Customer Reviews

Miss Congeniality 2 - Armed and Fabulous (Full Screen Edition)

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock) is now a celebrity because of her heroic achievment in the Miss United States contest (She now has a three-person fashion crew). But then, Miss United States is captured, along with the host. Naturally, Hart must save her. This time, though Agent Fuller (Regina King) is along for the ride. Soon, the agency, which originally sends Hart in only to do PR on the case, gets really angry, but Fuller and Hart keep at it.

I thought this movie was very well written and well done. In addition to Sandra Bullock's acceptable performance, I thought Regina King was amazing (she is an actress to look out for) and Diedrich Bader was very funny. Also notable are William Shatner, Treat Williams and Elizabeth Rohm (a nice change from Law & Order).

There are tons of laughs. The critics said this "It's too predictable! It's just about stereotypes! It's unrealistic!" Actually, I didn't find it that predictable, and as to the other two, sure, they're true, but I didn't really notice them because I was laughing too much.

The ending is a little forced, but they typically are in these movies. I wish they wouldn't include all the sappy moments--the movie could have ended earlier. The movie, in general, could have been trimmed more.

I don't think Enrique Murciano, Jr is a good actor. Casting him seems a little silly to me.

In general, not bad. I wouldn't mind a Miss Congeniality 3.

As a sequel, this film surprisingly succeeds. Sandra Bullock, with her coltish good looks and her spot on comedic timing, successfully reprises the role of Gracie Hart, FBI agent. In fact, I enjoyed this film even more than I did the prequel, where Gracie Hart infiltrated a national beauty pageant as a contestant, her affableness winning her the award for Miss Congeniality.

It now appears, however, that Agent Hart's ability to work effectively as an agent has been compromised by the publicity that she received from her entry into that national beauty pageant. Gracie Hart is now instantly recognizable, whenever she hits the streets, by an adoring public who has taken to her as a duck takes to water.

This being the case, the powers that be at the FBI decide to make Agent Hart into a poster girl for the FBI, and she is given a mini entourage to polish their diamond in the rough. By the time they get through with her, Agent Hart is as slick and as polished as a cover girl, temporarily losing sight of why she joined the FBI in the first place.

Agent Hart is assigned a bodyguard, problem child agent, Sam Fuller (Regina King), who has some serious anger management issues. They get initially get along together like oil and water, with some funny comedic moments between the two. Ultimately, at the eleventh hour, their relationship evolves into one of mutual respect.

When Agent Hart's best friend, Miss United States (Heather Burns), is kidnapped in Las Vegas, along with pageant official Stan Fields (William Shatner), Agent Hart remembers why it was that she joined the FBI in the first place. Although she is brought into the case strictly as a media liaison, she desperately wants to be taken seriously as an agent on the case, Unfortunately, her investigative efforts are stymied by the local FBI chief, Agent Collins (Treat Williams), who views her as expendable fluff.

While the storyline may be thin, at times, there are enough memorable moments to sustain the film, not least being the excellent comedic performances given by Sandra Bullock and Regina King. It is a professionally successful pairing of two talented actresses with a flair for the comedic. Sandra Bullock proves, once again, that one can be gorgeous and funny. For Regina King, the role of Sam Fuller is a breakout comedic role for her.

Moreover, the supporting cast is likewise funny. William Shatner, who of late has proven himself to have a deft comedic touch, provides some wacky moments. It was also great to see Treat Williams, who is as attractive as ever, playing the role of Agent Collins, the tightly controlled, ego driven, local FBI chief who seeks to wrap up the case successfully for his own personal aggrandizement. Elizabeth Rohm, of Law and Order fame, is a pleasant surprise in the small role of Carol Fields, the FBI agent who is two timing her fellow agent boyfriend with their mutual boss.

Although the film has some plot holes and may be implausible, at times, it still provides some enjoyable comedic moments. There are also cameo appearances by Regis Philbin and his wife, Joy. While this film may not be everyone's cup of tea, fans of Ms. Bullock will surely enjoy seeing her in this one. This funny, silly movie is definitely worth a rental.

I went and saw this movie with very high hopes and it didnt let me down. The movie is really good. Dont pay attention to these "professional" reviewers because they grade it on how artsy and all that crap that it is. These reviewers gave the 1st movie bad reviews and its a classic. This movie is hillarious and lives up to the original. If you liked the original I reccomend this or if you didnt like the first one because of the beauty pageant stuff then you'll love this one.

My local newspaper stated that the sequel to the hit move, "Miss Congeniality", was a waste of time, money, and Sandra Bullock's talent. I thought the exact opposite.
Even my mom thought the movie was good, and she usually follows what critics say!
I would like to say to everyone who is unsure about seeing this movie should at least check it ount: I guaruntee you won't think of it as critics do!!
--By Sarah L.
Age 11 1/2

I think the problem is that people are taking this movie WAY to seriously! It's not meant to be avant-guard or brilliant! It's meant to entertain! This movie succeeds at its main goals, being hilariously entertaining with fantastically fresh performances. Bullock shines, even though the script and plot may not be flawless, I have to admit, that I was extremely entertained throughout the entire movie, and everyone in the theatre laughed at every scene and applauded at the end. Don't listen to the critics, Sandra in her own right is brilliant. And while Miss Congeniality 2 is not brilliant, it definately has brighter prospects than a lot of movies out there.

4.5/5

I watched this movie for the first time last night and it was PAINFUL. Sandra is usually one of my favorite actresses and this movie made her look terrible. It seemed like her heart wasn't in it- perhaps she was doing it for the $$$ this go around. I cannot recommend this film.

