bush.

[–] Utpe (658) 6 years ago

Pretty much this.

I actually enjoyed the original film, but the second installment? Meh. The plot had stupid written all over it. Even Reese Witherspoon herself is afraid of making any sequels because of how horrible "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde" (2003) turned out to be, and the disgust it gave people in general.

At least "Legally Blonde" (2001) made sense. It nicked the hair color stereotype and showed how intelligent one can be no matter how you are perceived. The Harvard speech from Elle at the end actually made me smile.

As for the sequel: I decided to watch it again since I haven't seen it in 15 years. And, yes, it was just as bad as I remember, if not worse. I could actually follow it a bit more closely compared to viewing it in the theater at the time. I knew this movie was going to be bad once the main plot revolved around the dog and animal testing.

I feel a little bad that they dragged Bob Newhart and Sally Field into this mess. I bet they regret ever being offered a role.