Jason Patric is a terrible choice of leading man - for any movie, but particularly a franchise like this. He makes Keanu's absence look all the more notable. Patric is not a bad actor, just a very forgettable one. His serious lack of charisma and zest really leave this dead in the water. And, whereas the first movie had a dynamic male-female connection, this time it's dull and lifeless.
Chemistry is non-existent.
This night seems almost too perfect. You already did. Plus, they had to go all cuckoo and hired Willem Dafoe to play lead villain. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Dafoe is a capable actor, but as a villain, his John Geiger pales next to Dennis Hopper's maniacal turn in the first movie.