Murder Mystery 2

Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston return as private detectives in this Netflix follow-up comedy.

There’s a bit more scale to this sequel, and plenty of flat gags that will have just a tad more vigor if you’re familiar with the recurring characters. They are soon whisked away to the destination wedding of a friend, the Maharajah (Adeel Akhtar), a familiar face from the first movie. With “Murder Mystery 2,” the sequel to the 2019 comedy

The Sandler and Aniston chemistry rules in a movie whose cut-rate streaming aesthetic is inseparable from its charm.

The new movie has a different director, Jeremy Garelick (with a script once again by James Vanderbilt), but for the most part he’s smart enough not to get in the way of the fractious agreeability of the Sandler-and-Aniston bickering. They land on a tropical island that makes paradise look shabby, though Nick is as focused on the succulent wedge of artisanal cheese left in their bedroom as a welcome gift as he is on the setting. But you could also say, in an age when your average theatrical hit is suffused with FX sensation, often at the expense of the humanity that has drawn people to movies for most of the last century, that the stripped-down, Look, I’m a piece of product! So will “Murder Mystery 2.” It’s only 89 minutes long (10 minutes shorter than the first film), and for a while it feels like an even more trivial Wiffle-ball entertainment. It was also a “Knives Out” mystery done on what felt like one-tenth the budget, with the suspects all cartoons out of central casting. The two wound up on a yacht, at the party for a geezer aristocrat, which turned out to be his death sentence the moment he cut everyone there out of his will.

You would have a hard time defending the limp plotting, the bland action-adventure set pieces or the Agatha Christie-light whodunit twists of the first ...

All of this may lend some scale to “Murder Mystery 2” but it's no help to the comedy. For those who have accused Sandler of using movies as an excuse to hang out with friends in beautiful locales, the “Murder Mystery” movies won't disappoint. And this one, in which Jeremy Garelick (writer of “The Hangover”) takes over directing with James Vanderbilt returning to write the screenplay, starts out like a new season to a TV series, with a narrated recap of what the Spitzes have been up to since the last film. But like those films, everything in “Murder Mystery" and “Murder Mystery 2” is secondary, and distantly so, to the comic and sweet rapport between the Spitzes, a bickering but lovingly connected married couple. Like its predecessor, “Murder Mystery 2” is built on old-fashioned star power and the interplay between Sandler and Aniston. “Murder Mystery” and its new sequel don't have anywhere near the sparkle of the “The Thin Man” movies, with William Powell, Myrna Loy and their wire fox terrier Asta.

2019's Murder Mystery was an international romp which saw Jennifer Aniston's crime novel-obsessed hairdresser and Adam Sandler's cop take a European trip ...

Since then she’d appeared in movies Misfits and Mother’s Milk as well as a couple of episodes of [The Marvellous Mrs Maisel](https://www.denofgeek.com/the-marvelous-mrs-maisel/). [Captain America: Civil War](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/captain-america-civil-war-recap-legacy-mcu-connections/) and [Black Panther](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/black-panther-recap-legacy-mcu-connections/). More recently she’s popped up in [Now You See Me](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/now-you-see-me-review/) and [6 Underground](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/6-underground-review-michael-bay/) as well as directing several features of her own. He also stars in the very popular Netflix show Money Heist as Arturo Román, who’s a hostage in series one and two. If you’ve revisited [Shazam](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/shazam-review-dceu-superhero-movie/) before the recent sequel you might recognise him as the movie’s big bad Doctor Sivana – he’s as great at playing villains as he is heroes and he has excellent comic timing. She also appears in After Yang opposite Colin Farrell and as the titular queen in the 2021 mini series Anne Boleyn. On telly he’s the lead in Sky series [Temple](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/sky-one-s-temple-underneath-normal-life-crazy-sht-s-happening/), plays Max in Fox show Deep State and even had a recurring role in Prime Suspect. Her follow up in 2010 was Beginners, opposite Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer, who won an Oscar for his role as a terminally ill man who reveals to his son that he is gay at age 75. You might also recognise his dulcet tones from voicing Rafiki in the live action remake of [The Lion King](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-lion-king-review/). Boon is big in France, where much of the movie is set. He’s been in all manner of films and shows in the UK, and has a BAFTA as well as several more nominations. 2019’s Murder Mystery was an international romp which saw Jennifer Aniston’s crime novel-obsessed hairdresser and Adam Sandler’s cop take a European trip and get swept up in a whodunit.

If one is wanting something substantive, with big laughs and surprising twists, Murder Mystery 2 should be avoided at all costs.

Murder Mystery 2 is worth a watch if one cares to see these two in action, and with how little is done to craft a compelling mystery that is also funny, the duo is left to do their shtick. With that being the case, the audience doesn't get the sense of how close Nick and Audrey are to the Maharajah. If one wants to enjoy a feature with Sandler and Aniston playing versions of characters they’ve played before with minimal effort, then one will be treated to exactly that. If one is coming off the high that is Sandler's recent flicks have dropped in quality compared to his work in the 1990s and early aughts. With more movies to come, Netflix is banking on two things, Sandler’s undeniable star power and his ability to make semi-entertaining movies with all-star casts.

