Powerful

Let's be realistic.

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Lukewarm but watchable and laid-back follow-up to Barbershop. Shop owner Cube and his rambunctious co-workers are enjoying the success of their thriving business, until a new, technologically advanced shop prepares to open across the street. The shop is run by a smarmy political suit who not only threatens to put them out of business, but has also convinced the majority of the neighborhood inhabitants to sell out as well. First film was likable enough but didn't exactly cry out for a sequel, though there are some occasional laughs. Uninspired script doesn't have much of a story to tell, but it's still well-performed and made worthwhile by an enthusiastic cast, especially Cedric the Entertainer who seems to be having the most fun of all. **

The plot involves a new, hipper franchise barbershop that is moving across the street from Calvin's barbershop. So, he feels like he has to change and improve his shop by getting newer stuff and such. Sounds real exciting huh. As for the rest of the film, a lot of it involves the same material from the first film. The people that work at Calvin's stand around, talk loud, and mouth off to each other and the customers. Once again Cedric the Entertainer was mildly funny, but it is more like he's doing a stand-up routine than anything to do with the movie. And Calvin is faced with another moral issue involving taking a large sum of money. He's already shown that he will do the right thing in the end.FINAL VERDICT: Nothing new. I don't recommend it unless you thought the first Barbershop was the best thing since sliced bread.

Barbershop 2: Back in BusinessStarring: Ice Cube, Eve, Troy Garity, Michael Ealy, Sean Patrick Thomas and Queen Latifah Genre: ComedyRated: PG-13We continue the adventures with the barbers and Calvin Palmer (Ice Cube) on the South Side of Chicago. In this sequel to the 2002 hit Barbershop, Calvin's shop is threatened again but this time by a greedy developer who is opening a mega-franchise barbershop right across the street from Calvin's shop. The whole gang from the first movie is back including Eddie (Cedric the Entertainer), Terri (Eve), Jimmy (Sean Patrick Thomas), Ricky (Michael Ealy) and Isacc (Troy Garity). Also in this movie we have a new character named Gina (Queen Latifah) who is a stylist at a beauty shop next door. As Calvin does what he can to counter this threat, life goes on in the barbershop, with more of the same tart dialog and life complications in various hilarious ways as in the original. I missed Anthony Anderson and Lahmard Tate in this sequel because I thought they were hilarious in the first one but this sequel was still funny and besides at this time when this movie was filming, Anthony Anderson was busy doing Agent Cody Banks 2, Scary Movie 3, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle and his TV-series, All About the Andersons. Just another day on the South Side of Chicago.

I've read the comments and I've watched both movies (Barbershop I and Barbershop II). What surprised me in the comments was how soon we forget about the HEAT that Ice Cube took after Barbershop I was released. These films are true examples of how many Chicago West side or South side barbershops are run when owned by young blacks. (aside from the fact that you don't have a wall between the beauty shop and barber shop). It's usually all done under the same roof because 'guys get their hair braided' and 'women get their hair faded'. The 'zingers' had to be quick and subtle in order to get pass the critics and the 'victims'.What Ice Cube did with the opening series of black and white SNAPSHOTS was GREAT. He let the audience's mind wander and say things like 'Yeah, What ever happen to so-and-so?', without Cedric having to be accused of saying the wrong thing. That was a nice touch. I gave it a B+.