Super Troopers 3 Review: A Wild Return

Introduction

More than two decades since its last production, the Broken Lizard comedy team releases Super Troopers 3. It arrives eight years after Super Troopers 2. Additionally, it is 25 years after the original production.

Director Jay Chandrasekhar returns to direct Super Troopers 3. He also returns as Thorny in the movie. Also returning are Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, and Erik Stolhanske.

The original Super Troopers became a cult comedy film upon its release in 2001. The success of this film relied on its crude humour and memorable characters. Over time, the film has earned itself many fans.

And that eventually led to the production of Super Troopers 2 in 2018. The sequel was not received as well as the original film. Nevertheless, audiences seemed to appreciate the movie’s revival of the series.

However, Super Troopers 3 has an extremely tough task now. It should satisfy loyal fans while bringing something fresh to the franchise.

The question is whether the nostalgia would be enough after such a long hiatus.

The plot is mostly centered on Rod Farva and his strange romantic life. Farva saves Thorny’s sister, Serita, from a car accident. And their first meeting turns out to be a love story and engagement.

Thorny is scared about the engagement and wants to ruin the wedding. He comes up with the plan which involves conservative parents of Serita. But the plan fails to work as expected for Thorny.

Instead, Farva succeeds in convincing Serita’s parents. This brings another mess and challenge to the lives of highway patrol guys. They have to investigate the new drug dealing operation in the town.

So, there are two major plots in this movie. One of them deals with family issues, romance, and a mess wedding. While the other one brings troopers back to their old job.

In other words, this film is a movie which tries to evolve the franchise but still stays true to its roots.

Direction and Style

Jay Chandrasekhar’s direction represents one of the clearest examples of the mentioned concept. There was no effort to fully rewrite the franchise; on the contrary, the director manages to stick to the style of the previous movies.

The humor characteristic of the movie stays unchanged. The protagonists still demonstrate their unprofessionalism and, as a result, get into trouble because of their childish behavior.

This consistency will definitely suit those people who have liked the previous movies. In addition, it will make the new film seem natural in the context of the movie series.

However, sometimes, consistency may become the main drawback of a movie, as it takes the place of creativity. The third film is supposed to have something special in comparison with the previous ones.

Still, Chandrasekhar managed to introduce several new elements into the movie. For instance, Farva has more screen time than ever.

The relationship between Farva and Serita makes Farva’s and Thorny’s relations change.

The competition between these two people has always been an important element of the series. However, this time, their struggle turns into something more personal.

The wedding storyline also alters the setting of the story. Instead of putting the troopers out on patrol, they have been placed into a family context.

Another thing which adds a sense of familiarity is the drug busting aspect of the movie. This helps bring back the action of the previous films.

All of these aspects show that the creators have wanted there to be some kind of development. However, they do not want to deviate too much from the original idea.

This makes the movie a little bit evolutionary as opposed to revolutionary.

Cinematography

This approach is supported by the cinematography of Joe Collins. The film does not seem eager to create an entirely new visual style of its own.

On the contrary, the camera mostly serves the characters and the comedy. It is the right choice for the film based on performances.

This style makes it possible for the actors to remain the focus of the viewers’ attention. Their expressions and reactions can be as funny as any dialogue.

Moreover, this visual style gives room for the use of wider shots. They help to introduce the settings where the troopers work.

More tight framing is appropriate for the moments when the characters face each other. In this way, it is easier for the audience to see their reactions.

Moreover, the cinematography helps to distinguish the normal world from the absurd characters. The troopers can look like ordinary officers. At the same time, their behavior can be far from normal.

It is the right approach considering the franchise’s comedic identity. The highly stylized approach can distract the viewers from the humor of the movie.

Nevertheless, the cinematography does not add anything to the franchise’s visual style. The movie looks polished but not innovative in terms of its visual side.

It seems to be quite a reasonable decision. From the very beginning, this franchise was less focused on visuals and more on comedy.

The cinematography serves its purpose within the objectives of the movie. It complements the acting and comedy, but is not distracting.

On the other hand, it contributes little to making the scene a new chapter. Like the direction, the cinematography seems an extension of the previous one.

Themes and Storylines

Themes represent one of the film’s most intriguing aspects. The movie explores themes that were not so important before.

Love, family, aging, and change become more relevant to Super Troopers 3. This way, the movie gets an opportunity to explore the matured aspect.

