American Reunion

With 13 years passing since the first film in the “American Pie” series was shown in theaters, Universal Studios decided now would be the perfect time to release a film reuniting the original cast. With the numerous direct-to-DVD sequels ranking anywhere from mediocre to atrocious, the series truly needed to bring the cast from the initial film back together, and “American Reunion” offered the filmmakers the chance to do just that.
“American Reunion”, the fourth film in the theatrical series, brings the gang back to East Great Falls for their 13- year high school reunion. The characters are all going through their various issues, and the reunion offers the perfect chance for them to escape and spend an exciting weekend with their pals from school.
While “American Reunion” was an unnecessary sequel plot wise, it was necessary if the film studio behind the franchise planned on making any more money from the series that was barely hanging on by a thread. Luckily, none of the original cast members, other than Seann William Scott, have done any projects worth noting in recent years, and now was the perfect opportunity to take advantage of a film series where all the main cast members remain at an age where the basic jokes can still be relatable and humorous.
While everyone in the cast played their parts, it was the surprising Eugene Levy, reprising his role as Mr. Levenstein, who stole the show. Levy unquestionably provided the funniest scenes of the entire movie, and his expanded role was welcomed by the audience. An additional scene featured Levy’s character, which rolls during the credits, made the movie what it was and was undoubtedly the greatest scene in any of the “American Pie” movies since the scene that gave the original film its title.
Of course, William Scott brought a few laughs as well by reprising his trademark role of Steve Stifler. Stifler has not changed a bit since the events of “American Wedding,” and he is still his sex-crazed, out-of-control self. Without his character, the film would have fallen flat, and the gang would have been missing a crucial aspect that makes them fit so well together.
The film never quite captures the heart the original film has, but it uses the nostalgia factor to keep the audience entertained. It is not the funniest film of the year, but it does bring a few laughs and will hopefully give a few of these actors the career revival they all desperately need.
“American Reunion” never had a chance to live up to the first “American Pie” film, but it is absolutely better than all of the other sequels to this point. Fans of the series will appreciate its humor, and it was great to see what the characters were up to at this point in their lives.