Fack Ju Göhte 2

Ex-con Zeki Müller (Elyas M`Barek) is not really happy with his new life as a teacher. His students annoy him more than ever and a future with getting up early, correcting classwork and pimply dumbasses he just can not and will not imagine. That he now comes into possession of the rest of his loot is a godsend. Because the diamonds could fulfill his dream of owning his own bar. But hiding the diamonds in a stuffed animal belonging to his girlfriend Lisi (Karoline Herfurth) turns out to be a big mistake, as his dedicated colleague donates this precious animal to tsunami victims in Thailand. Now Zeki has only one choice: he has to convince headmistress Gerster (Katja Riemann) that it would be a brilliant idea to go on an international class trip to Thailand to become the figurehead of a new campaign of the Federal Ministry. But to do so, he needs the help of Chantal (Jella Haase), Zeynep (Gizem Emre), Danger (Max von der Groeben) and Burak (Aram Arami), of all people, who want to go on the class trip in return - and that's a real challenge even for a tough guy like Zeki...

With Fack Ju Göhte, after Turkish for Beginners, Bora Dagtekin once again proved his flair for spot-on wordplay and unrestrained slapstick. So it's no wonder that the film was THE box office hit of 2013 and, with over 7.3 million viewers, is one of the most successful German cinema comedies of recent years. So of course a sequel was quickly decided. And even though the target audience is served quite well, this second part suffers from the typical sequel syndrome: In the effort to go one better at any cost, much of the originality, wit and charm of the first film is lost and the humor drifts too often in badly tried to klamauk. The story, which was surprising in its absurdity and worked really well in the first film, seems lukewarm and a bit unimaginative this time. It still works pleasantly well until the arrival in Thailand. But at the latest when the students are attacked by a group of children, who then all turn out to be tsunami orphans, and when this activates the good in the crook Zeki, then it is just too much of a good thing and only hanebüchen.

Also with the humor, the motto is that less would have been more here. The sayings - especially those of Zeki and Chantal - are again the great strength of the film and provide several really good laughs. But when it comes to the upbeat slapstick, the production lacks the subversive level that distinguished the predecessor in some places. Instead, Dagtekin prefers to use the sledgehammer, which is also quite amusing, but just does not reach the class of the first part. Surely, the young target audience won't mind and especially the female audience will forget such weaknesses as soon as Elyas M`Barek takes off his shirt (or more). Nevertheless, it is a pity that the film uses the potential, which is revealed especially in the really funny dialogues, too seldom in the other aspects of the production.

However, besides the disappointments there are again quite a few highlights, among which are undoubtedly the short appearances of Katja Riemann as a glue-stick-sniffing headmistress. But even when the film really doesn't care much about political correctness, the turbulent comedy is a lot of fun. But when, in the end credits, some of the outtakes shown there are funnier than many of the gags in the actual film, it becomes clear once again that there could have been a lot more here. If you loved the first part and don't mind that the surprise effect is missing this time and that not every gag works, you will have a lot of fun with the second rehash despite some weaknesses. And since the film is made exactly for such viewers, there is with the feeling of slight disappointment still a satisfied: worth seeing!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp