1. The plot - **Spoilers** Truly the most baffling plot I've seen in a while. Not because it was confusing, but because it was basically arguing that people who do drugs are...good? It actually argues that everyone does drugs - politicians, festival goers, princesses, your friends, family, etc. I agree with the message, I guess, I mean we can't just let people die because they do drugs, but it's just an odd stance to take for a movie like this. It also had some major plot holes - the villain, played to glorious perfection by Julianne Moore, is the leader of the "global drug trade" yet only threatens the United States and its president. Surely, other countries would be involved. Other than that, I actually really liked the story. I thought they brought back Colin in a "believable" way, and I'm happy that they already showed that he was alive in the trailer so it wasn't a shock for the audience. I like that they had to team up with the Statesmen, even if they were horribly reduced to Middle-America stereotypes. They stayed true to the "James Bond but sillier" theme and had several nods to Bond without being in your face (for the most part). Plus, the best part is that the princess from the first one becomes the love interest (which is the best slap in the face ever).
2. The cast - Oh what a cast. The original cast is back (for the most part), and is stronger than ever (yes, that was a pun for Mark Strong - who really shines in this sequel). Taron Egerton is super, duper hot. Like, ridiculously hot. And when did the guy who plays Charlie get hot? Because I didn't even notice him in the first one, but damn he's fine in this one as a half-man/half-Terminator type villain. As for the new additions to the cast, Julianne Moore stuns as a perfect villain. I didn't think anyone could top Samuel L. Jackson's over-the-top villain, but Moore is just sooo good. The Statesmen included Channing Tatum, who is under-utilized, but he does dance hilariously, Jeff Bridges in a perfectly cliched role for him, and Pedro Pascal who gets some of the coolest action scenes in the film. The only stunningly bad casting decision was Halle Berry. While I enjoy the not-so-subtle Bond reference AND that they took a former Bond girl and made her the "brains" of the organization, she is a terrible actress in this. Every scene she is in, are the worst scenes in the movie.
3. The length - 2 hours and 21 minutes, and I felt every single second. The first one is only 12 minutes shorter, but I've never noticed it. It feels tightly edited, it moves with a purpose, and feels fast. This sequel just drags on and on. And on and on. There are several scenes that could have been shortened or cut altogether (I read many praises of the Elton John cameo, but every single one of his scenes could have been cut, easily). It felt like every shot just lingered too long and it made it very difficult to watch. I think this is the sole reason that it has received the negative criticism that it has. Whether it's noticeable or not, it just doesn't move with any clear direction. Plus, it just does the same action-sequences as the first one and I was hoping for something new, something that would blow me away like the Church scene did in the first one. I think we were supposed to feel that way with the car chase scene in the beginning of the movie, but it felt really CGI heavy and again, waaaay too long. Overall, I liked this movie, but will I watch it again? Yes, probably, but ONLY for Taron. While I watch the first one every few months and I enjoy every second of it.
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