MOVIE REVIEW
Sex and the City 2 is an embarrassing sequel only hardcore fans of the aging New York gals could enjoy.
The film is essentially plotless and considering most of the women stay exactly the same through the screenplay, doesn’t work as a character piece either. It’s basically four annoying women having a good time in Abu Dhabi for two and a half hours. If that sounds like a good time to you then by all means.
The big problem of Sex and the City is it lacks real conflict. That may be OK for a witty sitcom episode, but the stakes gotta be higher in a feature film sequel. Three of the ladies are now married, and this doesn’t change, because the men are left at home in NYC, as are their problems.
The issues addressed in Muslim territory include whether Carrie can adapt to the humdrum reality of married life and if slutty Samantha can overcome her menopause-killed libido and become aroused by Australian men in speedos. Miranda’s plot is all about reflecting on the affair mentioned in the first film, adding more irrelevant minutes to the bloating running time.
Oh wait, I should mention Carrie runs into a man from her past and, wait for it, kisses him! The unfaithful sacrilege! Will she tell Big or not? How does anyone care about this tripe?
The film has the opportunity to satirize culture clashing by throwing these American white chicks in the Middle East, but its only played for lame, mostly offensive jokes. I did like Samantha getting detained for sex on the beach and the mini conflict it motivates, but because it only affects her PR job, the consequences are pretty meaningless.
In the end, the girls return from a big expensive vacation mostly unchanged, and we’re supposed to be entertained.
Hopefully this is the end of the Sex and the City foursome. If Michael Patrick King has any dignity for the characters, he will retire them pronto
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