However, it is not meant to turn into a drama film as comedy is its primary focus all along.

A love story of Farva and Serita becomes a significant theme of the film. Farva has always been one of the franchise’s obnoxious characters.

This romantic relationship helps him get another aspect to his personality. He turns out to be a little vulnerable and surprisingly sincere.

It is not about changing Farva drastically as it would seem unnatural. It is rather about adding new qualities to an already obnoxious character.

Another character that evolves in the course of this plotline is Thorny. His desperate attempts to prevent the wedding expose the protective nature of his character.

His actions may be called selfish and childish. However, he wants to do this to save his sister.

The wedding thus makes the film change the dynamics of the characters. Instead of Farva being the antagonist, he becomes the love interest, and Thorny becomes the antagonist.

It is good to see something new.

Another theme introduced in the film is the aging process. The plot of Captain O’Hagan’s retirement adds to this theme.

This is especially true since the franchise has aged quite a lot. It consists of actors playing characters that they played decades ago.

The world around the troopers has also aged, and the appearance of an electric police car proves this.

These details prove that the film-makers realize the aging process. They know that it is impossible for the characters to stay the same forever.

Nonetheless, the film fails to explore these themes to their full potential. Whenever the film gets serious, the next joke comes up.

This is definitely not a big problem since the film is still supposed to be a comedy.

Nevertheless, such development would make the film more meaningful since sometimes it touches upon something more mature.

Comedy, Action, and Serious Moments

The balance between comedy and action works quite well. The wedding is personal chaos, while the drug investigation is external conflict.

Such plot lines make sure that the movie is not repetitive. Such plots also give the characters a chance to be in different settings.

Action is used to give additional energy to the movie. The police investigation gives an opportunity for familiar settings for the troopers.

Nevertheless, the comedy is the main genre of this movie. It should remain the same for the whole franchise.

Serious moments are not consistent enough. There are some scenes that provide an opportunity for emotional performance, but the movie moves to comedy right after it.

It can happen only because actors do their best in the serious scenes. They do not treat every scene as an obvious joke.

However, the serious elements never have a chance to become more important. The movie goes back to rude jokes before any moment becomes emotionally strong.

However, it is unwilling to stray too far from the voice it knows.

The end product is a movie that is just a bit warmer. It does not seem any more mature than its predecessor.

This is an important point. The film has more heart, but it is definitely Super Troopers.

Performances

These are still some of the best things about the movie. The Broken Lizard actors have had many years to get used to working together.

Jay Chandrasekhar is still very good at being Thorny. His acting will be helped by the changing dynamic between Farva and Thorny.

The frustrated Thorny is a character who provides many opportunities for physical comedy and verbal jokes. His reaction is also useful for making people believe some of the movie’s most absurd scenes.

Kevin Heffernan gets what I consider the most interesting parts. Farva gets an opportunity to be romantic.

Heffernan must keep the balance between Farva’s stupidity and his moments of sincerity. This makes the character more complex.

Farva is still obnoxious and inappropriate, but he is not only that anymore. This is a good thing for Kevin Heffernan compared to the earlier movies.

That change gives Heffernan more range than the previous films sometimes allowed.

Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, and Erik Stolhanske continue to provide strong ensemble chemistry. Their characters remain familiar to returning viewers.

Mac, Foster, and Rabbit do not receive the same development as Farva. However, their presence remains important to the group dynamic.

Their chemistry works because the performers know each other’s comedic rhythms. Their interactions often feel natural rather than forced.

Hannah Simone also plays an important role in the story. Serita needs to make Farva’s romantic storyline believable.

Her performance provides a useful contrast to Farva’s chaotic personality. She also helps bring the family storyline into focus.

Nat Faxon, Chace Crawford, and Brian Cox add further supporting performances. Their presence expands the ensemble beyond the core Broken Lizard group.

However, the supporting characters sometimes feel secondary to the established cast. The original ensemble naturally commands most of the attention.

That is not necessarily surprising. The franchise has always depended heavily on its central group.

The strongest performances come when the actors commit fully to the ridiculous situations. The comedy becomes more effective when the characters treat absurd events seriously.

That commitment has always been part of the series’ appeal.

What Worked

The best quality of this film has to be the chemistry between the Broken Lizard actors, who have clearly developed a good rapport.

The other best part of this movie is that it introduces some vulnerability in Farva’s personality. This will help keep the character interesting.

Having a storyline related to weddings is new for the familiar characters. The film uses this idea to discuss family and relationships.

