Saturday Night Live - The Best of Will Ferrell - Volume 2

Will Ferrell is one in a rare breed of comic actors who have made the successful transition from SNL cast member, where he was a cast member from 1995-2002, to a leading man in theatrical films. Like Eddie Murphy and Adam Sandler before him, Ferrell has the knack of transitioning his comedic skills to the big screen. He has appeared in comedies such as Zoolander, Old School, Elf and the upcoming Bewitched co-starring Nicole Kidman. In the Best of Will Farrell - Volume 2 DVD the reasons why he has made the successful transition are often displayed.

Ferrell is known for his over the top and physically demanding performances on SNL. The DVD opens with Ferrell?s dead on impression of current President George W. Bush. This scene has Bush laying out his list of ?Access of Evils? to America that includes France, Enron, the economy and Dick Cheney. Ferrell plays to Bush?s weaknesses in public speaking dead on.

Many of the sketches include Ferrell playing characters that are nearly nude, which only add to the humor of the sketches. Though he is not the most chiseled or appealing person to look at without clothes, he makes it up in the comedic elements of the sketches. You have to admire Ferrell?s comfort in poking fun at his body. One of the funnier displays of this features American Pie?s Seann William Scott as a business leader running a meeting with his employees. Ferrell arrives to the meeting late, wearing only a patriotic half shirt and red white and blue thong. As he is questioned about his attire, he refers to the patriotic, relaxed dress code in the office. The unassuming body language of Farrell during the sketch as well as the reactions by his co-stars makes this one of the funnier sketches on the disc.

Ferrell also is a master of imitation. The parody of Inside the Actor?s Studio host James Lipton is another highlight. Kate Hudson portrays Lipton?s guest, Drew Barrymore, with perfection and a ?magical? quality. Their conversation regarding the acting skills demonstrated in the film ET are hilarious. Ferrell?s facial expressions and fits of laughter as Lipton are some of the more comical moments of the sketch.

Janet Reno?s Dance Party features Ferrell in a dead on impression of a ?looser? version of the former US Attorney General hosting a talk show from her basement. Guest host Rudy Giuliani spars with Reno over their particular jobs, turning into a boxing match for power.

While the above mentioned sketches, along with ones featuring Ferrell as a 37 year old newborn and as a bi-polar job interviewer are the funnier moments from the disc, many others included don?t draw many laughs. Perhaps that is because some of the funnier characters and sketches were included in a previously released compilation of Ferrell?s Best, Volume One.

Ferrell?s portrayals of a frat brother ranting about the Clinton sex scandal during a Weekend Update sketch, as a morning talk show host who becomes disoriented and animalistic when the teleprompter breaks and as one of the members of the 1981?s band Air Supply in a VH1 Storytellers parody, all draw a few laughs here and there but are not the best we have seen from Ferrell.

His talents in physical comedy are apparent even in the weaker sketches, but overall this disc is a bit of a disappointment. It will not leave you on the floor in stitches, nor will it put you to sleep from sheer boredom. This compilation is good rainy day filler between some of your favorite films or television shows.