You probably never would have guessed it, but the ultimate message of the smash-hit sex-comedy "American Pie" was that, in the end, love is more important than sexual gratification.

What may be even more surprising is that the rather unimaginatively titled sequel "American Pie 2" reiterates that idea. Oh, it may be buried a lot deeper this time — under a virtual mountain of the-grosser-the-better outrageous gags — but it's still there.

And it's that tentative stab at responsibility, as well as a certain goofy charm, that separates this marginally funny comedy from such repellent but like-minded competitors as "Tomcats."

Still, there's a certain amount of energy and originality that's lacking — it's almost as if all the filmmakers thought they needed to do to score a hit was get most of the original film's cast back together, throw in some sex-related jokes and then wait for the audience to do the rest.

"American Pie 2" picks up the story a year later, after the main characters have just finished their first year of college. Things haven't changed much for the gang — Stifler (Seann William Scott) is still loud-mouthed jerk, Oz (Chris Klein) is still very much in love with his girlfriend (Mena Suvari) and Jim (Jason Biggs) is still a bit of a loser when it comes to women.

As for Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas), he's trying to cope with being "just friends" with ex-girlfriend Vicky (Tara Reid), while Paul (Eddie Kaye Thomas) is still obsessed with Stifler's mom (Jennifer Coolidge).

Needless to say, the buddies need to get away from it all, so they decide to spend their summer vacation in a beach house — where they prepare for an end-of-the-summer party that they hope will change their luck with the fairer sex.

Things don't look promising for Jim, though. He's worried that he won't be "experienced" enough for returning exchange-student Nadia (Shannon Elizabeth). So he looks up his former fling (Alyson Hannigan) to get some, ahem, "instruction."

Surprisingly, director J.B. Rogers ("Say it Isn't So!") lets the pace lag, with several sequences that drag on far too long. (There are also too many musical montages that serve no real purpose.)

But as sketchy as some of the comedy is, the cast is likable, especially Biggs, who shines in the scenes he shares with Eugene Levy (hilarious as Jim's trying-to-be-"with-it" father).

And even though Scott's obnoxious shtick can be tiresome, he's used to good effect here — serving as the butt of as many jokes and insults as he dishes out.

"American Pie 2" is rated R for crude jokes, references and gags (both sexual and scatological), frequent use of strong profanity, simulated sex acts (mostly done for laughs) and male partial and female nudity. Running time: 100 minutes.

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