2001, 1 hr 45 min., Rated R for strong sexual content, crude humor, language and drinking.�Dir: James B. Rogers. Cast: Jason Biggs (Jim), Seann William Scott (Stifler), Chris Klein (Oz), Thomas Ian Nicholas (Kevin), Eddie Kaye Thomas (Finch), Eugene Levy (Jim's Dad), Alyson Hannigan (Michelle), Shannon Elizabeth (Nadia), Tara Reid (Vicky), Mena Suvari (Heather), Natasha Lyonne (Jessica), Chris Owen ("Shermanator"), Jennifer Coolidge (Stifler's Mom).

In my effort to catch up on films missed during my vacation. ....

It's no secret that most sequels are far below the originals in quality, and American Pie 2 is no different, a worsening trend this summer alone. While the first Pie provided some deep laughs and surprises that ensured it would be a box office smash, the inevitable follow-up relies on us remembering too much and lowers the bar on taste.

To put it more succinctly, the second installment was a sloppy movie - whether on purpose and not. Meaning that when the flick wasn't cursing and talking of sexual escapades (which was 2/3 or it), the technical work wasn't any better, as the editing was noticeably jagged and the entire direction uneven.

There was only one really funny crowd-pleasing part, and I'll just say it involves lesbians and walkie-talkies.

While the guys are mostly likable, I was more enthusiastic that Michelle (Alyson Hannigan, a.k.a. Willow of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"), she of the Band Camp girl, was on air a lot more than the original, and that the only one with any real personality, Stifler (Seann William Scott), was given some leeway to be a hilarious exhibitionist.

It's time for Jason Biggs (Jim) to play anything but a dork, but Eugene Levy remains just perfect as his dad, giving unwelcome advice in unwelcome situations that Biggs should heed.

Meantime, some of the original characters should have just been left out entirely this time around. There was no need for Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) and Vicky (Tara Reid) in their terribly acted scenes, and Oz (Chris Klein) and Heather (Mena Suvari) were given even less to do and merely wasted our time.

Should you see American Pie 2? I'm not saying no. I'm not saying you should definitely do so, either. You'll laugh, you'll groan, you'll get a couple of hours away from the real world. You just won't remember it afterwards.

Unless you're the 14-year-old kids in the front row whom I saw buy tickets for the PG-13 American Outlaws but sneak into the R-rated Pie. I can definitely say that this film will leave an impression on them as they try to decipher scrambled porn channels in their rooms tonight.

The verdict:

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