Rating: 3.5/5
“Coming to America 2” was released on March 5, 2021 to Amazon Prime Video subscribers, more than 30 years after its predecessor. The original “Coming to America” was a cultural reset, a film that stood true against the test of time and was able to be enjoyed through several decades. While there is much to be said about sequels and whether or not they have validity, I believe “Coming to America 2” was a somewhat satisfying follow-up to its largely successful predecessor.
Some of the biggest accomplishments of “Coming to America 2” were the set and costume designs. With the majority of the film set in the fictional African country of Zamunda, every scene was filled with very colorful and elaborate dresses and outfits, which were all pleasing to the eye. Admittedly, I am not an expert on traditional African wear, so I am not sure how accurate the costumes were. On a similar note, the sequel did very well with conveying the opulence of the setting. It was definitely a major upgrade from the slightly tacky late ‘80s, early ‘90s set designs.
It was great to see all of the same actors and actresses from the original movie star in the sequel, despite the 33 year difference in release dates. Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall were able to pick up right where they left off in their roles of Prince Akeem and General Izzi. Additionally, I got a really big kick out of seeing John Amos, as Cleo McDowell, on the screen again. As for the new characters, the casting crew did a fantastic job at finding fresh faces for the roles of Prince Akeem and Lisa McDowell’s three daughters. However, the writers did not fully utilize the talent of the three girls at all in the film.
The biggest grievance that I have with the movie is the disservice it does to the female characters. In my opinion, the female characters were written to be very one-dimensional and only to support their male counterparts. The main conflict involves Prince Akeem’s illegitimate son in the United States, whom he needs to bring back to Zamunda to be his successor. However, Prince Akeem already has a more than deserving daughter who has prepared her entire life to take the throne. While all was resolved at the end of the film, it was very disappointing to see women, brimming with potential, be cast aside and given scraps. Not only that, I wanted to hear and see more from the actresses playing Prince Akeem’s daughters.
I found the plot and writing of “Coming to America 2” not at all impressive. The plot was very basic and predictable. The film lacked real conflict. If I were hooked up to a heart monitor while watching the film, my heart rate would have been steady for the entire 110 minute duration. Additionally, the comedic writing was very lackluster. At no point did I find myself howling with laughter as I did with the first film.
On a much more positive note, I enjoyed the soundtrack of “Coming to America 2.” With musical cameos from Salt-N-Pepa and Davido and a special rendition of Gladys Knight’s “Midnight Train to Georgia,” the film did not miss a beat in the musical department. Perhaps even more impressive were the choreographed dances. There were scenes in which troops of people performed step-esque routines. Moreover, “Coming to America 2” featured powerhouse Teyana Taylor. Although she didn’t have as many lines, she left her mark on the movie through her dancing.
“Coming to America 2” never stood a chance against the original, given the original’s major success. Nevertheless, Director Craig Brewer did succeed in delivering a sufficient movie to hold us over this seemingly never-ending pandemic.