The sequel to Kyle Newacheck’s 2019 film “Murder Mystery” hit screens on March 31. “Murder Mystery 2” directed by Jeremy Garelick stars Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler. This comedy mystery is a unique spin on the cliche murder movie tropes that certainly hit audiences with laughter.

The first film focused on couple Nick and Audrey Spitz who visit Europe after Nick lies to his wife about booking the long-awaited trip, which sets the conflict in the couple’s relationship. On the plane, they meet a billionaire named Charles Cavendish who invites the two to a yacht party to celebrate the marriage of his uncle, Quince. Nick and Audrey meet the rest of the guests, where they gather around and learn that Quince’s fiancee, Suzi, will be the heir to his will. While signing the will, the lights go out and Quince is dead with a dagger through his heart.

The movie continues with Nick and Audrey taking on the role of detective and slowly building cases against the guests in hilarious, unexpected ways. Eventually, they crack the case, revealing guests Grace Ballard and Juan Carlos as the true murderers. 

The sequel, which takes place four years later, kicks off with Nick and Audrey being dragged into another mystery after being invited to their friend, “The Maharajah’s” wedding. “The Maharajah” was seen in the previous movie and watched Nick and Audrey solve their first mystery. Before they depart for this trip, we see their jobs as private detectives begin to crumble, along withNick and Audrey’s relationship. 

As the couple first arrives on the island where the wedding is hosted, they are amazed by its beauty; Audrey is hypnotized by the wardrobe left for her and Nick is as happy as he can be. The couple’s rocky relationship slowly begins to mend once they reach the island. 

At the wedding, “The Maharajah ” appears upon an elephant’s back, but things take a turn when the person on the elephant isn’t actually “The Maharajah”, but rather his bodyguard, dead with a knife lodged in his back. Nick and Audrey immediately jump to action, almost as if they were waiting for this moment, to uncover what was left unanswered.

They soon find out “The Maharajah” was kidnapped and held for ransom. Nick and Audrey come to the conclusion that there are two perpetrators, one still on the island. They are then joined by Connor Miller, a former M16 hostage negotiator who does not seem fond of the couple. The kidnapper calls and tells the group that “The Maharajah” is in Paris and that they will exchange him for $70 million after getting impatient with Nick’s lack of negotiation skills. Miller and the couple head to Paris with no outlook for what’s to come. 

Paris is where the action takes place. From being held at gunpoint to fighting their way through the city, Miller is eventually killed which leaves the case to Nick and Audrey. The couple then requests the kidnapper to bring “The Maharajah” to the restaurant inside the Eiffel Tower, Le Jules Verne.

At Le Jules Verne, Nick and Audrey make a dramatic entrance as “The Maharajah” appears with a bomb attached to his chest, counting down the seconds to the inevitable end. Nick predicts that the kidnapper would never hurt “The Maharajah” and refuses to stop the bomb. With everyone in a frenzy, the prediction is played out to be true, and the bomb never goes off. Supposedly dead, Miller surprisingly appears and is proven to be the real kidnapper when he attempts to kill the entire group. 

Audrey then stops him in time which results in the two being pulled to the top of The Eiffel Tower. Nick then hurries up the stairs to reach his wife, which results in a clumsy fight between Miller and the couple. Audrey then ties Miller’s harness to a machine which results in him being thrown off the tower into the blades of his helicopter, killing Miller and exploding the helicopter. 

Back at the restaurant, Nick and Audrey return to the group and celebrate their victory. Audrey then questions the blood on “The Maharajah’s” sister, Saira’s hand which turns out to be smeared henna. Audrey then makes the connection that Saira was not present when the elephant appeared at the wedding and remembers that the second perpetrator’s clothes were wet with henna. Saira is then  revealed as the second perpetrator, who tried to kill her brother due to jealousy of not inheriting the family business. Saira then tries to shoot “The Maharajah”, but her murder attempt fails when the colonel, Ulenga, shields her brother from the bullet. 

Saira is then knocked out with a briefcase and the commotion is seemingly done when “The Maharajah” and his fiancee decide to elope. The newlyweds give Nick and Audrey $10 million for them to finally go on the honeymoon they deserve. In an ironic twist, the couple is then held at gunpoint on their plane ride to Greece and robbed of their money. The pilot then jumps out of the plane, leaving Audrey and Nick in another predicament; these two can never catch a break. 

As a comedy, the film does a great job of teasing stereotypes in mysteries as well as providing comedic relief. Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston are a great pair to display a tired couple constantly rounded up in trouble. The first film doesn’t do as great of a job of portraying the Spitzs’ relationship compared to the sequel, which is very relationship-focused. 

“Murder Mystery 2”, however, didn’t do well on the plot twists. The reveal of the sister being the mastermind behind the chaos seemed rushed and didn’t add much to the overall story. However, the pattern of Nick and Audery’s vacations getting interrupted by a murder mystery is a genius idea. 

Both “Murder Mystery”  and its sequel  are a breath of fresh air from the heavy cliche mystery movies that seem to all have the same plot. Adam Sandler and Jennifer Anniston bring light to darker subjects in a harmless way, diversifying the film industry for the better.