By John Corrado

This sequel to the 1997 Nickelodeon kids comedy Good Burger finds Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell reprising their roles as Dex and Ed, the two dudes who work at the eponymous burger joint.

In Good Burger 2 (a Paramount+ Original Movie), Dex is now an aspiring entrepreneur whose business ideas all have a way of falling apart. Meanwhile, Ed never left his high school job as the cashier at Good Burger, and has built a family around his two decades at the fast food restaurant.

When Dex’s latest invention (fireproof spray for your home) fails miserably and he loses his company, he is in desperate need of money. So he goes back to live with Ed and get his old job back. But there is a lawyer (Lil Rel Howery) who wants to buy Good Burger and franchise the place.

Yes, this is essentially a rehashing of the original film, when Dex and Ed had to save the fast food joint from Mondo Burger, and there are even callouts about the similarities. These characters were born out of the Nickelodeon sketch series All That in the early to mid-‘90s, and the style of humour hasn’t really changed since Dex and Ed were first introduced as teenagers (though the Nickelodeon name itself is now somewhat tarnished with recent allegations coming to light).

The first Good Burger was essentially a stoner movie without the drugs, and this one follows in that vein, with its very cartoony, over-the-top humour built around Mitchell’s committed portrayal of the dim but occasionally savvy Ed. This is essentially nostalgia bait for a movie that was always an amusing but somewhat mediocre and cheesy product of its time, and this sequel banks heavily on the audience’s fondness for it.

It’s not without its moments, and there is some amusement to be found in watching Thompson and Mitchell fall back into these roles, backed up by a number of cameo appearances. But this direct-to-streaming sequel also has the feel of a reunion special, and it doesn’t play quite the same way with everyone visibly this much older.

Film Rating: ★★ (out of 4)

Bonus Features (DVD):

The DVD includes a handful of featurettes that appear to have been made for the internet. The package ships with a standard slipcover.

• Home of the Good Bloopers (Extended Version) (8 minutes, 17 seconds): An extended blooper reel showing the actors goofing off on set and cracking each other up.

• The Comfort Food Classic (4 minutes, 41 seconds): Mitchell and Thompson talk about reprising their original roles from the ’90s.

• Behind the Scenes with Kenan and Kel (8 minutes, 18 seconds): A longer version of the previous piece with Mitchell and Thompson.

• Meat the Employees (2 minutes, 29 seconds): The new cast members talk about joining the film.

• Q&A with the New Crew (6 minutes, 33 seconds): A longer version of the previous piece featuring the new cast members.

• Employee Training Video (3 minutes, 1 second): A fake employee training video featuring the actors in character.

• Good Burger 1 Movie Recap (5 minutes, 5 seconds): A narrated recap of the original film’s plot and how it ties into this one.

Good Burger 2 is a Paramount Home Entertainment release. It’s 90 minutes and rated PG.

Street Date: March 26th, 2024