Following up an undeniably classic film with a sequel is probably the hardest landing to stick in the movie business. Doubly so if you attempt it a decade or more after the original’s release. The graveyard of failed movies is littered with attempts at reversing this trend. If you go into one of these films expecting to recreated the magic that an original classic created inside of you organically, sans lofty expectations going in, and with the time it has had to create warm, familiar nostalgic feelings for you, you’re going about judging the sequel in the wrong way. A legendary comedy is the latest notable classic seeking to release a successful sequel in the modern age.
Coming 2 America is the latest pairing between director Craig Brewer and Eddie Murphy following 2019’s Dolemite is My Name and reintroduces us to Prince Akeem (Murphy) of Zamunda as his father King Jaffe Joffer (James Earl Jones) is on his death bed at the same time General Izzi (Wesley Snipes), leader of the burgeoning neighbor nation Nexdoria (get it?) and brother of Imani Izzi (Vanessa Bell Calloway) Akeem’s former arranged fiancée, smells blood in the water with the impending death of Zamunda’s leader, Zamunda’s law that only a man can sit on the throne, and Akeem’s lack of a male heir forcing an arranged marriage between his eldest daughter Meeka (Kiki Layne) and Izzi’s son Idi (Rotimi) to fend off war between the two countries. Before the marriage can happen, Akeem learns he has an unknown son in America, Lavelle (Jermaine Fowler), a 31-year-old who lives with his mother Mary (Leslie Jones). Akeem travels to America to reclaim his son so that he may claim the throne of Zamunda.
The original film’s opening scenes set within the palatial royal estate in Zamunda has remained noteworthy throughout the years for its pristine wardrobe that at once paid homage to African elements and showed off the talent of legendary costume designer Ruth E. Carter. With most of the sequel set in Zamunda and Carter back onset providing the film’s style, Coming 2 America’s production and costume design is one of the first things that pops off of the screen, somehow even more lavish and elaborate than the first film. Every scene drips with vivid colors and eye-popping clothing that is both stylish and reverent of its setting, a testament to the work Carter is known for.
But as we all knew and expected, visitors from the first film aren’t limited to behind the camera as old characters many have loved for decades are back onscreen. The effect that their reappearance has on viewers will no doubt be tied to how the film plays for an audience member specifically. As I watched Coming 2 America, the story seems generic on the surface and leans more heavily toward its dramatic elements rather than its comedy. While the jokes barely elevate above chuckle worthy (until a blowout ending that had me in a nostalgic high while laughing as loudly as possible), the film remained engaging due to a storyline involving characters you become invested in and themes of self-discovery and, like the original, forging one’s own path. The story’s quality has a trickle down effect on the rest of the film. If it weren’t as good, the return of the characters from the previous film may feel more cheap and reliant on nostalgia than welcome visits from old friends as is what the film ultimately feels like.
The romantic subplot involving Lavelle and his royal groomer Mirembe (Nomzamo Mbatha) is genuinely interesting and a relationship that is both believable and easy to root for due to the chemistry between Fowler and Mbatha. Mbatha is stunning and a good actress, seemingly poised to establish herself here in the states just as she has in her native South Africa. Their connection leads to Lavelle finding his voice amidst pressure to fit what is expected of him as heir to Zamunda’s throne mere weeks after learning he was in line to rule at all. At the same time, we are treated to Akeem rediscovering himself and his independent streak after returning to Zamunda from America and assuming the roles of Prince and family man. The chemistry that Murphy had in the first film with Shari Headley as his wife and Princess Lisa McDowell carries over here as a pivotal scene where she chastises Akeem for losing himself serves as the turning point in the film. The combination of chemistry between the characters involved that evokes investment in their futures and the story are what make this end of the film hold up so well.
While the characters’ arcs are well done, the comedy elements leave much to be desired. Coming 2 America flips the source of its comedy from Akeem’s fish out of water American tale to Lavelle’s fish out of water, Rags to Royalty tale. The execution of Lavelle’s being thrust onto the throne falls flat in terms of laughs and struggles to rise to the level of anything comedic that has come before it, much less surpass it. Likewise, Murphy’s riffs on American culture and speech that made the original so funny are missing here as is the charm and wit. The laughs that the film does engender are courtesy of Leslie Jones who absolutely steals the show as Mary. Every time Jones appears, humor follows as she’s quick, charming, and full of presence. Wesley Snipes as General Izzi of Nexdoria is also funny, continuing his streak in Brewer-Murphy comedies. But the film’s laughs are so outweighed by it’s story that it prevents the film from reaching the heights it potentially could have and what so many viewers expected and desired out of a follow-up to one of cinema’s best comedies of all-time.
Does this make Coming 2 America a total disappointment or, worse yet, a flop? As the opening paragraph to this review states, comparing a new piece of art to its esteemed predecessor is an exercise in futility. Those unfair expectations are for the most part unattainable with just a few exceptions, and can hinder proper appreciation of the follow-up. Judged on its own merit, Coming 2 America is a comedy that works more as a family dramedy exploring a father and son discovering their true selves, carried by supporting characters that ensure the comedic elements aren’t totally absent. The return of nostalgic elements and characters from the classic before it will either elevate it if the main crux of the film works for you, or represent an annoyance or disappointment if it doesn’t. All in all, it’s a solid if unspectacular comedy that’s a worthy successor to what came before, even if it doesn’t really ever threaten the throne.
Image: Amazon Studios