I have watched both 1&2 of Miss Congeniality. Movie 1 was fair movie 2 just has to be the worst movie I have watched since Kill Bill!! You could tell what the story was leading up to,far ahead of the scene. Sandra Bullock had better stay away from these loser productions or her career will go downhill fast.
The supporting cast did not help this film (old man from startrek) Regis!! Get a story and some real supporting actors next time Miss Bullock!!

I am a total Sandra Bullock fan. She has completely won my heart and I've seen every film she's made, and I have to be forced to sit through films. But this film was bizarre on many levels. First off, the film asks us to "remember" that Eric Matthews (Benjamin Bratt) had become Gracie's (SB) boyfriend in the first MC-- but in this film, and quite suddenly, I might add, he just drops her, totally. While I "remembered" him, when I didn't see his face and just saw Sandy pouting and going through withdrawal pains, it had absolutely no impact whatsoever.

The film insists on "revisiting" this "territory" so that Gracie can have another opportunity to feel "worthless" (her word). The fact that MC2 was released five years after MC gave us SO much time and distance that we really could not possibly care about a relationship Gracie was having, especially when we can't see the man she is having it with. On the other hand, I have to take exception with the reviewer who said that Benjamin Bratt was wise not to repeat his role -- why? MC was a big money maker and I don't see that he's won any Oscars in between, so, why not exactly?

Also, before I leave this "area," it was insane for the filmmakers to think that the audience would care about or think it funny that Gracie had the same piece of sh** microwave oven and that she was still kicking the door shut (to the point of making the whole thing a crushed mess) -- but now that I think about it, if all she could make for Eric was a frozen chicken pot pie, no wonder he left her (of course, over the phone, with some incredibly lame insane pointless "excuse").

The next point that's strange is that we are to assume that everyone in the entire world knows who Gracie Hart is -- well, maybe they do, okay, but why did it take the FBI FIVE YEARS to decide to make her the "FBI Face"? And so, in true sequel fashion, again a gay male stylist Joel (in this case Diedrich Bader, who obviously had a blast playing his part) "does" Gracie up -- this time in a manner of seconds -- and voila! Now she's the face of the FBI -- huh? So, we're supposed to assume that after Gracie went through the entire make-over in the first movie that she had learned absolutely NOTHING about rouge and lip gloss? I think not.

Anyway, so now Gracie's all dolled up and so she can have protection (from who, herself?), "Sam" Fuller (Regina King), an incredibly angry young woman, is hired as her bodyguard. I happen to think that Regina King is enormously talented and should run this planet. I think that she did her best with the material, but to me, it was painfully obvious that she should have just been a lesbian, because that's what this part called for. It was ludicrous to think that this type of woman, especially as she describes herself in the film, is going to be having lots of dates with men.

At any rate, some of the fun in this movie is seeing the relationship between Gracie and Sam evolve. Unfortunately there is so much other flotsam and jetsam in the way, that it's really, really hard to care.

Okay, so, now Gracie's got a bodyguard, and she's going to Vegas to give a press conference when her one friend in the world, Miss United States Cheryl Frasier(Heather Burns) weirdly wonderful in the first film and tragically pathetic and useless and pointless in the second, is kidnapped, along with Stan Fields (William Shatner) the over-the-top borderline nutcase from the first film who is now amateurish and pathetic in the second.

This kidnapping throws Gracie's world into a whirl, and for the next two to three hours (that's how long it felt), she goes against the "orders" of her Vegas boss, Treat Williams (who looks damn hot in a suit) and sets out, with the help of a heavily-cajoled Sam, into finding out who-done-it and why.

During the course of their "journey," they, natch, end up being female impersonators, just like Nia Vardalos and Toni Collette did in "Carla and Connie."

The whole inexplicable, convoluted mess of a plot that asks us to believe God knows what about why the two losers were kidnapped is similar to driving us down a road where we suddenly get to a point and there are 10 different ways we can go -- at which point the filmmakers of MC2 said, "Oh, hell, let's just go down ALL the roads -- at the same time! What's the diff?"

While you are trying to make "sense" of this "story," you will be reminded several times of Bullock's way with a line -- as well as Bader's and King's. There are several gut-busting jokes that certainly "helped" us "get through" this "What would happen if we threw Sandy into an episode of 'Twilight Zone' set in Las Vegas and let her and everybody else in the cast go wild and crazy?""movie," but by the time you get to the end and the fake/phony Miss U.S. "what do you want" question is forcibly answered, you simply do not care.

[...]

This was a cute and funny movie. Just like "Miss Congeniality" (2000), "Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous" (2005) is light, relexing entertainment. Snadra Bullock is as always hystericle and adorable in her role. Bullock and screenwriter Marc Lawernce manage to save this film from utter disaster. Bullock, along with Regina King, Heather Burns, and William Shatner are all extremely charming and fun to watch. John Pasquin's direction is nothing special but does add something a little different to the film. The trailers do this film no justice, it is funnier than the previews make it. The trailers make "Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous" (2005) look like a rehash of the first but in the end it is far from it. If you are looking for a comedy to watch skip "Ice Princess" (2005) or "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" (2005) go with "Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous" (2005) you will go home happy. Also check out some other fun Sandra Bullock films "Forces of Nature" (1999), "28 Days" (2000), "While You Were Sleeping" (1995), "Two Weeks Notice" (2002) or one of her action films "Speed" (1994).

Rating: B

Warner Bros. Pictures presents a film directed by John Pasquin, written by Marc Lawernce and staring Sandra Bullock, Regina King, Heather Burns, and William Shatner. "Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous" was released on March 24, 2005 and was rated PG-13 for some sex related humor.

Not as much action and funnines as the first, just a disappointing sequel. "Armed and Fabulous," the subtitle, was just dumb considering "Miss Congeniality's" attitude. A bad sequel, that's it.