Same old routine, the trailer says - but with one crucial difference...

Rating: 2/10 (1 December 2007)

... it just wasn't funny this time! It replicates the quality of both the effects and the procedural hallmarks that we know, and does it well enough I suppose, but there were virtually NO laughs. The witty writing of the first has been totally usurped, and there's a sea of lowest common denominator, kiddie-orientated blandness in its place.
It shows that they were struggling for energetic material when the main difference in the sequel is the reversal of status, here making Jones the novice to Smith's old hand. Now, call me over-expectant if you'd like, but I was anticipating a little more innovation; sadly the audience are handed precious little they can get worked up over. Almost every detail contributes to a flat and uninspired slog. It's heavily dispiriting when you recall that the original had such freshness and vigour about it. The producers were that desperate for some liveliness that they were anxious to put a Will Smith ad-lib into the trailer. If the script had been up to snuff in the first place, then maybe he wouldn't have found it so necessary to think on his feet for the sake of a laugh. Asking the stars to bail the entire movie out by using only their own talents is a risky strategy that shouldn't have been necessary. It ends up being too big of a requirement to carry through successfully, despite the gifted personalities that were present on-set.
If the idea of a pug singing "I will survive" makes you wanna wet yourself, have a ball by all means... Me? I'll just be watching the original again, thanks...