Horrible Bosses 2 (2014), R, ★★

The "businessmen" meet their investors for some bad news.

Doesn't it frustrate you when you are stuck with a job with a beneficial salary but have a horrible boss? Well, wait a minute, that was the premise for the first movie. They have sort of succeeded in taking down their bosses. Now, they are their own bosses and run a business that needs backup and money. However, when tracking down an investor and you start to trust them, how far do you go in trusting them? They could be your horrible boss(es) since they put their money in your company. This movie tackles that subject and the result is just rape jokes and humor that is more missed than hit.

Nick, Kurt and Dale (Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, and Charlie Day) are in charge of a product and are promoting it on a Good Morning America segment. The product is called The Shower Buddy, which shoots out water and soap out of the same hose when taking a shower. The promotion does not go very well and in spite of this, an investor from a catalog company, Rex (Chris Pine), wants to make an offer they could not refuse. However, he is basically just a clown in his father's office, Burt Hanson's (Christoph Waltz) office. Burt wants to make an offer of 100,000 Shower Buddies and wants exclusive rights. He also gives them an offer to put them in a bank with a start up loan in his name.

Everything is going well. Nick is happy, they find a location, and Kurt hires hot women but Nick says that he cannot sleep with them. However, an unfortunate event happens when Burt cancels their order which means that the guys cannot pay back their loan and Nick can buy all the units below cost. The guys are freaking out and they go to meet David Harken (Kevin Spacey), Nick's former boss, in jail. They ask what they can do to get back their business. He replies that there is something but they do not have the balls to do it.

The guys decide to kidnap Rex and they meet with MF Jones (Jamie Foxx, you know what the MF stands for) to ask what they need to do with Rex. Jones suggests to "roofie" Rex so he will forget that he was kidnapped. Afterwards, they go to Dr. Julia's (Jennifer Aniston) house to steal nitrous oxide since Dale remembers the access code. Nick is the lookout and since Kurt and Dale are messing with their walkie-talkies, Nick sees Julia and a group going to her office in a group meeting, but it is a "Sex Addicts" meeting. He creates a diversion and Julia thinks he is gay and since she cannot handle it, she dismisses the group. It is succeeded and even though the plan doubles back, Rex wants to join in.

Dale and Julia (Day and Aniston) reunite. 

I really enjoyed the first movie where the premise was fascinating and the jokes were just hilarious with off-color, raunchy and ridiculous jokes non-stop by not taking it any further and want to kill their bosses. It was a fun ride. But, this film was boring because they are just vowing revenge against a businessman who just turned them down and it is not as fun. What I could've done is maybe create a premise as to maybe the three main characters are the horrible bosses and maybe somebody could have the potential to take them down.

The three actors sort of bored me this time with most of their jokes and banter not working, however, there are a few laughs. Jennifer Aniston does her usual fling as portraying the sex addict and Kevin Spacey, in a fun cameo, is just playing the sniveling jerk. Jamie Foxx does not draw inspiration or laughs this time. Christoph Waltz, who is one of the best actors recently, does not do much in this film. He is smiling and evil but there's no depth or substance in his character. The one fresh character, however, is Chris Pine's character. He seems to have fun being a jerk in the beginning but we start to like him as the "fun" starts to wind down. However, in the end, he still becomes a jerk.

What happened to the inspiration in the material and the chemistry? It is not as raunchy as I thought it would be because most of the jokes are filthy but are just reserved and safe. The plot and demise is predictable and a little confusing and scattered at once when they juggle all the characters' fates near the end. I consider this sequel as a pretty forgettable film than a complete turkey with a few jokes and a memorable performance by Chris Pine. But, that's pretty much it. Skip this one and go watch the first film on cable.

**