Phonearl Good start, but then it gets ruined

Micransix Crappy film

Invaderbank The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Calum Hutton It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Bill Slocum Could "Anchorman" have been funnier had it been allowed to stretch itself out beyond the two-hour limits of a commercially-minded comedy? Here's a chance for us "Anchorman" lovers to find out.In "Wake-Up Ron Burgundy", we see San Diego's Channel 4 news team in action once again. Ron (Will Ferrell) struggles with love and jealousy as co-anchor Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) achieves her dream of big-time success. Meanwhile, their little world is threatened by the emergence of the incompetent but very radical terror cell who calls themselves "The Alarm Clock". When Veronica is captured by this gang, it's up to Ron and his buddies to save the day.No use getting too excited about that long-discussed "Anchorman" sequel: This is strictly outtakes from the first movie, with some clever editing disguising the fact that Ron and Veronica are meeting here once again for the first time. Better you think of this as an alternate-reality "Anchorman" than a real sequel.Narrator Bill Kurtis puts it in perspective in his opening narration. What we are about to see, he explains, is "the chaff from the wheat, the skim from the milk, the pudding from the all-you-can-eat lobster buffet, and the surgeon guy from Prince and the Revolution."What "Wake-Up" really is is a chance to see Ferrell and his co-writer/director Adam McKay working even more of their creepy-funny comedy vibe. Scenes in "Anchorman" could stretch on a bit, but made their point. Here, they stretch on beyond that point, then stretch further.Ron needs a moment to compose himself on-air while reading a tender story about a Japanese devil owl, then another, and then another. "A lot of emotion here," he says, tearing up.A creepy mentor figure, Jess Moondragon (Chad Everett) pops up to offer no meaningful advice for Ron, but plenty of lustful rumination on what he'd like to do to Mother Nature - "things you can only do in Bangkok."Such scenes work as goofier riffs on ideas from the first film, but with a rub. Watching Ron and Veronica's awkward first date a second time isn't so killer with a long sequence showcasing Ron's driving skills replacing his mastery of the jazz flute.Because it's all outtakes, however skillfully put together, there's story gaps galore and rehashed gags from the first movie with slightly different blocking. The Alarm Clock angle works in bits, but is too thin to serve as a framing device. The character build-up that made "Anchorman" so immersive is shortchanged here. Most of that made the first film.Fans of Champ Kind (Dave Koechner) will enjoy the wild man acting even wilder here; one moment he's a raving homosexual, five minutes later he's a raging cannibal. Brick Tamland (Steve Carell) lunches on used coffee filters. In addition to Everett (his send-up of the serenely sleazy Moondragon aided by a strong late-career resemblance to Clint Eastwood), there's a brief killer cameo from Stephen Root as a fill-in anchor.Like I said, it's all sweet stuff if you're an "Anchorman" lover. But it's definitely not the sleeper classic "Anchorman" has become. It's definitely more self-indulgent in its humor and fitful in its direction. "Wake-Up" shows that in addition to being frightfully clever, the people behind "Anchorman" had a lot of sense in where to trim.

Andrew Pelechaty Normally when movies come out on DVD, they have a handful of deleted scenes, left out for obvious reasons. 'Anchorman' has taken this one step further. It has enough deleted/alternate scenes for a second movie, which brings us to 'Wake up Ron Burgundy'.What's more impressive is the material left out of the original is just as funny - at times even more - than 'Anchorman'. While some scenarios are repeated (the pool party, Ron and Veronica's date, Ron's practical jokes on Veronica, Ron's slide into depression after getting fired), WURB not only has a different plot - a group of robbers known as The Alarm Clock terrorize San Diego - it also builds on the characterisation alluded to in the original.In WURB, we learn about Brick's past, Veronica's motivation for becoming an anchorlady, the extent of Champ's homosexuality and his infatuation with Ron and more on Ed Harken and his troubled son. Some of the scenes deserve to be included in Anchorman folklore: Champ's hillariously awkward confession of love to Ron, Ron's inability to read the news without a teleprompter, and Ron's Mother Nature-loving (literatelly) mentor.My only criticism of this film is the narration, which sets the film up as a sequel to Anchorman, and feels a bit out of place.While it probably won't surpass the original as a comedy classic, it's a brilliant companion piece which is more than just a collection of deleted scenes, it's a movie in its own right.

twiztidhomeboy I just saw this the other day and felt compelled to write a review! This movie is most certainly not one to watch if you haven't already seen Anchorman:The legend of Ron Burgundy, but if you have, and you loved it (I do!) then this is a truly welcome addition.The story comprises of a sub plot intended for Anchorman that was dropped (presumeably because it wasn't that good) involving a terrorist organisation called "The Alarm Clock" hence the Wake up Ron Burgundy! title. The Alarm Clock are easily the worst terrorist group in the world having no political agenda, and not really knowing what they are doing, end up kidnapping Veronica Corningstone to use her to broadcast their as yet undecided political statement. So it's up to the rest of the intrepid news team to save her.There are some truly hilarious bits in this film, one where Champ Kind is professing his undying love for Ron in the car but everyone pretends they can't hear him is very funny, and another where we learn that the seemingly stupid Brick Tamlind was in fact the leader of a group of soldiers in the Vietnam war with the other news team members is very funny.All in all, it's one for the fan boys, not for the people who didn't like Anchorman, and it's only a bit of a laugh anyway, it was never a theatrical release.9/10

movieman_kev A collection of Deleted scenes and alternative takes, edited together and with added voice-over to make it appear to take place after the events of the first. Pretty cool idea, but deleted scenes are left on the cutting room floor for a reason and this is further proof. As it's just not as funny as "Anchorman", and really let's face it THAT film wasn't exactly comedy gold either, so you get a 'movie' worse than one that was moderately funny. In my eyes that STILL puts it one or two notches above "Kicking and Screaming", or "Bewitched". Chross your fingers that "The Wedding Crashers" is a return to old school form (no pun intended) My Grade: D