The plotline involving drug investigation will add extra momentum to the story. This also helps to keep the story in line with the police comedy series.

The tone of the film can be quite good if there is balance between seriousness and ridiculous humor. Some of the funniest scenes in the film can be attributed to this tone.

This cinematography is quite helpful in making use of the above-mentioned positive features.

Chandrasekhar’s direction is quite aware of what made the franchise popular.

It could be the best feature of the movie for the longtime fans of the franchise.

What Did Not Work

The main concern is the fact that the film is too comfortable at times, because it knows what works in the formulaic approach, which results in few risks taken by the creators.

Jokes and relationships among some characters appear predictable and, thus, the impression of repetitiveness may form.

Character growth is inconsistent as well, because only Farva and Thorny undergo changes while other members of the team stay largely the same.

The serious topics of the film were also left underexplored despite their appearance in the plot.

The mixture of comedy and dramatic moments, therefore, becomes inconsistent as well since the emotional scenes do not manage to leave a profound impression due to their quick finish.

Moreover, the reliance on the element of nostalgia will appeal to different audiences differently. The returning viewers will certainly enjoy the fact of being able to relate to what they see on the screen.

At the same time, new viewers may not be able to understand why the characters are likeable since the film makes an assumption that there was affection toward the franchise already.

This makes one important drawback of the film.

Third installment of any franchise should satisfy the needs of both old and new fans, while Super Troopers 3 seems to be more concerned about the former.

Does It Justify a Third Movie?

It depends entirely on your expectations.

The answer is yes if you wanted the Broken Lizard to reunite and portray those same old characters. They definitely have the chemistry down pat.

The answer is no if you wanted something fresh and revolutionary to happen to the franchise. This is a good effort in doing just that, but it falls a little short.

The movie has created some new dynamics between characters and some new ideas.

This doesn’t mean that the movie fails.

Sometimes, a movie sequel doesn’t have to change anything at all. It is quite possible that some people want a repeat performance.

The problem occurs when familiarity is the whole point of making this sequel.

The movie Super Troopers 3 does that occasionally. The newness in the story is just enough to set it apart.

But it is not always enough to make it seem necessary.

What this movie does succeed at is providing some depth to Farva. And what it fails at is providing the same development to all other characters.

In conclusion, this movie occupies somewhat of an interesting middle ground.

It is definitely not a repeat of the past movies. But it is not different enough to be considered a revolution.

In this case, the idea of evolution rather than reinvention is especially appropriate.

Final Verdict

Super Troopers 3 is a decent sequel that knows how to please its audience.

Broken Lizard’s chemistry is its best asset and its cast continues working as an ensemble brilliantly.

Development of Farva is also something new that the film introduces without losing the humor.

Wedding plot is another positive change that can be made to the franchise. Drug investigation allows for keeping the police elements similar to those of the previous films.

Chandrasekhar’s direction stays loyal to the identity of the franchise and Joe Collins’ cinematography goes the same way.

These elements create consistent experience for returning fans.

However, consistency is also Super Troopers 3’s biggest problem.

Super Troopers 3 is a pretty conservative movie. It does not introduce many new and interesting ideas to the franchise.

The film introduces heart without taking the franchise to the next level dramatically.

The film develops Farva without totally changing him.

The film mentions age, yet doesn’t allow the characters to grow up properly.

The movie introduces new situations, yet leaves the franchise’s formula almost untouched.

That is why the film becomes entertaining, yet cautious.

In case of longtime fans, this sequel might seem to be everything they’ve been looking for. They get beloved characters and humor.

In case of fans, who were expecting something more challenging, this movie can appear to be disappointing.

After 25 years, the Broken Lizard group could take the franchise to some new directions, yet they choose the safest one.

It doesn’t mean that Super Troopers 3 is a bad movie. It just means that it is a pretty safe one.

In general, Super Troopers 3 proves to be a successful movie in the franchise. However, it doesn’t totally explain why there had to be another Super Troopers movie.

Heart, performances and character chemistry make the ride fun, while consistent comedy prevents it from becoming unforgettable.

The film shows that the Super Troopers formula works well, yet it doesn’t show whether it needs to stay almost unchanged.

For fans, that distinction doesn’t really matter.

For others, it could become the deciding factor.

Final verdict: Super Troopers 3 is an entertaining yet familiar return, but not reinvention that the franchise needed.