The movie Coming to America 2 started with 30th anniversary celebration of Prince Akeem and Princess Lisa. Prince Akeem enjoyed good fatherhood cord with his three daughters even as the first born and girl , Princess Meeka prepared for the Kingdom’s leadership with the knowledge that she could be denied ruling the kingdom because she was not a male child according to Zamunda custom.

In a grand style, we were introduced to General Izzi of Nexodria. Such an exaggerated and entertaining entrance for a General. And I barely understand why General Izzi’s sister Imani, who was formerly bethrothed to Prince Akeem still barked like a dog after 30 years when the Prince said ‘Bark like a dog’. Now, General Izzi returned to propose arranged marriage between Prince Akeem’s daughter, Meeka and his son but Prince Akeem rejected the proposal even though General Izzi breathed threats of war to Zamunda.

King Joffer, Prince Akeem’s father on his deathbed revealed that Prince Akeem had a son when he was on his youthful adventure at Queens, America where he met Princess Lisa. He was compelled to go and search for his son at Queens to be the heir to Zamunda’s throne. And this officially brings us to Coming to America 2. It was also an awkward surprise to hear King Joffer requested for his funeral before he died and whoop a really grand burial was done for him and the ‘Mighty King’ blissfully died in his coffin-like throne while his funeral was ongoing.

Apart from the grand wardrobe style in the movie or the different melodious songs performed in the movie, it is interesting to note the beautiful narrative style employed in this movie especially in the funeral scene and the way they repeatedly use ‘bastard son’ to introduce Prince Lavelle. Also, the interview between King Akeem’s s bastard son, Lavelle Junson and an interviewer Calvin Duke, who inherited generational wealth showed the argument between children whose family backgrounds afford them some privileges and the children from families with little or no privileges who have to build from the scratch. At the beginning of this movie, though the female gender was depicted to be subordinate, I forecasted that the film will end in victory for the female gender.

King Akeem came back to America to look for his bastard son and he met the guy on his 31st birthday where he was hustling to sell movie tickets. That night with the chance of better opportunity as a prince of Zamunda, in the company of his mother he accepted to go to Zamunda with King Akeem. You see, Lavelle who previously judged a white young man for the privileges of generational wealth also jumped at the opportunity to become a prince knowing he would enjoy immense royal privileges.

Now, at the royal palace of Zamunda, Lavelle enjoys the royal treatment and of course the trouble that comes with royalty; which for him is to marry General Izzi’s daughter, Bopoto. Lavelle, carried away with Bopoto’s beauty and swag, he stupidly agreed to marry her. However, he had to pass the princely test which included three parts, culture, critical thinking and courage. All 3 parts were challenging for Lavelle especially the test of courage which involves cutting the whiskers of a lion.

Did you guys hear the line ‘And you dress like a slave from the future?’ This gave me a smile and I like the line from the royal barber, Mirembe to Lavelle when he almost gave up on his ability to passing the princely test, ‘Walk your path, be the prince from Queens not the prince of Zamunda’. This line prompted Lavelle to bring his uncle , Reem who had taught him to survive on the street of Queens and he was now to help Lavelle pass the princely test in Zamunda.

This strategy worked and fortunately he became cool with his step sister, Meeka who had being preparing to rule the kingdom all her life. Meeka shared with him insights on how to lure the lion and cut its whiskers, it worked too! The final princely test of penis foreskin cut was unexpected and scary for even me when I was watching it, I was relieved to see that it was just a prank to test for the prince’s courage and sacrifice.

That night, Mirembe, the royal barber and Prince Lavelle had a lovely walk in the garden which led to a kiss in the garden but was abruptly cut short because Prince Lavelle was to be married to Bopoto whom he barely knew. The next day, Bopoto and her people came to Zamunda Palace and Lavelle just like his father King Akeem did. realized he does not want to marry a culturally designed wife who is nothing than just a wife that will totally and foolishly yield to the husband.
Lavelle decided not to marry Bopoto and he eloped with Mirembe to Queens. Disturbed, King Akeem visited the only Mc Donalds in Zamunda and he was enlightened by the restaurant’s owner to knowing what to do. A line that hit me was ‘And the trouble never stops Akeem’ which attests to the popular Nigerian-pidgin line that ‘Problem no dey finish’.

King Akeem decided to go to Queens, America to get Lavelle his son back. As expected, General Izzi attacked Zamunda’s palace in King’s Akeem absence but thankfully King Akeem’s daughters led by Meeka fought and won General Izzi.
King Akeem arrived at Queens to find his son and Mirembe the Royal Barber about to get married in a pimp church, he disrupted the wedding at first but father and son settled their differences and with Mirembe’s speech again the wedding was postponed to be done in Zamunda. Yes, it was a grand wedding that finally settled the initial truce in the movie about the unacceptability of a woman to rule the kingdom. King Akeem made Princess Meeka heir to his royal throne to rule as queen when he died while Prince Lavelle would serve as Zamunda’s ambassador to America.

The movie Coming to America 2 ended on a joyful note with performances from Nigerian Davido, Assurance and We are family an original song of Sister Sledge that was performed by Eddie Murphy’s character Randy Watson, that got everyone dancing despite the performer’s off-key tune. If you really watched this movie to the end, you won’t miss John legend’s beautiful solo of She’s your Queen

Despite the fashion-bogus pageantry, musical flirt in the movie Coming to America 2, the salient lessons that shouldn’t be missed in this movie is love, forgiveness, familyhood. Hope you enjoyed this movie review? Have further thoughts about the movie? Share with us in the comment section. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Je t’aime mon ami🤗🤗🤗