American Pie 2 is that rare comedy sequel that improves upon its predecessor immeasurably, which is - admittedly - not a difficult proposition when one considers the caliber of the original.
These days, “American Pie” has morphed into a triumphant brand name, with two official sequels (the infinitely more focused “American Pie 2” and “American Wedding”) and a legion of DTV cash-in product continuing the bawdy legacy of the original picture, along with keeping actor Eugene Levy (eye-bulging it up as Jim’s Dad in every single one of these films) out of debt.
Despite the return of series creator Adam Herz as screenwriter, the film’s not half as smart as American Pie 2, and the change is most evident in Stifler, whose magnetic, endearing hateability has mutated into something far more moronic.
That happened in the summer of 1999 with screenwriter Adam Herz's "American Pie," a comedy that made instant in-jokes of the term "pale ale" and the phrase, "this one time, at band camp..." It has not, unfortunately, happened again in the summer of 2001 with "American Pie 2," a sequel firmly rooted in the tradition of being the same, yet different.
The "force" behind American Pie, brothers Paul and Chris Weitz, have only Executive Producer credits, indicating a low level of involvement.
To sum it up in a statement, American Pie 2, like the first movie, is a good-natured sex comedy.