OSCARS 2022: Coming 2 America (2021)

For a brief, shining moment, Eddie Murphy was the biggest movie star in the world. But no longer. Ego and laziness set in quickly and he occupied himself too often with paycheck movies and unfortunate musical side projects. By the end of the 2000s, it seemed Murphy was mostly starring in really dire family films and doing shit like following up an Academy Award nomination with his worst movie ever. The former superstar has been attempting to rehabilitate his image lately by returning to stand-up and sequelizing his most beloved films. Alongside a seemingly sincere attempt to wrench “Beverly Hills Cop 4” out of Development Hell is “Coming 2 America.” The sequel to Eddie’s kindest eighties hit was made without John Landis — "Dolemite Is My Name's" Craig Brewer is in the director's chair — or Rick Baker but still managed to score a Best Makeup Oscar nomination. 

33 years have passed since Prince Akeem Joffer of prosperous African nation Zamunda ventured to Queens to find himself a bride. Since then, his wife Lisa has gifted him with three daughters. With the death of Akeem's father, he becomes king... And is increasingly threatened by the military dictator of neighboring nation Nexdoria. It is Zamundan law that only a man can inherit the throne. Akeem's search for a male heir brings him back to Queens, where he discovers Lavelle, his son from a forgotten tryst he had just before meeting Lisa. Lavelle travels to Zamunda, undergoing trials to become a prince and being asked by the father he barely knows to choose between love and royal duty. 

"Coming 2 America" is an example of what the latest "Scream" would dub a "requel," in that it operates as both a nostalgic throwback to a beloved classic and a loose remake/reboot of it. Brewer's film makes sure to bring back as many characters from the original as possible, up to and including the Babar the elephant. Mostly, its plot functions as a reversal of the original's story. Instead of being about a pampered African prince on the streets of Queens, it's about a streetwise NYC hustler growing accustomed to life in Zamunda. Eventually, Lavelle is in a similar situation to what his father experienced in 1988. His dad wants him to marry the princess of Nexdoria for political reasons. Lavelle, who has developed feelings for his royal hairdresser, wants to marry for love. When you realize, early on, that a comedy sequel is just doing a slightly tweaked version of the original, it's hard to get too invested. 

Still, "Coming 2 America" does retain a little bit of what made the original probably my favorite Eddie Murphy movie. That would be its sweetness. When the plot synopsis for the sequel first came out, I thought the idea of Akeem having an one-night-stand while in Queens seemed pretty out-of-character. I guess the screenwriters agreed and cooked up a pretty good work around. Turns out, Akeem was unknowingly high at the time and didn't exactly realize what was happening. Questionable use of consent aside, Murphy still has a grasp on his kindest character. Akeem wants what is best for Lavelle and reevaluates his attitude when he realizes he's acting just like his old man. Bringing Shari Headley back as Lisa was a wise decision and the chemistry she shares with Murphy keeps the movie afloat at times. Lavelle's relationship with his own love, Mirembe the royal groomer, is that well developed. But it is nice that the film takes the romantic subplot seriously and Jermaine Fowler strikes the right balance in the part. 

Most of the laughs in "Coming 2 America" occurs early on. The absurd opulence of life in Zamunda's royal palace is nicely played up during King Joffer's extravagant funeral, with a few amusing celebrity cameos thrown in. McDowell's becoming the national fast food chain of Zamunda, with corresponding reappearances from John Amos and Louie Anderson, pays off in a couple of funny ways. Leslie Jones and Tracy Morgan get some laughs as Lavelle's mother and uncle, who naturally react to royal life in off-beat ways. Sadly, the sequel eventually seems content to just repeat gags from the original. The infamous royal bathers bit is revisited and revised, as is an overly literal and subservient princess. There's another sparring scene with Arsenio Hall, who does have a few funny lines. Hall and Murphy reprise all their roles from the original, such as the horny preacher, the mouthy barber, and the old Jewish guy. (These characters have to be in their 90s by this point.) By the time Sexual Chocolate shows up, this tactic has officially begun to feel desperate. I mean, they even bring back the rapping twins from the night club scene. Did anybody miss them?

The jokes "Coming 2 America" cooks up that aren't just copied from the original usually aren't very inspiring. A scene where Lavelle uses cat food to outsmart a gassy, CGI lion feels lifeless. Wesley Snipes is decent as Nexdoria's leader, and there's a few fun sight gags around him, but his subplot ends in an excessively wacky way. While the image of black people in such a place of fantastical power still needs to be seen, "Coming 2 America" has a few too many scenes of basking in awe at Zamunda's glory. By the third dance number, it starts feel like the sequel is deliberately chasing "Black Panther's" Wakanda. If the sequel really wanted to be worthy of the original, it should've invested more time in Akeem's relationship with his daughters, who are largely a side note. While not bad, "Coming 2 America" mostly feels like an unnecessary attempt to cash-in on the nostalgia people have for the original. It's briefly amusing but is destined to be forgotten. [6/10]