Happy Gilmore 2 has finally arrived on Netflix, nearly 30 years after the first film released in theaters. The hotly-anticipated sequel sees Adam Sandler reprise his beloved role from the 1996 feature (alongside several other stars), but many wondered if he would be able to score a hole in one with his sophomore trip to the golf course. Early reviews from critics have revealed whether the sequel was worth the wait, and it looks like good news, as the second Happy Gilmore movie is currently on a level playing field with the original sports comedy.

Happy Gilmore 2 came out swinging with a fairly reasonable 63% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, putting it on par with the first film, which holds a 63% critic score and an 85% audience rating. However, with reviews still pouring in, the score for the sequel is fluctuating and has slightly dipped since its initial debut. It currently stands at 57% from 28 critics’ reviews, which is only a 6% difference to the original, though it is now marked with a green splat indicating a rotten status. The audience rating is at a much more solid 73%.

The 57% rating shows that Happy Gilmore 2 is dividing critics, which is not too dissimilar to the first film as that also received mixed reviews upon release. The positive reviews largely highlight the movie’s nostalgic factor, accelerated by the return of fan-favorite characters and callbacks to classic moments. Many felt it stayed true to the original, bringing with it plenty of laughs, quotable dialogue, and a huge range of celebrity cameos. It even exceeded expectations for some, including MovieWeb’s Julian Roman, who summed it up as such:

“Adam Sandler and the cast of Happy Gilmore return to slapstick golf glory in a hilarious sequel that’s much better than expected. Happy Gilmore 2 hits the fairway and nails a comedic birdie with just the right dose of heartfelt nostalgia.”

“Happy Gilmore 2 is a charming, good-natured throwback that hearkens back to its predecessors, modernizing a classic character to just the right extent,” said Jeff Ewing in his review for Collider, while Caralynn Matassa from CBR asserted that the sequel “won’t go down as a classic,” but praised it for being “a fun, occasionally charming, imperfect, and ultimately harmless return to a world and character that helped define a comedy subgenre.” David Fear of Rolling Stone felt Happy Gilmore 2 made for a worthy sequel, writing in his review:

“The rule for sequels is: give them the same, only different. Happy Gilmore 2 adheres to this concept beautifully, along with doling out enough blatant fan service to choke a one-eyed alligator.”

Not Everyone Is Happy About ‘Happy Gilmore 2’

Some reviewers criticized Happy Gilmore 2 for relying too heavily on fan service, and that the story ended up lacking any substance because of it. The script for the sequel underwent significant rewrites during its development and a few critics found the end result to be uninspired and uneven, especially when it came to its pacing. Screen Rant’s Lewis Glazebrook suggested that the film had “its moments,” but concluded that, “it ultimately fails where it counts, thanks to an unfocused plot, gratuitous cameos, and unearned nostalgia.”

Jim Vorel of Paste Magazine seemed to agree, writing in his review, “The sheer weight of its mindless repetition will wear on even the most nostalgia-fueled sense of appreciation–while it may generate some chuckles, it will also make you feel like you just lugged a bag up and down 36 holes with no cart.” Meanwhile, Ethan Anderton from Slashfilm made his feelings about the sequel absolutely clear as he delivered some frank advice to prospective viewers:

“When it comes to Happy Gilmore 2, Netflix’s latest comedic collaboration with SNL sensation Adam Sandler, you’d be better off taking a cue from Happy’s golf rival Shooter McGavin (Christopher MacDonald) and simply eating a piece of s**t for breakfast.”

Sequels can be a mixed bag, with some proving to be successful entries that build on a legacy and others falling short of the expectations set out by the film that came before it. Happy Gilmore 2 seems to lie somewhere in the middle of those two camps, at least when it comes to critics’ opinions — though there is still time for that to change as reviews continue to be published and added to Rotten Tomatoes. It might even make a few people want to revisit the original film, but they won’t have long to stream it, as it is leaving Netflix very soon.