Hot Tub Time Machine 2 is the sequel to the cult-comedy hit from 2010. Lou is back, the hot tub is still broken in the most dangerous way possible, and time travel remains an extremely bad idea. The film leans harder into absurd comedy, sci-fi parody, and self-aware humor, fully embracing the chaos rather than logic.
Detailed Summary
The Aftermath of the First Movie
The story begins several years after the original adventure. Lou Dorchen is now rich and famous thanks to knowledge he brought back from the past. He lives like a rock star and runs a massive entertainment empire.
Nick and Jacob are also successful, though far less obnoxiously wealthy. Their lives appear stable until everything goes wrong in one violent moment.
Lou Gets Shot
During a party at Lou’s mansion, an unknown assassin shoots him in the groin. Yes, the movie makes it clear repeatedly that this is both tragic and hilarious.
Facing death, Nick and Jacob panic and decide the only possible solution is to use the hot tub time machine again. Unfortunately, the machine malfunctions.
Instead of traveling to the past, they are sent ten years into the future.
The Future Is a Disaster
The year is 2025 and everything is terrible.
Lou is missing.
Nick is a corrupt entertainment executive with zero morals.
Jacob is married to a manipulative woman who emotionally controls him.
Rob Corddry’s Lou is missing because, technically, he should still be dying back in 2015.
The trio realize something crucial:
Lou survived the shooting in the original timeline, but now something has altered history.
If they do not fix the future, Lou will die permanently.
Searching for the Shooter
They hunt for clues about who shot Lou. Along the way they encounter:
- Adam Jr., Adam’s son from the first film, now played by Adam Scott
- A future version of themselves that they absolutely despise
- Corporate greed, betrayals, and lawsuits
- A time-travel repairman named Choo Sooki, who explains the rules of the hot tub universe in intentionally confusing fashion
They learn that their future selves are directly responsible for how awful everything became.
The Rise of Lou Dorchen
Eventually they discover that Lou survived the shooting and became a powerful but paranoid figure in the future. He turned himself into a ruthless businessman who manipulated everyone around him.
Ironically, the man they are trying to save is the very reason the future is broken.
Confronting the Timeline
The group realizes they must change Lou himself, not the event.
They confront future-Lou and force him to recognize how power corrupted him. This emotional confrontation becomes the film’s central turning point.
Rather than preventing the shooting, they must ensure Lou grows into a better person afterward.
Movie Ending
The movie ends with a full explanation of the timeline correction.
Lou survives the shooting but changes his behavior afterward. Instead of becoming a selfish tyrant, he uses his wealth responsibly and treats his friends fairly.
The future instantly resets.
Nick is no longer corrupt and regains his artistic integrity.
Jacob is no longer trapped in an abusive marriage.
Adam Jr. becomes confident and successful without bitterness.
Lou becomes wealthy but surprisingly decent.
The final scene reveals that Lou has embraced his destiny as a guardian of the timeline, accepting that the hot tub chose him for a reason. He even prepares for possible future missions, implying that time travel chaos is far from over.
The film closes on the idea that even terrible people can grow if given the chance, especially when time travel and extreme embarrassment are involved.
Are There Post-Credits Scenes?
Yes. There is a mid-credits scene showing additional absurd consequences of time travel, including hints that the hot tub’s influence continues beyond what we’ve seen.
There is no major sequel hook, but the scene serves as a comedic epilogue rather than a serious setup.
Type of Movie
Hot Tub Time Machine 2 is a science-fiction comedy that blends crude humor, time-travel parody, and satirical commentary on fame, success, and regret. It intentionally prioritizes jokes over logic and embraces its identity as a ridiculous sequel.
Cast
- Rob Corddry as Lou Dorchen
- Craig Robinson as Nick Webber-Agnew
- Clark Duke as Jacob Yates
- Adam Scott as Adam Jr.
- Chevy Chase as Repairman
- Collette Wolfe as Kelly
- Gillian Jacobs as Bianca
John Cusack does not return for the sequel.
Film Music and Composer
The score was composed by Christophe Beck, who mixes electronic sounds with comedic beats. The soundtrack includes heavy use of pop culture references and parody-style musical cues rather than emotional scoring.
Filming Locations
The movie was filmed primarily in:
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana
These locations doubled for both present-day scenes and the futuristic version of 2025. The city settings were heavily modified with CGI to exaggerate the “bad future” aesthetic, emphasizing how distorted the timeline had become.
Awards and Nominations
The film did not receive major awards nominations. However, it gained a strong cult following and performed respectably in home media sales due to fans of the original movie.
Behind the Scenes Insights
- John Cusack declined to return, leading writers to replace Adam with his son.
- The script was rewritten multiple times to accommodate Cusack’s absence.
- Rob Corddry improvised many of Lou’s most outrageous lines.
- The filmmakers intentionally made the future ugly to parody dystopian sci-fi films.
- The time-travel logic was designed to be inconsistent on purpose.
Inspirations and References
- Direct parody of Back to the Future Part II
- Influences from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
- Meta references to sequel culture in Hollywood
- Satirical takes on celebrity tech billionaires
The movie frequently mocks its own existence as a sequel.
Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes
Several deleted scenes included:
- A darker future version of Jacob that was cut for tone
- Extended scenes involving corporate Nick’s downfall
- A longer explanation of the hot tub’s origins
An alternate ending reportedly leaned more toward a sequel setup but was removed to keep the film self-contained.
Book Adaptations and Differences
The film is not based on a book. It is an original screenplay created specifically as a sequel to the 2010 movie.
Memorable Scenes and Quotes
Key Scenes
- Lou getting shot in slow motion
- The reveal of the dystopian 2025 future
- The confrontation with future-Lou
- The time-repairman explaining nonsense rules
- Adam Jr. realizing he is not doomed to become his father
Iconic Quotes
- “Great white buffalo.”
- “This is the worst future imaginable.”
- “Time doesn’t want to be fixed. It wants to party.”
Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
- The hot tub’s control panel includes fake buttons labeled with past movie references
- Posters in the future parody real 2015 tech startups
- The phrase “Great White Buffalo” appears multiple times as a callback to the first film
- One background screen lists impossible sequels as jokes
Trivia
- The film acknowledges John Cusack’s absence with meta jokes
- Over 300 visual effects shots were used
- Adam Scott was cast partly because of his resemblance to Cusack
- The movie was rated R mainly for language and sexual humor
- The title was nearly changed to Hot Tub Time Machine 3D
Why Watch?
You should watch this movie if:
- You enjoy raunchy, self-aware comedy
- You like time travel stories that refuse to take themselves seriously
- You appreciate sequels that mock their own existence
- You want closure for Lou Dorchen’s ridiculous character arc
It is not subtle, not logical, and not elegant. It is intentionally stupid in a very calculated way.
Director’s Other Works
Steve Pink’s notable films include:
- Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) – writer
- High Fidelity (2000) – co-writer
- Accepted (2006)
- Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)
