Let’s cut to the chase, everyone has seen the 1988 film “Coming to America”. It’s on tv at least once a week. It’s one of the most quotable movies ever. If you haven’t, do yourself a favor and fix that. It’s a comedy classic.
Which brings us to the sequel “Coming 2 America”. Originally intended to be a stage play of the first film. The sequel returns the original cast in a new story. The plot follows Prince Akeem as he discovers he has a son.
So what did I enjoy about the return to Zamunda.
Merging the two stories together. There’s a really fun flashback scene that pulls the two films together. A very nice tough.
It looks fantastic. Specifically the costumes, hair and makeup. It’s taken to a whole new level. It’s lush and gorgeous. Kudos to costume designer Ruth E. Carter. Incredible.
The democracy and sexism storyline. This gave the movie a more realistic edge which was appreciated for a comedy. I wasn’t expecting this. Especially when the original movie was so lighthearted. There’s a great scene with Lisa and Akeem that really brings it home.
Wesley Snipes and Leslie Jones. They win the movie. Wesley is threatening and silly but still very funny. Leslie is hilarious and steals every scene that she is in.
Honorable mention goes to Teyana Taylor, whose entrance alone is worth a standing ovation. Kiki Layne as Princess Meeka is also a very strong character and acted very well.
While there is a lot of good, the bad sticks out for me.
The bastard child storyline. I kept cringing when they kept saying “bastard child”. This could have been done a different way. Or just taken out. Personally the sexism and democracy storyline could have been a more interesting approach. Using his oldest daughter as the main character.
The sets are not as grand and realistic as the original. It’s not a big deal. It’s been over 30 years, times have changed. But it’s hard not to compare.
It hits the same beats as the original story. Even some of the same jokes. This is not bad. But it’s something we’ve seen already. It’s nice for nostalgia. But it left me wanting more.
All in all I enjoyed the movie. It's a good trip down memory lane. With fun little surprises along the way. There’s some good plot devices in the story. However the story as a whole could have been tweaked. If you enjoyed the original film, this adds more to the fun. It’s a great cast. Beautifully designed. And hysterical.
“Coming 2 America” is available for streaming on Amazon Prime
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