Ted 2 returns with its toilet mouth humour, and Amanda Seyfried is the best thing about it

REVIEW: The original Ted was one of the most unlikely crowd-pleasing comedy hits, and the sequel won’t disappoint fans of its toilet humour.

Ted 2 (MA15+)

Director: Seth MacFarlane (Ted)

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Amanda Seyfried and the voice of Seth MacFarlane.

Rating: **

Bearly gets the job done

The original Ted was one of the most unlikely crowd-pleasing comedy hits of the current millennium.

Over $600 million in ticket sales was generated by the surreal prospect of exploring a grown man’s bong-huffing bond to his childhood teddy bear.

It shouldn’t really have worked at all, but it did.

Almost three years later, it comes as no surprise to see the plush toy with the toilet mouth is back.

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More crass jokes ... Mark Wahlberg, the character Ted, voiced by Seth MacFarlane and Amanda Seyfried in Ted 2. Picture: Universal Pictures via AP

As is usually the case with sequels down the lowest-comm-denom end of the humour spectrum, an abiding whiff of the familiar throughout Ted 2 often overpowers any fresh comic aromas.

The story kicks off with a wedding. No sooner has Ted (voiced with winningly gormless gusto once again by writer-director Seth MacFarlane) tied the knot to check-out chick Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth), when many marital difficulties kick-in.

To save the union — and further defy all known laws of biology — the unhappy couple decide they need to make a baby.

Ted’s long-suffering best buddy Johnny (Mark Wahlberg) gets caught up in a number of grubby schemes (one of which ends in a major spill at a sperm clinic, say no more) before the US legal system takes a sudden interest in developments.

Lots of laughs ... Jessica Barth, and the character Ted, voiced by Seth MacFarlane. Picture: Universal Pictures via AP

Though it is widely accepted Ted is more or less a human being housed inside a 500g furry casing, the authorities have classified him as a mere object. Ted’s marriage to Tami-Lynn is wiped from the records. Their right to bear children is deemed illegal.

What follows centres on an unconventional, unevenly amusing courtroom showdown, where Ted’s desire to be upgraded from stuffed novelty item to stand-up citizen will be represented by maverick lawyer Samantha (Amanda Seyfried).

She will also serve as a love interest for Johnny throughout the movie (mainly because Mila Kunis did not want a bar of this sequel).

Seyfried is actually the best thing about Ted 2. She exhibits a carefree flair and sharp timing that shows up an openly disinterested Wahlberg in every scene they share.

Hidden gem ... Amanda Seyfried is great alongside Mark Wahlberg and Seth Macfarlane's Ted in Ted 2. Picture: Universal Pictures via AP

While MacFarlane’s brand of comedy remains a distinctly acquired taste, his high work rate — and determination to cram as many gags as he can into anything he does — cannot be called into question.

Most viewers who found the first movie funny will be content with the diminished returns on offer here. At the very least, it’s a much more satisfactory effort than that recent repeat offender Horrible Bosses 2.

Originally published as Ted 2 returns with its toilet mouth humour, and Amanda Seyfried is the best thing about it