Coming 2 America is suffering from negative critic reviews, mostly saying it treads many of the same story beats as its predecessor. The sequel to 1988’s Coming to America is available on Amazon Prime Video, and features many of the same actors and characters from the original, as well as adding several key cast members. Craig Brewer directs the new movie with Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall again playing central characters, alongside an extended supporting cast.

Thirty years after the first film, Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) is set to assume the throne of Zamunda, with his father King Jaffe Joffer (James Earl Jones) ailing. Intending to strengthen the dynasty and his family’s place as leaders of Zamunda, Akeem and sidekick Semmi (Arsenio Hall) return to New York City to collect the son Akeem never knew he fathered – a prince of Zamunda who can take the throne under its male-rulers-only laws. Complicating matters is Akeem’s daughter, Meeka (KiKi Layne), who has been preparing to be ruler her whole life. Coming 2 America features many returning characters from the first installment, as well as new faces such as Akeem’s son Lavelle (Jermaine Fowler), his mother, Mary (Leslie Jones), and General Izzi (Wesely Snipes) ruler of neighboring nation Nexdoria.

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Coming 2 America currently has a 52 percent Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 49 percent audience score. Critics are generally agreed that while the movie offers sufficient laughs for those who know the original, the sequel treads too many of the same story beats and that it’s clumsy and lacks the same energy that made the first one great. Most critics say Coming 2 America is best when it adds to what was built in the first movie, rather than emulating that story with a younger generation and retreading familiar ground. Here are some of the critical reviews of Coming 2 America.

New York Times:

“It takes “Coming 2” three-quarters of its running time to arrive at the place where “Coming to” started — the rejection of an arranged marriage in favor of the search for a soul mate.”

TIME:

“Coming 2 America has a clumsy gait; it doesn’t hold together with as much verve and style as the earlier film.”

Variety:

“For the most part, “Coming 2 America” falls back on familiar punchlines, serving up nearly word-for-word repeats of amusing bits from the original.”

ReelViews:

“The film isn’t funny enough to warrant a recommendation and, although it doesn’t desecrate the less-than-sacred image of the earlier film, it proves itself to be superfluous.”

Rolling Stone:

“The story? You’ll recognize it.”

Still, many critics found something to like in Coming 2 America. Most mentioned that there are moments when the comedy is as good as the original and bringing back certain characters – like the barbershop workers – will delight fans. Newcomer to the franchise Wesley Snipes, in the role of General Izzi, leader of neighboring country Nextdoria, gives an outlandish performance which is praised, and the costumes by Ruth E. Carter are universally acknowledged as among the best parts of the movie.

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Salon:

“Coming 2 America confidently moves to the comedy rhythms of where we are now. And because of its willingness to transform it is a smarter, funnier and ultimately sweeter movie than the legend that begat it.”

Vox:

“Coming 2 America is impossible to dislike… the entire vibe is a little more family-friendly, less transgressive, more like a standard-issue studio comedy of the 21st century.”

Rolling Stone:

“Coming 2 America is a good time — even more, it’s evidence that this actor-director pair are on the verge of something great.”

RoberEbert.com:

“Under (Ruth E. Carter’s) masterful guidance, everyone in “Coming 2 America” looks spectacular, from the soon to be king, Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy), to the rose petal-throwing women once again led by Garcelle Beauvais.”

Observer:

“There are enough in-jokes and returning characters to keep fans happy.”

Washington Post:

“Chock full of callbacks, in-jokes, knowing references and replays, “Coming 2 America” is adamantly, unabashedly one for the fans. And, judged solely by that mission, it’s a straight-up, if modest, success.”

Fans have waited 33 years for a sequel to Coming to America, and now they have it. Though it seems viewers would probably appreciate a plot that stands more independently from its origins, there is likely still plenty to like in Coming 2 America for fans of the first installment.

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Mitch Brook
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Mitch Brook is Features Editor for film and TV at Screen Rant. He’s a writer and editor with a history in a range of media, including as editor for travel and lifestyle titles. The movies he always comes back to are Little Women (2019), Orlando, A Single Man, and The Lord of the Rings.

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