DVD--Sex and the City 2

or: Grumpy old women in flashy clothes.

One word to sum it up: Bloated.

Once or twice I may have said--and this was very early in the year--that I was looking forward to watching Sex and the City 2, mainly because I liked the first one. However, upon seeing critics coming out in droves and absolutely trashing it, I really wasn't that interested in seeing it. I mean, seriously? A movie with four whiny middle-aged women wearing designer clothes and totting around in high heels living in fantasy land while the rest of us live in reality? The first one did well considering it was 'The Godfather of chick flicks'. Look at it this way: Sarah Jessica Parker is aging, and we no longer care for her and her friends exploits. They really over-cooked the big screen transition, and with news of a third one being in development, I think they are going to burn this series out.

What happens after you say 'I do'? Life is everything Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Charlotte (Kristin Davis) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) ever wished it would be, but it wouldn't be right if life didn't hold a few more surprises. This time in the form of a glamourous adventure that whisks the women away from New York to one of the most luxurious and exotic places on earth, where the party never ends and there's something mysterious around every corner. It's an escape that comes exactly at the right moment for the four friends, who are finding themselves in the traditional roles of marriage, motherhood and more. After all, sometimes you just have to get away with the girls.

Sex and the City 2 isn't as exciting as that 'synopsis' made it out to be. The main plotline of the whole thing is Carrie taking a break from Big and the 'boring old married couple' life she thinks she is a part of. As you can imagine, stretching this rather thin plotline out over 140 minutes (about the length of Inception...imagine that) is like trying to tie an average size rubber band around a truck. The first few minutes shine, but unfortunately this easily becomes chick flick heaven and an average borefest. Here's some of the most exciting things that happen in the film: Liza Minnelli sings a few songs (!); Charlotte breaks down and thinks the nanny (played by Alice Eve who has a pretty spot on Irish accent) is going to have an affair with her husband; Carrie goes back to the old apartment (!); Penelope Cruz!; We go to Abu Dhabi in luxury; and well, the credits. Seriously, guys, what went wrong with this movie? You do know that not everyone isn't as into watching the lives of the well off in New York, especially when they have grown as annoying as these four ladies have? Scratch that, I still like Charlotte.

The moral of the story is: if you want a good girls night in, then get Sex and the City 2. If you think you can handle 140 minutes of nothing but the same women dealing with strange problems that you may not have cared about in the first place, then get Sex and the City 2. If you liked the first movie and the TV series, then you may still want to watch this movie. However, the best parts are still the clothes, which are thrown at the four women like they are clothes horses. I do have one strict message: ladies, don't drag your boyfriend/fiancee/husband into watching this. I can guarantee they will not be happy with you. This movie was only ever intended for women, and, unfortunately, I couldn't stomach this 140 minute piece of girl-power. Even if it was a bit better than I thought it would be. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease, don't make a third Sex and the City. For the sake of womanhood.


THE VERDICT: While it isn't as bad as some critics made it seem, Sex and the City 2 is still a very overcooked sequel, which seems to lose itself in it's bloated running time. Sarah Jessica Parker has truly lost her mojo.

4/10