Horrible Bosses 2

If the box-office performance is strong, then Horrible Bosses 2 will have done its job, because there certainly isn’t any creative rationale for this sequel to the mediocre 2011 comedy.

Fans of the raunchy original might want to see more of the bumbling blue-collar trio whose scheme to murder their sadistic supervisors went awry, but the banter isn’t as witty this time around, and neither is a strained premise that feels like it belongs more in a sitcom pilot.

In this installment, Nick (Jason Bateman), Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) and Dale (Charlie Day) are trying to launch a business of their own with a product known as the Shower Buddy. After an inauspicious demonstration on television, they nevertheless secure an investment from Bert (Christoph Waltz), who owns a mail-order conglomerate with his pompous son Rex (Chris Pine).

Just when the guys think their entrepreneurial venture is a success, however, Bert shows his unscrupulous side and leaves them out in the cold, with little legal recourse. So they concoct another scheme fueled by revenge, this time trying to kidnap Rex for a ransom.

You never get the impression that these three know the least bit about starting a business of this magnitude, not to mention that their product seems pretty stupid to begin with. They’re hopelessly inept, but that’s not the point.

For proof of the inferiority of this follow-up, the best moments come from characters who were featured prominently in the first film but whose appearances here are essentially extended cameos. Kevin Spacey returns for a delicious rant from prison, Jennifer Aniston is amusing as the amorous dentist who leads a sex-addiction therapy group, and Jamie Foxx injects some humor as the shady criminal who again becomes an accomplice.

Despite some scattered laughs, the screenplay by John Morris and director Sean Anders (That’s My Boy) more often feels labored and unfocused, and the film really bogs down in the second half during the execution of the kidnapping plot, which plays out in predictable fashion.

Ultimately, Horrible Bosses 2 tries to coast on the breezy camaraderie of its stars, and while they might have had fun reuniting on screen, little of that enjoyment is passed along to the audience.

Rated R, 108 minutes.