Coming 2 America: Warm and Indoors with Eddie Murphy… Isn’t That Enough?

By Liam Lacey

Rating: B-

In an era of historically and politically important Black films, I can safely report that Coming 2 America, the Eddie Murphy sequel to his 1988 blockbuster, is not one of them.

In the spirit of managed expectations, the more relevant question is, is it funny? Probably more than you expect, especially if you were expecting Norbit 2. There’s a smirk or two or three here. Really, what do you want of a movie these days?

As Lavelle (Jermaine Fowler), the newly discovered “bastard son” of Murphy’s Prince Akeem of Zamunda, puts it: “What do we have besides superhero shit, remakes, and sequels to old movies nobody asked for?”

Perhaps no one actually asked for Coming 2 America. The film, originally scheduled for theatrical release last August, is something warm in a cold month and the story’s not hard to follow.

If, like me, you barely remember the John Landis-directed Coming to America, there’s plenty of exposition and flashback scenes to fill you in. In one of those flashbacks, Murphy gets subjected to a digital Irishman-style de-aging technique to visit a New York disco back in the eighties, where he unwittingly impregnates Lavelle’s mother, Mary.

The news of Akeem’s son comes as a deathbed revelation from Prince Akeem’s father, King Joffre (James Earl Jones). That happens just before the King throws himself a spectacular funeral, with a eulogy by Morgan Freeman and royal performances by En Vogue, Salt-N-Pepa, and Gladys Knight. He dies an understandably happy man.

Prince Akeem and his wheedling sidekick, Semmi (Arsenio Hall) return to Queens, New York in their golden jet to find the young man. First, there’s a visit to the barbershop where, I believe, most of the characters are played by Eddie Murphy under layers of latex, although some of them may be Arsenio Hall. The African visitors are surprised by the newly gentrified Queens; Semmi congratulates the Americans on their progress, now “that your Black president has finally reunited your great country.”

Rather than dwell on that bitter moment of social commentary, the royal entourage, along with Lavelle and his mom, jet back to Zurumba, where several kinds of trouble await. Akeem’s wife Lisa (Shari Headley) is unhappy with the new blended family. Also annoyed is her eldest daughter Meeks (Kiki Layne), who has a better claim to the throne than her half-brother, because, you know, Zurumba has discovered feminism.

PROUDLY SUPPORTS ORIGINAL-CIN

Meanwhile, Prince Akeem’s rival General Izzy (Wesley Snipes, sporting a billygoat chin beard) and his army of dancing soldiers from the country of Nextdoria, are pressuring Princess Akeem to marry Lavelle to his bombshell daughter, Bopoto (Teyana Taylor). Instead, Lavelle falls for his assigned “groomer,” Mirembe (Nomzamo Mbatha), who dreams of opening a barber shop, such as she has seen in funny American movies.

Coming 2 America is directed by Craig Brewer, who made Hustle & Flow and Murphy’s acclaimed 2019 film, Dolemite is My Name. He’s not pretending to try to herd all the cats here, letting the rudimentary plot serve as a springboard for Murphy’s free-style genial clowning and impressions, and slapstick set-ups.

During the comedy lulls, there are eye-popping costumes (from Black Panther’s Oscar-winning costumer Ruth E. Carter) and lots and lots of dancing,

You couldn’t call Coming 2 America a good movie or even a so-bad-its-good, but just puffed-up mediocre concoction with a few pockets of delight. One of those is former Saturday Night Live’s cast member Leslie Jones as Lavelle’s mother Mary, and the way she adds some extra torque to the “queen” by saying “Qwain!” which is how all monarchs should say the word.

Also, be sure to hang in for the post-credit falsetto vocal performance by John Legend, which is hair-raising in an entirely good way.

Coming 2 America. Directed by Craig Brewer. Starring Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, Kiki Layne, Shari Headley, Wesley Snipes, and James Earl Jones. Available on Amazon Prime Video beginning March 5.