The blockbuster odd couple action comedy is one of the easiest high concept sells in Hollywood, and there are a multitude of major reasons why it’s served as the launchpad for so many franchises. Despite a stellar cast, fantastic concept, and no shortage of success, though, The Other Guys endures as a one-and-done favorite.
Of course, there’s no rule that says every single buddy cop caper to make a killing at the box office, win critical acclaim, and then become a widely-quoted and enduring favorite in the aftermath is obligated to spawn a handful of sequels, but hopes were raised when Adam McKay admitted he’d been spitballing ideas with stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.
Sadly, it didn’t come to pass, but The Other Guys still stands tall as one of the most popular examples to emerge from such a well-worn setup from the last decade and beyond. Turning the established formula on its head in spectacular fashion by swiftly dispatching of Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson’s charismatic cops – what a prequel or spinoff that would be – Ferrell and Wahlberg take center stage as they end up way too far over their heads.
Fun, fast-paced, frantic, and often outright hilarious, it’s a real shame The Other Guys ended up as a standalone adventure, because the potential was there for at least one successor that could have expanded – and potentially improved – on the setup. However, audiences have ensured that the film will live forever, as evidenced by the fact FlixPatrol has revealed it to be one of the most-watched features on both iTunes and Starz this week, because sometimes you can’t help yourself from chasing waterfalls.
