Murder Mystery 2 movie review: Jennifer Aniston, Adam Sandler return in unambitious, unfunny sequel

i, sangeet, dancing and an elephant, but shorn of all Indian mess, on a very Caribbean-ish island.

The groom is Adeel Akhtar, reprising his role of “Maharajah” from the last film. That’s his name, Maharajah, or “Rajah” for short, for why does he need another? He is getting married to Claudette (the luminous Laurent, from The Inglourious Basterds). Nick (Sandler) and Audrey (Aniston) Spitz get an invite, along with a helicopter ride, a suite stretching into the ocean, free iPhones and a wardrobe full of Indian wedding dresses (clearly, this Maharajah has no Enforcement Directorate fears).

The Spitzes of course know Maharajah from their last free luxury ride, on a Mediterranean cruise, in Murder Mystery 1, where the two had bumbled their way through solving a murder (through several other murders). Since then, the struggling New York couple have tried to refashion themselves as serious detectives.

At the wedding, the Spitzes meet the array of Maharajah’s eclectic guests – another returnee from Part 1, the Colonel; an African Countess (Turner-Smith) who was meant to have “an arranged marriage” with the Indian Maharajah (now that would be a mystery to solve); a famous footballer who is now Maharajah’s business colleague Franceso (played by Spanish actor Arce); and Maharajah’s sister Saira (Verma).

Murder Mystery 2 movie trailer:

Before the mehndi has dried up on the bride’s hands, a person ends up dead. And so it all begins, with the Spitzes here, there, everywhere, fainting, feigning, fawning, failing, and flaming out. Even Mark Strong’s appearance as a former MI6 operator doesn’t give the Spitzes much pause.

One wishes it did. Despite Aniston and Sandler’s undeniable charms, Murder Mystery 2 is far from the funny it is aiming for. And despite another killing spree at different exotic locales, the film is not as suspenseful as it hopes. It falls somewhere in a sorry middle, not just dragging down with it these two fine actors who deserve better, but also for a brief blood-curdling moment, the Eiffel Tower.

As for the Indian wedding, it has survived worse – though not perhaps something as bizarre as the cornucopia Akhtar wears in the name of wedding finery (well, at least he looks the part of the caricature he is meant to be).

Murder Mystery 2 movie cast: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Mark Strong, Melanie Laurent, Adeel Akhtar, Kuhoo Verma, Jodie Turner-Smith, Enrique Arce
Murder Mystery 2 movie director: Jeremy Garelick
Murder Mystery 2 movie rating: 1 star