The Mosley Review: Coming 2 America

Why do we love sequels? Is it to see the continuing adventures of a protagonist we fell in love with from the original film? Is it because there was a unfinished storyline waiting to be resolved? Or is because it was just fun and we wanted to have another slice of the delicious pie the first film provided? Nowadays it’s yes across the board, but it also means there is a risk of ruining the perfect pie that was the original and destroying an otherwise progressive story and character arc. This film did exactly that and I was sorely disappointed in the stereotypical, lazy storytelling and above all betrayal of a character that this film had the audacity to show us. The first 15 minutes of the film did further the story of the original in a fun and interesting way that I’d hoped would stay on that path, but it quickly washes away all forms of originality and charm. After those precious 15 minutes of charm, the story washes itself down the drain of a black stereotype that I thought we as a society were done with in cinema. Its 2021 now and I hate seeing these type of stories being plucked from the late 80's to 90's. The film also relies heavily on nostalgia to cover up its obscene waste of a potentially heartfelt and forward thinking story. At least the cast all around were great.

Eddie Murphy returns as Prince Akeem Joffer and he was the same wonderful man you remember from the original. His charisma, charm and love for others was truly on display and you can tell Eddie was happy to be back in the characters' slippers. What I didn't like is the way his character was handled as the story progressed. The great James Earl Jones returns as King Jaffe Joffer and he was excellent once again. He passes the mantle of King to Akeem and that is where the problems begin. Akeem quickly abandons every principle of change and forward thinking he stood for and becomes more like his father. That's where I ended up not liking Akeem anymore which hurt my heart. For a moment he becomes the villain of the story. Shari Headley returns as the new Queen Lisa Joffer and she was gracious, beautiful and as powerful on screen with Eddie. Arsenio Hall returns as the loyal servant and Akeem’s best friend Semmi and he was just as fun as you'd expect. Both Eddie and Arsenio bring back their classic characters that stood out from the original and they are at the same level of greatness and hilarity. KiKi Layne, Bella Murphy and Akiley Love play Akeem's daughters Princess Meeka, Princess Omma and Princess Tinashe, but KiKi was the standout. As the oldest daughter, you see Meeka grow into the rightful heir to the throne of Zamunda. KiKi exudes confidence, strength and wit and I loved her. Wesley Snipes nearly steals the film as General Izzi the leader of Nextdoria. He truly was having so much fun and at times he was menacing when he wasn't playing around.

Leslie Jones was hilarious and fun as Mary Junson and Tracy Morgan was equally as fun as her brother Reem. Mary had a one night stand with Akeem and that night produced her son Lavelle. Jermaine Flower plays her son Lavelle and he was good in the film. He was a modern version of Akeem and that’s where the film really starts to play like a bad cover song. His chemistry with Leslie, Eddie and Tracy was great, but it was the strongest with the palace groomer played wonderfully by Nomzamo Mbatha. There relationship is basically the same as Akeem and Lisa which is where the film is the weakest. John Amos and Louie Anderson return as Cleo McDowell and Maurice and they were a joy to see together again.

The score by Jermaine Stegall was charming, regal and reminiscent of the original. The film was truly gorgeous to look at and the makeup on Eddie Murphy’s and Arsenio Hall's characters were good, but at times they looked a little to overly done. There are great cameos and returns, but none of the nostalgia trips can cover up the fact that this sequel was beneath the quality and legacy of the original. There are moments of charm, fun and genuine laughs, but this film was downright unnecessary. Let this film be a shining example of why you don't make sequels to classic films 30 years later. This film and the original are currently streaming on Amazon Prime and I highly recommend sticking with the original. Let me know what you thought of the film and my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!