Hate Watching Blues Brothers 2000: When Blues Loses its Soul
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What happens when you take a cult classic like "The Blues Brothers," remove its electric star, add a random child, strip away all profanity, and film it entirely on sterile soundstages? You get "Blues Brothers 2000," one of the most bewildering sequel disasters in cinema history.
Our deep dive into this 1998 misfire reveals how profoundly the filmmakers misunderstood what made the original special. The first film thrived on John Belushi's chaotic energy playing against Dan Aykroyd's deadpan delivery, creating an unforgettable duo wreaking havoc through gritty Chicago streets. The sequel, however, leaves Aykroyd adrift without a worthy counterpart, with John Goodman's talents wasted on an undeveloped character.
We explore the bizarre studio mandates that doomed this production from the start – including the requirement for a PG rating and the inexplicable demand to add a child character who disappears from the narrative for stretches at a time. The musical performances, while featuring legendary talents like Aretha Franklin and Erykah Badu, feel disconnected from the story, lacking the organic integration that made the original's numbers so memorable.
The film's most unintentionally hilarious moments deserve special attention: a car that drives underwater while characters casually converse, a face covered in shaving cream somehow functioning as a disguise, and a bizarre voodoo sequence where the characters become zombies for no discernible reason. These elements combine to create what we dubbed "the most sanitized movie ever made" – a sequel that strips away everything edgy and authentic about its predecessor.
Whether you're a Blues Brothers devotee still nursing wounds from this sequel or someone who's never experienced either film, our breakdown will have you laughing at the absurdity while appreciating why the original remains a beloved classic. Subscribe now for more deep dives into films that miss the mark in spectacular fashion!
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Chapters
1. Show Introduction and Car Washing (00:00:00)
2. Comparing Original Blues Brothers (00:09:51)
3. Missing the Comedy: Flat Characters (00:26:13)
4. The Pointless Kid and Bizarre Plot (00:42:02)
5. Underwater Car and Exploding Boats (00:56:31)
6. Final Performance and Reflections (01:10:47)
263 episodes