Review of Murder Mystery 2, the comedy that sees Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston return as married detectives.

Murder Mystery 2 features a twist and a turn along the way, both of which you’ll likely see coming. The jokes mostly fall flat, while those concerning a pervy detective and a suicide vest are ill-judged. Largely because the kidnapping plot at the heart of the film isn’t all that interesting. And yet again, the dynamic duo rise to the occasion by trying to crack the case. And head to the rehearsal dinner. And Colonel Ulenga (John Kani) the former bodyguard who was promptly sacked after saving the Maharajah’s life. Spitz as they find themselves once again in the midst of a mystery. The Spritzes weigh up the pros and cons – pro being they need a break, con being last time they vacationed, lots of people died – and decide it’s worth the risk, so start packing. That dinner is then a disaster, in part because Nick and Audrey struggle to fit in. Just a shame that it’s not a patch on the original. Trouble is, the business they poured their life savings into is struggling. Murder Mystery was little short of a sensation when it launched, breaking viewer records in its opening weekend, so it’s no surprise the streamer quickly green-lit a sequel.

Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler partner up again for Murder Mystery 2, but how mysterious is it? Read our review.

The sequence is the perfect combination of action and humour, but no other scene manages to reach the euphoric highs of this scene. Murder Mystery 2 should have been much better with such a starry, talented cast. The plot is generic and predictable; it doesn’t take that many brain cells to guess where it’s all going but the thrill of these films should always be the element of surprise. The film’s runtime just about reaches 80 minutes (90-ish minutes if you count the credits), but it’s so over-stuffed with ideas and different tones, it’s enough to give you motion sickness. It seems at first that Murder Mystery 2 has something poignant to say about marriage and work; what happens when you work and live with your spouse? Nick (Sandler) and Audrey (Aniston) now have their own detective agency.

The ending of Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston comedy Murder Mystery 2 explained, plus post-credits scene details.

Trouble is, their pilot (from earlier in the film) steals the money and jumps out of the chopper. The Maharajah’s sister Saira was in on it, which Audrey figures out thanks to a smeared henna tattoo. And straight into the blades of his accomplice’s chopper, killing them both. While we’re going to detail what happens at the end as well as during the credits below, so BEWARE OF SPOILERS AHEAD… But atop the Eiffel Tower, the Spritzes manage to foil him, throwing most of the money over the side. But trouble follows the Spitzes again when the groom is kidnapped for ransom soon after the festivities begin – making each glamorous guest, family member, and the bride herself a suspect.

Murder Mystery 2 has no loftier goals than disposable entertainment for 90 minutes, and it gets the job done.

Still, there’s something to be said about the efficiency of this venture, especially in an era of so much bloat in feature films and television. They’re not exactly deep characters—the breakneck nature of the kidnapping plot doesn’t allow it—but Aniston and Sandler do a lot by merely relying on their familiarity with one another as performers. The groom’s bodyguard ends up being the one on the pachyderm, murdered by a cheese knife in the side, but it’s really a distraction for the Maharajah to be kidnapped. And that could be because of the goodwill engendered by projects like “ [Uncut Gems](/reviews/uncut-gems-movie-review-2019),” “Hustle,” and even the relatively enjoyable “ [Hubie Halloween](/reviews/hubie-halloween-movie-review-2020).” Or I could have just been in a worse mood four years ago. “Murder Mystery 2” sets up a group of suspects that includes the bride Claudette ( After the chaotic action of the original, they’ve become private dicks, solving crimes for a fee, but they’re struggling to make it work.

"Murder Mystery 2" might be the epitome of what amounts to a "Netflix movie," which is to say that as long as you're paying for a subscription already, ...

The two thus jump at the opportunity to attend a destination wedding on an island paradise thrown by the Maharajah (Adeel Akhtar), who is marrying Claudette (Mélanie Laurent, like most of the supporting cast, deserving better), who has “trophy wife” written all over her. The sequel charitably shoots for a sort of more violent “The Thin Man” vibe, but about the best one can say for the movie is that it’s mercifully short. The near-four-year gap between movies does help in one respect, allowing people to largely forget what left them unimpressed about the original.

Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston star, once again, as Nick and Audrey Spitz, respectively an erstwhile New York City cop and a former hairdresser. In the first ...

