The first movie was released in 2014 and the sequel will be released in January 2016. Ride Along 2 brings both Ice Cube and Kevin Hart back together and this time their goal is to close a drug ring. Hart played a security officer/police academy recruit in the first movie. In the sequel, he is a cop.
The first movie was panned by the critics. Screen Rant writer, Sandy Schaffer, wrote the following, “[It] is just a mashup of watered-down action/comedy troupes…and uninspired slapstick.” The critic compared the movie to Rush Hour and added it lacked as much imagination as The Heat.
Plugged In critic, Paul Asay, summarized his assessment by writing about Hart’s charming self not being enough to carry the film. He added, “The language is lewd…the morality is messed up and the violence, while not grotesque, is unremitting.”
Yet, the movie’s first weekend grossed almost $49 million. Four months after its release, Ride Along grossed over $134 million. With an estimated budget of $25 million, the writers and producers have decided to try another movie.
The sequel, Ride Along 2, brings back together Ice Cube’s character, James Payton, and Kevin Hart’s character, Ben Barber. This time, they are going to Florida to take down a drug ring. In Ride Along 2, Hart is a cop and the new rider is played by Ken Jeong. Tika Sumpter returns as Angela Payton, Barber’s fiance.
Joining the cast are Olivia Munn and Benjamin Bratt. Munn portrays a female cop in Miami named Maya Cruz. Bratt is the bad guy, Pope, a drug dealer whose drugs are turning up in Atlanta.
The best line in the Ride Along 2 trailer is said by Barber, “The brothers-in-law just got to town!” Which Payton scowls about and replies, “You say that again, I’ll shoot you in the face.” The movie has the prerequisite car chases, shootouts, and tension mixed with humor. The music background in the trailer is sung by Redfoo, Let’s Get Ridiculous.
A contributing writer for Forbes reports the premiere of Ride Along 2’s trailer corresponded with the new movie for the weekend Straight Outta Compton, which was released on Aug. 14, 2015. Ice Cube is also one of the stars of this film. Four days after its opening, Straight Outta Compton grossed almost $75 million. Cube Vision is one of the production companies listed for this film as well as for both Ride Along movies.
Cube Vision Production Company is a partnership between Ice Cube and Matt Alvarez. It was founded in 1998. They specialize in Documentaries, Film, and Television. Some of their credits include The Lottery Ticket, the Friday movies 1-3, as well as Barbershop 1 and 2. Cube Vision also produced Barbershop: The Series and Are We There Yet? (another series), both for television as well as others.
Ice Cube was born O’Shea Jackson and is 46 years old. He is a Hip-Hop singer and songwriter. The controversial band, N.W.A, was also considered influential. The movie Straight Outta Compton is also the name of their 1988 album.
Hart is an actor and producer. The divorced father of two is 36 years old and currently engaged to Eniko Parrish. In addition to the current movie, he is known for Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain from 2013 and The Wedding Singer from 2015.
He remembers as a child he was able to escape a spanking, which he called a “whupping,” by saying something funny and his mom could not keep herself from laughing. He thinks he was about 11. He says this is when he discovered he might have a comedic side. When Hart was asked about topics he does not use in his comedy, he explained there are two things he would not talk about in today’s society. They are rape and anything having to do with homosexuality. This funny man, Hart, is co-starring once again with Ice Cube in the sequel to Ride Along.
On Jan. 15, 2016, Ice Cube and Kevin Hart join forces together again to shut down a drug ring in Ride Along 2. This time, they are going to Miami to bring down the drug supplier, Pope.
By Cathy Milne
Edited By Leigh Haugh
Sources:
IMDb–Ride Along
IMDb–Ride Along 2
Screen Rant–Ride Along Review
Plugged In–Ride Along Movie Review
Forbes–Ride Along 2 Trailer: The Irony of This Ice Cube/Kevin Hart Flick Topping Fantastic Four
Featured Image Courtesy of Thomas Hawk’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inline Image Courtesy of National Crime Agency’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
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