Miss Simpatia 2: Armada e Poderosa

This movie was not bad. This movie was not stupid. It was not a travesty. It was not a black mark. It was a sequel. And it filled that role quite well.

Sandra Bullock returned in Miss Congeniality 2, thankfully, and really completely saved it. There was a rumor going around that they weren't going to use her in the sequel, but luckily they realized their mistake. Ms. Bullock makes the show worth watching all by herself. Though she did have an OK ensemble to work with (particularly Heather Burns and Regina King), this is her show, and hers alone. Without her, it could easily have become all of the above listed things.

But it's not! It's really not bad, and has some genuine laughs along the way, with an especially funny drag queen scene. So, if you're a fan of the original, go see it. It won't compare to the first, and never could have, but it is still worth seeing. 5/10 stars for me.

Jay Addison

Always carry a bowie knife if you've got a feathered tail.

This movie had moments. The woman who does the voice of Riley and Huey Freeman reluctantly portraying Tina Turner, with Sandra Bullock behind her moving her arms in a Tina-eque fashion – nice. The metatextualism of folks commenting on the Shatner's singing – nice. There was even a visual shout out to Star Trek's "The Voyage Home" that I found quite charming. The frantic car chase to save the victims with a dancer's feathered headdress streaming out of the skylight; good fun. I'm a sucker for a costume drama that involves fights and shiny things. And I do like the way Sandra snorts.

But . . . it just didn't cohere. It couldn't decide if it was supposed to be slapstick or comic drama; couldn't decide if it was absurdist or plausible. The lead's transformation into a glamor queen just wasn't psychologically or dramatically convincing.

There was true talent in this film. Real charisma. But it was lazy. One more hard edit of the script, and I think this could have been a fine film. But someone started filming before they had that final edit, and no one made up for it anywhere along the line.

Sandra Bullock returns as Gracie Hart, the federal agent who went undercover at the Miss United States pageant four years ago. When the pageant emcee Stan Fields (William Shatner) and Miss USA (Heather Burns) are kidnapped in Las Vegas, Gracie needs to put aside her cushy lifestyle on the talk show circuit to go back into action, taking on a very unhappy new partner in Sam Fuller (Regina King).

Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous isn't as good as the original but it still manages to deliver some funny scenes. The original was a fun, harmless movie though nothing memorable. The sequel falls under the same category but it's not nearly as much fun as the first film. Actually, the fun factor is only seen in Bullock and King everything else was poorly handled. Sure there were some fun moments but certainly not enough to sustain the really long running time. Also, Michael Caine and Benjamin Bratt don't appear in the movie. I miss Caine since he was pretty funny in the first one. I don't really miss Bratt because he's not that good of an actor.

The acting is pretty good and it's the best thing the movie has to offer. Sandra Bullock gives a funny and enjoyable performance as Gracie Hart. Her charm is what carries this sequel and she proves to be a delight on screen. Regina King also gives a funny performance and she's a nice addition to the series. The chemistry between Bullock and King is great and their scenes together is what drives the movie. William Shatner and Heather Burns don't really do anything special. Diedrich Bader gives an annoying performance as Joel. Treat Williams and Enrique Murciano just play their roles as much as the screenplay allows it and they don't really do anything special.

I think the main reason why this sequel isn't as good as the original is because the premise is nearly the same. They could have been a little more creative with the story. Also, the original movie wrapped up nicely and it didn't demand a sequel. So, this movie seems like a cash in on a popular film and little time was actually spent on the script. The running time is 115 minutes and this could have been edited. There were a bunch of pointless scenes and the movie just doesn't contain enough fresh material to keep the film funny or interesting. Also, the film is very predictable and sitting through a long, predictable movie wasn't that much fun. I need to question the point of making a sequel. It seemed like a lazy attempt and the film was only average because of Bullock and King. In the end, this unnecessary sequel isn't really worth watching unless you're a fan of Bullock or King. Rating 5/10

You were all over town in bus ads for a long time, and I didn't care to go and see you in Miss Congeniality... I assumed it was just one more pretty face in a silly Hollywood comedy, and the same old scripts with funny gags about a Miss Something Contest! Now - I was so desperate for a comedy that I went to see Miss Congeniality 2, and after laughing all along as everybody else, I got it. You're a clever woman, and you produced the right film for me, possibly to a few million men and women more, too. I went to read reviews of both films, and good critics are right to point that the scripts are not outstanding, or particularly innovative; I'll add that a number of funny lines are not so funny, either. The way you say them, your acting, your personality, do the trick: you impose your inner sense of comedy on us, and we keep giggling. I'm sorry I missed your first venture as a producer, but to make amends I promise I'll buy the DVD set of the two films when they are out. I want to revive a number of excellent scenes, and keep it for my down moments...

I saw this movie at a special screening last night. While being a big fan of the first movie, I was fairly excited to see the second. After I saw it, I thought it was OK. Not as clever and original as the first, but still very entertaining. The second had a lot more laughs, slapstick, and funny bits...however I'd say it lacked in plot. EVERYTHING was predictable, and you knew what would happen the moment the movie started--not like in the first movie, which was more inventive and unpredictable to a certain degree.

Also, I was a bit disappointed with the cast (especially Benjamin Bratt not returning). Shatner, whom I looked forward to seeing, was hardly in it--so that was another disappointment. The other actors and actresses were OK. Sandra Bullock was great though, and she really held the film together with her comedic attitude. A 10 for her performance! Besides getting some very huge laughs from Diedrich Bader (who played Bullock's personal stylist),Shatner, and Sandra Bullock, there wasn't much else to offer in the acting department.

However I will say most of this movie was hilarious, even if it lacked in other things. I definitely recommend seeing it, as it will probably be the funniest movie of the year. If you're in the mood to see a very funny, laugh a minute-ride, you should definitely check it out in the theater! But don't get your hopes up for this being better than the first.