Later, despite the fact that doing so is illegal, he and Audrey, after squabbling through most of the movie, renew their love for one another by affixing a padlock to the Pont des Arts, what they call “the Love Locks Bridge.” Forget that the collective weight of such locks threatens the bridge’s structural integrity. How about the suave Francisco (Enrique Arce), the Maharajah’s equally rich business partner, who has plenty to gain with his associate out of the way—and who also spends most of his time trying to purr Audrey into bed with him? There’s a way in which buying a movie ticket is a vote of confidence in a film, a hopeful act that we always hope won’t end in betrayal. [Adam Sandler movies](https://time.com/4744571/adam-sandler-movies-netflix-ratings/) precisely for their dopey gags. (She resists, obviously.) And then there’s the Maharajah’s straight-talking sister Saira (Kuhoo Verma), who’s clear about her boredom with fancy people, a proclivity that endears her to Audrey immediately. Yet even the Eiffel Tower seems like a mere accessory to the movie’s jumble of action and dopey gags. It turns out they can’t—but just as their bickering becomes unbearable, to them and to us, they accept an invitation to the wedding of their friend, the Maharajah (Adeel Akhtar), the madcap rich Indian dude they befriended in the first installment. Could it be the Maharajah’s French fiancée, Claudette (Mélanie Laurent), who may or may not be ze digger of ze gold? Maybe it’s her best friend, and an ex-girlfriend of the Maharajah’s, the icy Countess Sekou (Jodie Turner-Smith), who mocks Audrey for loading food onto her plate, just one of many instances in which Audrey and Nick demonstrate that they are truly just regular old salt-of-the-earth people, wholly clueless about manners and thinking it’s just everyone else who’s stuck up.. They arrive at the private tropical island where the wedding is set to take place and don the luxurious ivory-toned wedding-guest outfits their host has thoughtfully provided for them—only to witness the alarming kidnaping of the groom just as he’s about to enter his own celebration on the back of a gaily decorated elephant, a turn of events that puts every guest on edge and eventually leads Nick, Audrey, and the core gang of suspects to Paris. [Jennifer Aniston](https://time.com/5759599/jennifer-aniston-at-golden-globes/) star, once again, as Nick and Audrey Spitz, respectively an erstwhile New York City cop and a former hairdresser. In an age when theater attendance is down and streaming products reign—even if the services that produce and present them still haven’t figured out how to make money off them—is this what movies have come to?

Movie Review: In Netflix's Murder Mystery 2, Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston return as Nick and Audrey Spitz. It's no Knives Out 2, but it's still fun.

Director Jeremy Garelick, who brings a visual elegance to the movie that the first one sorely lacked, seems to have an eye for physical comedy and a real sense of pace. I found myself laughing out loud at many of its dumb little gags, such as Nick’s obsession with a particular kind of cheese served at the wedding (“The cheese has a hold on me!”), one character’s constant references to his sexual prowess, and some grisly fun with an ax stuck in a random goon’s head. As does the pleasant spectacle of movie stars simply being movie stars. And by all indications, Murder Mystery 2 appears to be another one of the star-producer’s efforts to take himself and his pals on vacation on a studio’s dime. Given the half-hearted, point-the-camera-and-shoot nature of the first Murder Mystery, it would be fair to expect very little from its follow-up. Murder Mystery 2, Netflix’s sequel to the utterly disposable 2019 Adam Sandler–Jennifer Aniston comedy Murder Mystery, a film about as inventive as its title, doesn’t look promising at all.

Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler star in Murder Mystery 2 on Netflix. The comedy was filmed at incredible locations in Hawaii and France.

[Paris](https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/a41090204/paris-travel-guide/), the production tapped a few iconic locations. [Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte](https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=74968X1525080&url=https%3A%2F%2Fvaux-le-vicomte.com%2Fen%2Fdecouvrir%2Fthe-chateau%2F) located in Maincy, France. The lagoon is part of the Lanikuhonua [nature preserve](https://www.lanikuhonua.com/) on [Ko Olina](http://koolina.com/destination/). [Jennifer Aniston](https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/entertainment/a43029690/jennifer-aniston-54th-birthday-rare-throwback-instagram-photo/) and [Adam Sandler](https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/a36147051/oreo-cookie-creator-home-sale/) are back as a bickering, crime-solving duo in Murder Mystery 2. [National World](https://www.nationalworld.com/arts-and-culture/film-and-tv/netflixs-murder-mystery-2-filming-locations-sequel-filmed-eiffel-tower-stunt-4087135) reports. At the estate, visitors can [tour the château, gardens, and carriage museum](https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=74968X1525080&url=https%3A%2F%2Fvaux-le-vicomte.com%2Fen%2Fprepare-your-visit%2Fprice%2F). [Emily in Paris](https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/entertainment/a42201971/emily-in-paris-season-three-filming-locations/) and [first season of](https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/a37329765/hbo-the-white-lotus-four-seasons-resort-maui-at-wailea-hawaii/) [ The White Lotus](https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/a37329765/hbo-the-white-lotus-four-seasons-resort-maui-at-wailea-hawaii/). Ahead, find out everything we know about the [filming locations](https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/entertainment/a41968608/wednesday-filming-locations-romania-castle/) that'll certainly serve as major inspiration for your next trip. On [The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon](https://youtu.be/RFyCpVe0kDs), Adam Sandler revealed a scene was actually filmed at the Eiffel Tower. Now streaming on [Netflix](https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/entertainment/a42042041/wednesday-netflix-set-design/), the comedy follows the amateur detectives as they attend an incredible island wedding—only for it to be disrupted when someone is murdered and their friend is kidnapped. The Arc de Triomphe was selected as the location for where the detectives Nick and Audrey Sptiz (played by Sandler and Aniston) are asked to bring the ransom money in exchange for their friend. While the majority of 2019’s Murder Mystery was filmed in Italy, the sequel takes place in equally idyllic locations in Hawaii and France.