RIDE ALONG 2 – The Review

Unfortunately, that tendency toward volume makes it extremely clear when the audience is supposed to laugh, because everything goes deathly silent as the jokes fall flat. Ben (Hart), his future brother-in-law, is desperate to accompany him, but James refuses. The real impetus of Hart’s journey, however, is to give his soon to be wife (Tike Sumpter) enough time to plan the flawless wedding.

Despite the progressive attitude toward masculinity, the film is rife with lazily executed stereotypes about women – what they might wear to go bikini shopping and what might make them jealous – but the larger female roles are fierce, too, with Sherri Shepherd as a rabid wedding planner who spars with Ben.

It’s a shame, given there are so many new characters on the cast.

In Miami, the brothers-in-law-to-be confront a homicide detective, played by Olivia Munn, and a computer hacker, played by Ken Jeong, who reveals evidence that allegedly implicates a respected businessman. Hart has played that before, but unlike McCarthy, he doesn’t have a sympathetic Paul Feig to build a Spy around him-a careful, caring movie that convinces us to believe in its lead. It’s a formula movie, which wouldn’t necessarily be a problem, except that it’s a sort of bad version of itself.

BOTTOM LINE: It takes quite a bit of time to pick up speed, and doesn’t have the verve and energy of the first film, but it has its moments, particularly when Hart hits the gas on his signature zingers. Cube, meanwhile, is fine as the tough guy who melts, just a little, at his admirer’s pluck.

Reports have it that the laugh rate in Ride Along 2 is higher than the first movie, which could be a redeeming quality, however they add that the movie’s laugh-ability isn’t really a “funny-funny” comedy. In one scene, Ben even pretends to be an African king to get into a party held by Pope, which is classic Murphy. “Ride Along 2” is a simple, smart and amusing buddy cop film that’s reminiscent of what made “Rush Hour” work.

THE MODERN buddy cop action comedy requires a precise mixture of elements. Despite a few blips of life from Hart and Cube’s once strong relationship in the 2014 original, this sad sequel proves to be nothing more than a drinking game in-the-making for frat boys looking to get loaded off of watching yet another wannabe “Lethal Weapon”. The first forty seconds of the trailer are dedicated to communicating just how famous Kevin Hart has become, with boastful statistics about his comedy tour – which was the biggest of all time, sorry Andrew Dice Clay – flashing across the screen.

Munn is now doing a round of press to promote Kevin Hart and Ice Cube’s “Ride Along 2,” and shared the screenshot with a disclaimer for reporters who may dare to press the question in the coming weeks.