Just the other day, I watched an episode of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” where Jay Chandrasekhar – who directed and starred in Super Troopers – made a special guest appearance. For those of you who don’t know, the main cast members (Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter and Erik Stolhanske) from Super Troopers 1 and 2 are all Colgate alumni. Their comedy troupe Broken Lizard formed in 1990, and their first film Puddle Cruiser (1996) was filmed on campus. Though not very well-received upon its original release, Super Troopers has since gained a cult following; and now (or should I say “meow”), 17 years later, the long-awaited sequel has finally arrived. 

Super Troopers 2 revolves around the ex-Vermont state troopers of the Spurbury Police Department; they’ve been fired after taking Fred Savage along so he could do research for an upcoming role, which results in his death. After being fired, each trooper has taken to a different path, whether it’s construction, logging or simply unemployment, but each longs for the badge they once held. They get their chance when their former boss gathers the group for a fishing trip, which turns out to be a cover for a secret meeting with Governor Jessman (Lynda Carter). She reveals that it was discovered in a recent land survey that Canada owns land that was originally designated to the U.S. They now need a police department to take over from the Canadian Mounted Police in the region, so she invites the group to become state troopers again, promising full-time positions should they be successful. 

There is a surprisingly high number of celebrity cameos throughout the film. It opens with a dream sequence featuring Troopers Wagner (Damon Wayans Jr.) and Callaghan (Seann William Scott). Later, Jim Gaffigan, Fred Savage (of course), Jimmy Tatro and Clifton Collins Jr. also make an appearance. Rob Lowe also stars in a pretty substantial supporting role as the current mayor of the town. There are a good number of actual Canadian actors in the film as well, including Emmanuelle Chriqui as Genevieve Aubois, as well as and Tyler Labine and Will Sasso as Mounties. 

The film is intentionally very goofy, but in an endearing way. They reprise jokes from the original, but you definitely don’t need to see the first movie to enjoy it. My favorite part of the whole movie is a sequence of their pull-over antics – but I won’t spoil it. Otherwise, the film sports a good amount of slapstick gags, cop jokes and Canadian cracks, most of them playing off of how Canadians are actually mean, unlike their stereotype suggests. The trailer doesn’t do it justice, in my opinion. This isn’t to say that Super Troopers 2 is fantastic – it verges on the so-bad-it’s-good category – but if you’re looking for something silly and don’t mind a little cheesiness, then this will certainly fill that gap. 

Given that it was SPW, I’m not too shocked at the low audience attendance for the midnight screening, but I couldn’t help thinking that all that leftover pizza was a waste. I hope it was put to good use. I recommend Super Troopers 2, not just because it was a nice diversion, but because it’s pretty cool to think about the fact that the movie would’ve never happened had the Broken Lizard Troupe never met on our campus. 

Our community is so small and in the middle-of-nowhere that it’s honestly sort of a big deal to know we’re somehow represented. The reception to the Super Troopers franchise may not have been universally warm, but the excitement on campus more than makes up for it. So, if you’re looking for a study break or a break from the intensity that I’ve heard Infinity War is, then look no further and make yourself at home with Super Troopers 2. 

Contact Gloria Han at [email protected].