The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Honey 2 is the second instalment of
Jessica Alba’s dance-themed chick-flick, Honey. This time around, the
story revolves around seventeen-year-old Maria (Graham), who dreams of joining award-winning
dance group 718. After getting turned down by Luis (Martinez), leader of 718
and ex-boyfriend, she decides to abandon her dream and find an actual job. She
finds sanctuary at Honey Daniel’s old dance studio, though; and moves in with
Honey’s mother in order to escape her troubled past.

Things take a turn for the
better when on a night out, Maria’s dance moves catch the eye of volunteer
youth worker Brandon, who approaches her about helping a talented but unruly
group of young dancers who go by the name of the HDs. Maria’s growing confidence
and reputation reignites Luis’s interest in recruiting her to 718 and the
underground trouble that comes with it. Seeing that she is better off taking
her own path, Maria gives her all and takes the HDs to compete on the dance TV show Dance or Die, where they could well end up competing against 718.

The first instalment had many
deficiencies, and this one comes with a whole lot more. Alba at least carried
the first film, but this one lacks any kind of star power, and the choreography
also doesn’t live up to that of its predecessor. This was never going to be a
film with a deep plot, but even then, Honey 2 fails to bring anything new to
cover its weaknesses. As for the performances, they are universally lacklustre.
The most dramatic scenes are poorly scripted and are over the top, and they
leave the inexperienced cast high and dry.  

Honey 2 will probably go down as the
worst of what is a pretty flimsy genre of film. The cinematography seems
nothing more than an economical exercise, and although the dance sequences are
shown clearly, they could and should have been much better filmed.

Hollywood has reached a stage where
filmmakers will willingly churn out shallow and trivial films to make money.
What the plan with Honey 2 was will remain a mystery. It neither features
actors of any kind of calibre as a draw, nor does it hang on any gimmicks to
distinguish it in a very specific and saturated genre.