A comedy that is woefully short on laughs

IF you think the fashion industry is tough, you haven't tried the movie - and movie sequel - business. Just ask Ben Stiller, whose fashionista alter ego Derek Zoolander has been resurrected in Zoolander 2, a film that is woefully short on laughs, with as much charm and visual appeal as an old pair of Crocs.

Making a comeback sequel years after starring in a so-so movie is risky, even if you have a marketable name in the title - like Superman, Bridget Jones or The Karate Kid. The first Zoolander - a satirical take on the fashion world - enjoyed moderate box-office business when it was released in 2001, eventually building a firm following on the home-viewing market. So Stiller and company decided to resurrect the character.

Through astute cross-marketing moves like appearing in character during Paris Fashion Week, in the pages of Vogue and on the social media feeds of celebrities - many have cameos in the film - Stiller and co-star Owen Wilson generated the right kind of buzz for Zoolander 2.