American Pie: Reunion - movie review

Release date: 2 May 2012
Certificate: 15
Directors: Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg
Starring: Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Eugene Levy

What's the story?
The class of 1999 return to East Great Falls, Michigan to attend their 13th high school reunion. And what do you know? Stifler's still a jerk and Jim gets naked.

What did we think?
We can't say we were desperate for another American Pie picture, and while it's cool to see some regulars back in action there are just as many who are evidently only in it for the pay-check. The genre's also moved on since Superbad, leaving this throwback looking tired and tame.

Virgins no more, the horny teens from American Pie have all grown up. But they are still capable of acting like randy idiots, at least when the cameras are rolling on what - depending on whether you count the straight-to-video sequels - is either the fourth or the eighth instalment in the successful comedy series.

That will be good news to those who have fond memories of Jason Biggs shagging a pie, dancing naked or decorating a wedding cake with pubic hair. The bad news, alas, is there's nothing nearly as outrageous in this newest entry, even if it does feature one cast member flashing his penis and another defecating in a beer cooler.

Naughty one moment and sudsy the next, the Pie franchise has always been a peculiar beast. This time around, though, writer-helmers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg put more emphasis on sentiment than humour, confusing protagonists who were never more than archetypes with fleshed-out, three-dimensional characters. Thanks to Biggs and Seann William Scott, there are laughs to be had watching Jim screw up and Stifler misbehave. Yet whenever the focus turns to Mena Suvari or Tara Reid, it immediately becomes clear there just aren't enough jokes to go around.

Verdict: One slice too many.