Official Synopsis:
Nonstop laughs are back in the house with this super-sized sequel that's wilder, funnier, and filled with even more outrageous new adventures! Martin Lawrence and Nia Long return in a heavyweight hit comedy that's loads of fun for the whole family! In the interest of national security, FBI agent Malcolm Turner (Lawrence) goes back undercover as Big Momma - a slick-talking, slam-dunking Southern granny with attitude to spare! Now this granny must play nanny to three demanding kids to complete his most outrageous assignment ever!
Our Take:
I remember when Martin Lawrence used to be funny. If you remember his show that aired on the FOX network, Martin, then you’ll know that Lawrence is no stranger to dressing in drag. As well as playing himself, he played several walking stereotypes, including the most famous (or infamous), Sheneneh (pronounced: “Sha-naynaaaaay”), or even Jerome the Pimp. He made a big name for himself with that show and even managed to put out a few decent films. When Big Momma’s House came along, it made for an interesting enough take on a Mrs.-Doubtfire-meets-True-Lies kind of flick. Big Momma’s House 2 picks up where the first film left off, but the laughs just aren’t as hefty as this time around.
While it does have some good laughs, most of them aim for the lowest common denominator. Funny-man in the fat suit has been done before; funny man dressed as a woman has been done way too many times to remember; and of course the combination of funny-man in a fat suit dressed as a woman is supposed to be over-the-top hilarious. The film lacks some of the charm that the original had; this one is more like a softer version of The Pacifier, but plus a couple hundred pounds, and that’s saying a lot.
Big Momma may be pretty hefty, but the DVD features are a little on the lean side. Still, for a flick that didn’t do spectacularly well in theaters, be grateful you got firsts and don’t ask for seconds.
* Commentary - A feature-length commentary featuring director John Whitesell, producer David T. Friendly, and actor Zachary Levi, that is a typical “everyone sits down and catches up on old times” track. Interesting for anyone who is a fan of the film.
* Big Momma’s Secrets (8 minutes) - Women tell no secrets… or so we were told. A short and sweet look behind the scenes at the making of Big Momma’s House 2, featuring interviews with cast and crew.
* Deleted/Extended Scenes (17 minutes) - Leftovers from the film that are nothing spectacular, but worth a look to the casual fan.
Did you ever hear that joke, “Your momma’s so fat, when she sits around the house, she sits AROUND the house”? Well, if that offends you, you might not want to watch Big Momma’s House 2. Basically, it’s a relatively harmless popcorn flick, fine for entertaining the tweenage kids for a couple hours, but not much more.
Overall Picture:
Movie: C-
DVD: B-
- Chris Lawrence
Staff Writer
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