Zoolander 2 wallows in mire

Zoolander 2, like its predecessor, makes well-deserved sport of Americans’ obsession with outward appearances. Unfortunately, the new film often resorts to indecent material to make its point, spoiling many of its attempts at humor.

Former fashion icon Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) has been living in self-imposed exile, hiding out in his remote log cabin. His wife died years before when a building he designed collapsed with her inside. Faulting Derek for the tragedy, Child Protective Services took away his infant son.

A news footage scene early in Zoolander 2 shows the building collapsing in New York City on Oct. 5, 2001, one week after the first Zoolander film was released. Stiller, also the film’s director, shows either a short memory or poor taste in adding backstory elements that closely mimic details of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Now, almost 15 years later, Derek wants custody of his son. In order to prove he’s a responsible parent, he accepts a job offer in the fashion industry. His journey starts in Rome, where he meets an Interpol agent (Penélope Cruz) investigating the assassinations of “the world’s most beautiful people.” At a fashion shoot staged atop a medical waste dump, Derek and his former rival, Hansel (Owen Wilson), begin to resurrect their careers. Having mended their relationship, Derek and Hansel work together to locate Derek’s son, Derek Jr. (Cyrus Arnold), but learn the evil Jacobim Mugatu (Will Ferrell) is trying to kidnap him.

The film’s flashy production and many offbeat interchanges prove Stiller’s team attended to details. After complaining to Derek about his son’s non-model looks, Hansel takes it back.

“Please accept my apologies,” Hansel says.

“None taken,” the dopey Derek responds.

Zoolander 2 (rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content, a scene of exaggerated violence, and brief strong language) also throws in a couple of countercultural zingers. In the opening scene, an assassin guns down Justin Bieber (playing himself). Sprawled on the ground, Bieber appears to be dead but revives for an instant to snap and send out one last selfie. And fashion show director Don Atari (Kyle Mooney) points out a gender-bending model named All (Benedict Cumberbatch) is “married to hermself. Mono-marriage is legal in Europe, now.”

Some viewers will feel Zoolander 2 crosses the line from satire to gross insensitivity. Rebuking his son, Derek says, “There’s a lot of children in Africa who’d die to go to a thong shoot.”

But most of the film wallows in utter ugliness. Zoolander 2 fills many of its 100 minutes with sexual innuendos, ranging from distasteful to perverse. Hansel keeps in regular contact with his significant other—a group of adults, a young person with childlike features, and animals, to whom he refers in the singular as “Orgy.”

If Stiller plans a third installment similar to the second, hopefully he’ll wait at least another 15 years.