Goon: Last of the Enforcers
Seann William Scott is back and sillier than ever in the second instalment of the 2011 sports comedy Goon. The dim-witted yet lovable ice hockey player, Doug “The Thug” Glatt, is knocked out of a game after a particularly brutal fight on the ice with Anders Cain (Wyatt Russell), an explosive and unpredictable player from the rival team. Suffering from nasty injuries to his shoulder, Doug is suddenly forced to abandon his career with his Halifax Highlanders team, and attempt to settle into a much quieter life than he is used to. He starts working for an insurance company (where he learns that his office is essentially the basement), and even makes plans to have a baby with his quirky wife Eva (Alison Pill). The lure of his beloved sport remains strong though, and Doug decides to retrain in secret, determined to get himself back into shape somehow, despite his wife’s growing concerns and her growing belly.
Goon 2’s cast does not disappoint, and the new film features many of the same faces as the first one, bringing all their old jokes and nostalgia along with them, whilst showing a more matured and evolved side to some characters. For fans of the previous movie, most of the sequel’s eccentricities will make perfect sense. However, Goon newcomers may feel a little left in the dark at times, as the film moves very fast and does not often stop to explain much of its backstory. Last of the Enforcers just throws viewers straight back into the hockey madness and expects them to keep up.
Fortunately, director and co-star Jay Baruchel’s strategic cinematography choices make the hockey and fight scenes intense and entertaining, even for those unfamiliar with the sport. Occasionally, blood flies everywhere and teeth are knocked out in slow motion, but comically, that’s just an accepted part of a match.
Far from a traditional hockey movie, Goon 2 is crude, absurd, and violent, but still maintains its heart. Doug and Eva’s relationship is a sizeable part of the plot, acting as a reminder that life’s not all about the game. We want to see our protagonist succeed in his sport, but we also want to see him succeed as a husband and father. The sequel is a nice opportunity for fans to see him fight for both, and for new viewers to learn his story.
Jo Rogers
Goon: Last of the Enforcers is released nationwide on 8th September 2017.
Watch the trailer for Goon: Last of the Enforcers here:
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