‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Review: Adam Sandler’s Netflix Sequel Is Terrible — and Fans Will Love Every Minute

Nearly three decades after Adam Sandler first screamed his way through a golf tournament in Happy Gilmore (1996), the beloved sports comedy returns with a sequel that’s as baffling as it is crowd-pleasing. Happy Gilmore 2, now streaming on Netflix, is neither smart nor subtle — but it’s not trying to be. It’s a nostalgic free-for-all packed with cameos, callbacks, and crude jokes, tailor-made for fans who have followed Sandler’s career from VHS tapes to streaming dominance.

The result? A chaotic mess of a movie that critics will detest — and audiences will devour.

A Plot Held Together by Punchlines and Cameos

Set years after the original, Happy Gilmore 2 finds Happy (Adam Sandler) retired, widowed, and quietly drinking away his days. But when a new corporate-sponsored “Maxi League” takes over pro golf and threatens to erase his legacy, he’s forced back into action — this time as a coach to his estranged, hot-headed son (played by Cooper Hoffman).

The plot serves mostly as scaffolding for a string of over-the-top scenes: Happy drunkenly fighting a mascot, hitting trick shots at a funeral, and reuniting with classic characters like Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald), Virginia (Julie Bowen), and even Hal the sadistic nursing home orderly (Ben Stiller).

New faces include Travis Kelce, who plays a heavily tattooed golf enforcer, and Bad Bunny, whose bizarre “honey bear” revenge fantasy — yes, really — already has social media buzzing.

Sandler Plays It Sadder — and Slower

There’s an unmistakable weight to Sandler’s performance. His Happy is older, quieter, and often visibly broken — a far cry from the rage-fueled, hockey-stick-swinging man-child of the original. Some critics have called his performance “tired”; others see it as a rare attempt at emotional depth in a movie that otherwise avoids seriousness like the plague.

Unfortunately, whatever promise that setup has is quickly buried under an avalanche of cheap gags, CGI gophers, and celebrity cameos that feel more like fan convention panels than part of a coherent film.

Reviews Are Brutal — But That Won’t Matter

Critics have not been kind. The Guardian called it “a golf cart crash of ideas and indulgence,” while The Daily Beast went further, branding it “possibly the worst comedy sequel ever made.” Yet those same reviews acknowledge a truth the filmmakers are betting on: Happy Gilmore 2 isn’t for critics. It’s for the fans.

And for that audience — the people who quote “the price is wrong” on a regular basis, who grew up with Sandler’s golden era — this sequel is a buffet of comfort food. Nothing fresh, nothing healthy, but deeply satisfying if you’ve been craving that flavor.

The Verdict: A Bad Movie That Knows Its Audience

Happy Gilmore 2 is a sequel made with absolute confidence that its viewers don’t want reinvention — they want repetition, inside jokes, and Adam Sandler playing golf with a sledgehammer. By that measure, it succeeds completely.

Is it a good movie? Not by traditional standards.

Will it become one of the most-watched comedies on Netflix this year? Almost certainly.

Rating: 2/5 (for film quality)
Rating: 4.5/5 (for fan enjoyment)

Streaming now on Netflix
Directed by Kyle Newacheck
Starring Adam Sandler, Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen, Ben Stiller, Cooper Hoffman, Travis Kelce, Bad Bunny