New to Blu-Ray and DVD Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2
Having two grade school children at home, by default I end up watching a lot of family channel and PG rated movies. Austin & Ally, Teen Beach 2, Liv & Maddie day after day. Recently after seeing many commercials for Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 on Family channel, my kids convinced me we “had to” watch it together.
Paul Blart (played by the hilarious Kevin James) is back six years later with the sequel Mall Cop 2. This time not working as a mall cop, but on a vacation for the mall security convention, where he hopes to be recognized for all his efforts. Blart’s daughter Maya (played by Austin & Ally star Raini Rodriguez) has been accepted to UCLA, so Paul decides to take his daughter away to Vegas before college for some father-daughter bonding time. Paul has no luck with ladies, or animals either for that matter which leads to some seriously slapstick situations. Paul’s vacation goes quickly from play to work when thieves led by Vincent (played by Neal McDonough) have targeted the Blart’s hotel, The Wynn to stage their heist.
As a parent, this was a very easy watch. My kids were very entertained by Paul Blart’s silly antics, and there was adult humour that was over their heads enough for snickers here and there from their movie critic mother (me).
As luck may have it, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 comes out on blu-ray DVD this week, and I was fortunate enough to discuss the film with Director Andy Fickman. Fickman also directed family favorites Race to Witch Mountain (2009) which was also filmed on location in Vegas, Game Plan(2007), and my kids favourite TV series Liv & Maddie (2013-2015) (he both directed and was executive producer on Liv & Maddie). Fickman has a proven track record of directing films fun for all ages.
The cast and crew spent two and a half months filming Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 in the Wynn hotel, Las Vegas. This was the first time any movie has been filmed in the Wynn hotel, which Fickman explained lent itself to a “wide untouched canvas with high energy”.
I asked him; What was the biggest challenge with directing a sequel. Fickman told me, he was very happy to work with the same writers (James & Nick Bakay) as the first Mall Cop film, so transitioning into this film came together with ease because of the great collaboration. However as he stated “Directing a sequel is like stepping into someone else’s shoes. You are working for the fans of the first film at the end of the day..” and that is the challenge.
Mainstream critics have not been particularly kind to Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2. I am not really sure what they were expecting? Maybe it’s my pre-conditioning as a parent having watched 5 years of Family Channel programing, but this movie is funny. It’s a film the whole family can enjoy and I did not have to have any deep discussions following it. That’s a positive in my books. For critics who went into the theatre expecting to have their guts hurting from laughter and were disappointed… maybe they just need to loosen up?
Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 is now available on blu-ray, Digital HD and HD DVD. The Blu-ray copy has exclusives, digital extras, deleted scenes and a gag reel. Check out www.paulblart-movie.com
Special thanks to Andy Fickman and CalgaryMovies.com for the interview. All Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures.
