What joy! The comeback of the great Eddie Murphy is confirmed. After the excellent “Dolemite is my Name”, on Netflix in 2019, where the star of the 1980s played a mythical character of “blaxploitation” (films by and for African-Americans, a genre very popular in the 1970s to Hollywood), the “Beverly Hills Cop” actor returns with the sequel to one of his most popular films, “A Prince in New York,” released in 1988. And it’s an understatement to say that this issue 2, produced by Paramount Studios and available on Amazon Prime Video this Friday, is eagerly awaited around the world.
Thirty-three years after the first feature film directed by John Landis, here is Akeem again, prince become king, but still perched and disconnected from reality, powerful among the powerful of the imaginary land of Zamunda. In the first part, Akeem, accompanied by his faithful servant Semmi, went on a journey to New York, refusing an arranged marriage and preferring to find love, the real one, with the American fairer sex. Obviously, this culture shock gave rise to a hilarious series of comic situations which made this comedy one of the biggest successes of its decade, still very often broadcast on television.
The king of disguise
Here, Akeem is preparing in his palace to celebrate his thirty years of marriage with Lisa. They are now parents to three adorable daughters with strong character who spend their days training martial arts with their beloved daddy. But a vision of Akeem’s father turns things upside down. The prince would have conceived an illegitimate son, one evening of drinking in New York, who would therefore be the heir to the throne. A revelation that requires a new trip to the United States.
This simple and effective scenario turns out to be a perfect setting to highlight the extent of the talent of Eddie Murphy, also producer of the film. As in the first episode, the comedian has fun, with great shots of special effects, to play, in addition to the hero, the owner of a hairdressing salon, one of his clients in the New York of 2020 (where he learns about Uber’s and electric scooters) and the libidinous singer of “Sexual Chocolate,” a funk band in a final scene that’s as silly as it is funny. Because yes, Eddie Murphy holds this film brilliantly. And helps to open a new chapter in his long career, after decades of nanars.
And the one who will celebrate his 60th birthday in April is jubilant to see his coat of arms re-gilded. “This is the first film in the history of cinema with an exclusively black distribution to be successful around the world,” he said of the first “Prince in New York” at a conference virtual press release with the whole team. And to rejoice, this time speaking of the sequel: “Today, there was not a single black actor, of all ages, who did not want to be part of this film. “
At his side, special mention for another legendary actor: Wesley Snipes, drôlissime in fucking General Izzi. Not to mention Bella, one of Eddie Murphy’s daughters (he had 10 children), who had fun seeing “for the first time black royal characters on screen … And it was even more awesome than it is my father ”.
“The Beverly Hills Cop” is also preparing his return
The strength of this comedy lies in two points: knowing how to reconnect with the good-natured spirit of the humor of the 1980s and multiply the nods to the culture of the time, as with the reformation of the mythical group of hip- hop Salt-N-Pepa. A credo to which Murphy should stick to in the future: he has just said that he has given his consent to re-thread Axel Foley’s legendary jacket, the timeless “Beverly Hills Cop”, whose last opus dates back to 1994. Pandemic oblige, the shooting is not yet on the agenda, but the scenario is being refined.
EDITOR’S RATING: 4/5
“A Prince in New York 2”, American comedy by Craig Brewer, with Eddie Murphy, Bella Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler … 1h50.
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