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One can apply the same analogy to Miss Congeniality 2:
Armed and Fabulous, the gratuitous but undisruptive sequel
to the 2000 hit. Like the party, you’ll probably see
the film, but you know exactly what you’re going to get,
don’t you?
Still – doesn’t mean we wouldn’t like to be
flabbergasted and find the inclusive contrary.
Though a huge box-office success, the original Miss Congeniality
was pretty much straight-to-video fodder disguised in a commercial
hit’s clothing. It may have had the enigmatic Sandra
Bullock, a few good laughs, and the odd cameo (William Shatner,
for one), but other than that, it was the kind of film purely
worth saving for cable TV – if only so you can get maximum
benefit out of your subscription. Yep, that average.
And the sequel isn’t that much better.
In the first film, tough-as-nails FBI Agent Gracie Heart
(Bullock) went undercover as a contestant in the nationally
televised Miss United States pageant. Surely she could never
return to real honest-to-good police work after that gig,
right?
Spot on. Now, Gracie is not so much a hard-working agent
as she is the cover girl for the bureau magazine. Instead
of a gun, she carries a Louis Vutton, instead of working murder
investigations, she’s either being photographed or singing
the praises of her occupation on TV’s Regis and Kelly.
She’s the Paris Hilton of the agency in other words.
One thing leads to another – as it has to, for the film
to advance – and Gracie is thrown back into the action.
Seems Miss USA (Heather Burns, reprising her role from the
first film) and pageant host, Stan (William Shatner) have
been kidnapped in Vegas, and Gracie has to swim against the
slot machines to foil the kidnappers plans, rescuing the twosome,
and in turn, discovering that her old-self was a much ‘truer’
version of Gracie Hart. Cue the violins; give the joke-writers
their lunch break.
A bubbly-enough affair with some good turns (Bullock’s
always steadfast in the light and fluffy), lavish locations
(fantastic use of some of Vegas’s best Casino’s,
notably ‘Treasure Island’ and ‘The Venetian’)
and story bits and bobs that’ll make the expected addressees
smile and snicker, Miss Congeniality 2 looks great,
but like a defective Caramello Koala, it’s hollow.
The plot’s as thin as your library card, and there aren’t
enough laughs to even fill a three-minute spot on Letterman,
but if you’re a fan of the divine Sandra Bullock, you’ll
probably find Miss Congeniality 2 an easy enough to
tug to sail on.
DVD Extras
Very thin on extras - get the magnifying glass out - but
the audio and video are bright and boppy enough.
Conclusion: Movie 60% Extras: 15%
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