Is Happy Gilmore 2 worth watching? Critics deliver verdict on Adam Sandler sequel

Adam Sandler dusts off his clubs for Happy Gilmore 2 after a nearly 30-year break.

The film officially hits Netflix today, but with so much content vying for your attention, is this highly anticipated comedy sequel worth spending your precious free telly time on? Picking up in real-time after the events of 1996’s first film, Happy Gilmore 2 finds its titular hero in need of money once more — and a bit of a pick-me-up.

Last time we saw Happy, he entered the prestigious PGA Tour in order to bag the prize money and save his poor grandma’s house from being repossessed. This time, he’s washed up and willing to do anything to secure the funds needed to send his daughter to a swanky Parisian ballet school.

Cue a return to the links and plenty of Sandler-esque tomfoolery. That’s the elevator pitch, but is Happy Gilmore 2 actually any good? Well, reviews for the sequel have started to make their way online, each painting a picture of its worthiness.

For the most part, many outlets seem to be aware of the movie’s flaws but remain insistent that fans will love it regardless. Over on The Hollywood Reporter, their write-up said: “Like the first film, the sequel (directed by Kyle Newacheck) proves moronic, witless and relentlessly vulgar. Which is to say, Happy Gilmore fans will love it.”

Their review continued, suggesting viewers may need a "cheat sheet" to fully appreciate its throng of guest star cameos. In case you missed it, the movie features guest appearances from sports stars like Travis Kelce, to musicians like Eminem and Bad Bunny.

Speaking of which, the outlet happily admitted that the latter was a particularly fun watch. “Surprisingly, Bad Bunny turns out to be utterly endearing, and very funny, as a busboy whom Happy hires as his caddie."

Critic Frank Scheck adds: “Although it’s unlikely that anyone had the Puerto Rican superstar slathering a bare-chested Travis Kelce with honey, as he does here, on their cinematic bingo card.”

Variety echoed the film's dedication to giving fans exactly what they want to see. Their critique called Sandler's sequel "a happy orgy of raucously well-executed Adam Sandler fan service" and a "pointed exercise in nostalgia" complete with a "present-tense edge."

For all those reading this who recently found themselves wondering where all the big stupid comedies have gone, Variety's critic Owen Gleiberman thinks Happy Gilmore 2 could answer that question. "It takes us back to a time when idiot comedy was really built," suggested the critic, adding that the film feels like "the 30-year high-school reunion" of its predecessor.

Meanwhile, IndieWire believes that Sandler and original Happy Gilmore scribe Tim Herlihy (who returned to pen part 2) bring nostalgia to a new place. To illustrate their point, they call upon the movie's opening sequence. We won't spoil it here but needless to say, it uses raw emotion to reintroduce us to Happy at a time where he's anything but.

"There’s something impressive about Sandler and Tim Herlihy’s script using that as a jumping-off point," says Kate Erbland's review of this heart-wrenching moment. They also commended the film's recognition of those who starred in the original but who are sadly no longer with us.

"That’s all baked in, and while not always successfully (three of those characters are ultimately revisited by way of the use of on-screen sons, who provide tenuous fill-in work), there’s something to be said for how the film doesn’t look away from those implications," explained the critic. "Time has marched on, and not everyone has continued on that walk."

This thought was mirrored over on The AV Club, who discussed the film's handling of perhaps its biggest missing character: Happy's golfing guide Chubbs, played by the late Carl Weathers.

Jesse Hassenger's review said the film acts "as an ongoing memorial to the many Gilmore cast members who have passed away since 1996, including Carl Weathers (whose Chubbs was already dead, but surely would have popped up for a ghostly consultation)."

Overall, Hassenger thought that while Happy Gilmore 2 may not be far-and-away better than its predecessor, it's at least on par with it.

"Happy Gilmore 2 doesn’t stand on its own enough to rate alongside the company’s best work for the streamer," they explained. Quickly adding that "the sequel is another indication that Sandler is still undertaking his longtime mission of making silly comfort-food comedies with the stealth seriousness of older age."

Of course, it’s important to note that these reviews are just the opinions of a select few. An official critical score is yet to hit movie aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. However, at the time of writing, the comedy follow-up is currently sitting sweet with an audience rating of 67%. Clearly, most viewers seem to be glad that Happy is back at long last.

Happy Gilmore 2 is available to stream on Netflix now.