Film Review: COMING 2 AMERICA

WDCB’s Gary Zidek reviews the new film, COMING 2 AMERICA.

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WDCB's Gary Zidek reviews COMING 2 AMERICA.

Back in the summer of 1988, Eddie Murphy was one of the biggest movie stars in the world and audiences flocked to see his newest comedy, COMING TO AMERICA. The film was number one at the box office Fourth of July weekend and was the second highest grossing movie of 1988. Fans probably thought a sequel was inevitable, who could have guessed that the second part would arrive 33 years later and would debut on a streaming service that people could access at home?

Here we are over 30 years later, and its sequel COMING 2 AMERICA is being released on Amazon Prime.

Eddie Murphy as Prince Akeem in COMING 2 AMERICA

In this new COMING 2 AMERICA, we return to the fictional nation of Zamnuda, where Murphy’s Prince Akeem lives happily with his beloved Lisa (who he married at the end of the first COMING TO AMERICA). They have three daughters, which is a problem because according to Zamnudian law, the crown can only be passed onto a son. Akeem’s father played by the great James Earl Jones is still king, but acknowledges that his reign will soon be ending and he’s concerned about the future of the family legacy. That’s when he informs Akeem that he sired a child during his visit to the United States in 1988, and that it is indeed a son. Wanting to make his dad happy, Akeem agrees to go back to Queens with his sidekick Semmi, played by Arsenio Hall to find his heir.

Predictably, lots of hijinks ensue. It’s revealed that Akeem had a forgotten, drug induced one night stand with a woman named Mary (Leslie Jones) during that first visit to New York. Turns out Mary has a son named Lavelle that was born nine months after Prince Akeem’s visit.

Tracy Morgan as Uncle Reem and Jermaine Fowler as Lavelle in COMING 2 AMERICA

There are some funny moments along the way. But many of them rely on nostalgia for the first COMING TO AMERICA.

For instance, fan favorites like the My-T-Sharp barbershop crew and the funktastic band Sexual Chocolate are back. Those characters were funny back in 1988 and it’s nice to seem them again, but will people who never saw the original COMING TO AMERICA find as much joy in their appearances?

But all that reminiscing may get in the way of a story the filmmakers are trying to tell about progress and things changing for the better. It’s clear that Akeem’s oldest daughter is the best fit for the throne once he passes away, but because of Zamunda’s antiquated laws that’s not a possibility. But now that Akeem is King, can’t he just change the rules?

Perhaps my biggest criticism of this new COMING 2 AMERICA is that its star seems a bit muted. Akeem was the straight man in the original COMING TO AMERICA, but he also had lots of personality and principals. This new 2021 version of Akeem is a little too relaxed and as a result Murphy’s comedic genius is downplayed. It should also be noted, that the original COMING TO AMERICA had some bite, it was rated R. This new film is rated PG-13 and is a little too safe for my tastes.

Still, this is a well-made sequel that fans of the original will enjoy.

Gary gives COMING 2 AMERICA two out of four stars. You can watch it on Amazon Prime starting Friday March 5.