“Coming 2 America” Review
Since Eddie Murphy’s first “Coming to America,” fans have been craving for more of this hilarious film. Last week, “Coming 2 America,” the sequel to the 1988 hit film, finally came.
Director Craig Brewer, also known for his work of “Hustle and Flow,” has stepped out of his usual serious filmmaking role and has tapped into his comedic side. The jokes present in “Coming 2 America” are hilarious and enjoyable for all audiences.
But first things first: the cast. Obviously, Eddie Murphy plays the main character, Prince Akeem. As the movie goes on, more and more big actors make an appearance. Actors like James Earl Jones, Morgan Freeman, Leslie Jones and Tracy Morgan all hold a role in this movie. They, along with newer faces to Hollywood, pull off this film, making for a worthwhile sequel.
At the start, Prince Akeem is soon to become the new king of Zamunda after the death of his father King Jaffe. With that, Prince Akeem has to prepare for his heirs to take the throne after him, but he only has three daughters, meaning his eldest daughter must marry for her to become queen.
Prince Akeem is then told by his dying father that when Akeem went to America in the ‘80s, he had been drugged and had sired a son in Queens, New York. This means the heir to the throne is actually Prince Akeem’s long-lost son.
He and his assistant travel to America to pick up his son and turn him into a prince. There, he finds his son Lavelle, who is in some trouble. They then know he has a lot of work to do before he can become a prince.
When they take Lavelle back to Zamunda, he insists his mother Mary comes with them. Upon arrival in Zamunda, Prince Akeem has to tell his wife Lisa and his daughters they have a brother.
The two groups instantly clash, and Prince Akeem has to please both parties to keep the peace within his kingdom.
After a long, brutal process full of laughs and jokes, Lavelle has worked his way through the tests and challenges. In the end, all the characters are happy with their new positions in the kingdom, and everyone lives happily ever after.
The story is good, keeping audiences entertained throughout the whole film. But it is a little cheesy. It is difficult for sequels to be a major hit, and this one still lacks as well.
But the cinematic camera shots and scenery are beautiful, the set of a castle in Africa in particular looking very real. If the most beautiful wild animal shots, some may be real and some could be animated. It becomes difficult to distinguish the difference. That is a great accomplishment to reach in film.
All in all, “Coming 2 America” is good for a sequel; a great story, beautiful costumes and a powerful cast really put this movie together, and the sentimentality of it all makes for a feel-good watching experience. It does lack in some places, though; the movie isn’t gut-busting hilarious like the first. If the writers could have hit that same comedy as the original, “Coming 2 America” could have been top tier. Instead, this sequel doesn’t quite compare to its original, though it’s worth a watch nonetheless.
Rating: 3/5
Cade Miller is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email cam7095@psu.edu.
