Sex and the City II...or Abu Dhabi and not much else II

(Images sourced from Google Images - thesun.co.uk and filmshaft.com)

The long awaited SATC2 has finally reached our screens. For the umpteen amounts of ‘Sometimes you just have to get away with the girls’ trailers I heard/saw and the annoying wines of Alicia Keys ‘Let’s hear it for New York’ that I endured each time,
I expected something spectacular.

After becoming an ultimate SATC fan, addict to the series (of which 1 through 3 I have yet to view) and a serial “player” of the first film, I was super excited to see what other adventures the foursome got up to.

Well my cinema experience got off to the worst possible start. No they hadn’t sold out (buddy and I were sensible and keen enough to pre-book), no they didn’t give me rocky road ice cream instead of gold medal ribbon, and no there wasn’t chewing gum on my seat. The pre-booked ticket collection machine BROKE!!

Okay so maybe it wasn’t THE worst possible start but after two phone calls and three confirmation email checks later, the tickets were in the palm of my hand. Not before I mentioned to the woman in a stir crazy, annoying customer manner (sorry if you’re reading this!) that we were indeed going to be forced to sit in the front row now and look towards the ceiling throughout the two and a half hour long film! But I was driven to this stress through the fashion, sex, drama and killer heels that were awaiting me just metres away through door number 1 and these people were getting in my way. So it was indeed a crisis, right?

Anyway in we went (thank god we had arrived half an hour early) and there were still plenty of good seats left. We even bagged a love-seat...much comfier. And surprisingly enough the cinema stayed empty even through the trailers and adverts. Where were you all women of Britain? This is SATC2 you know, the ultimate feminine, girly movie featuring women you have grown up knowing and who have shared all the same life problems as you! Had you all been let on to a secret that hadn’t yet brushed past my ears???

Well I think that you had, so much for letting the rest of us in on it. Where’s your sisterhood solidarity huh?

Ok maybe that’s a bit much but why oh why do we let ourselves be sucked into the media frenzy behind every sequel/prequel to films that were fabulous first time round and greatly deteriorated when it came to film number two or three? Bring It On, Legally Blonde, even the classic Disneys! If they ended well and you made millions from it, leave it alone people!! You only set us fans up for disappointment.
You wouldn’t have thought this little ruby of a series could flop as a movie though, especially as first time round it completely delivered and more. Will they get married? Will they get back together? Will Charlotte lose the baby? Will Miranda take Steve back? Drama, drama, drama and Vivienne Westwood. Fabulous!!

But second time around girlies, not so good. I admire them for trying and for gracing us with more goings on from the four ladies but did they have to make it so...so dull? I feel ashamed for speaking badly of them because I truly love everything about SATC and no one expected a sensation of a comeback this year more than me but if you had to write down three major big events in the film, what would you write?

They went on holiday?? Yawn. Samantha almost got arrested?? Yawn. Carrie accepted a wedding ring after having been married for two years?? Even bigger yawn!!

There were good parts. I loved the wedding in the opening scenes and Liza Minnelli’s rendition of ‘Single Ladies’ was priceless. Ooh the karaoke night was funny too. And when Samantha shamed the women by revealing her sex life in the middle of the market surrounded by veiled Arabs was hilarious! But then they went on holiday, came home and then rolled the credits. I wanted to see more about their family lives, their work or social lives like we’ve always seen. I know the films are very different to the series but there wasn’t even any shopping in it accept from in an Arab market. There were two steamy scenes, nothing about their careers and nothing that gave you anymore information than in the last film. Honestly, did you learn anything new? I didn’t.


I hate to criticise you Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda, I wanted to love it, really I did. But you didn’t deliver in my eyes I’m afraid. Although I did rather like the glittery, diamonds for the title!

Maybe it’s because since seeing the first film, I have watched the series which is somewhat different. Perhaps I have learned to love the series much more than the movie and therefore the sequel just didn’t quite compare. If that’s the case why continue parading new film trailers in front of our highly expectant eyes and make more of the series instead? At least then there won’t be anymore quabbles over who’s being paid more than others huh Miss Cattrall?

Even though I was kept in the dark about the how good this film was, I’m still pleased I saw it. Because honestly even if I had been warned that it wasn’t up to the designer standards we can all say we expected, I wouldn’t have believed it until I saw with my very own flutterers.

I mean it is Sex and the City after all, and that name comes with a ‘guarantee to be fabulous’ sticker. I guess it must have fallen off with this sequel though. A 2.2 star rating from Movieweb really doesn’t warrant a special guarantee of fabulousness sticker does it now?

So if you’re like me and couldn’t wait to see it, my deepest sympathies and for those that have yet to view it, I’ll spare you the heart-ache---DON’T!!

--If you haven't seen the film and are taking my advice not to, you must just watch Liza do Beyonce here--

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