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.

I was a bit hesitant to watch "Barbership 2". That's because I really liked the first film--and so often sequels never come close to the quality of the originals. Well, clearly "Barbership 2" is not up to the standards of the first, though fortunately there still is a lot to like. So, it's a disappointment....but a minor one.

At the end of "Barbershop", the shop's owner (Ice Cube) is able to keep the shop from being bought out and its future seems secure. Well, now only a short time later, the future of this independent shop is once again in doubt, as a haircut chain store is moving right across the street. The new shop has everything--glitz, a basketball court inside the store, an aquarium and style. So it looks like the quaint old place is about ready to go belly up as soon as the new place opens for business. In addition to this plot, the old characters are back and have changed in a variety of ways--mostly for the better.

One big difference between this and the first film is the presence of many flashback scenes featuring Cederic the Entertainer's character back in the late 1960s. While these flashbacks are all very interesting since the times were so explosive, I really wish they'd put this in a separate movie, as they seemed more like filler and distracted from the rest of the film. So, either remove these segments OR stretch them into a film in their own right. As it was, it felt awkward.

Overall, while the film wasn't quite the original in quality and originality, it was entertaining. Plus, as I liked the old film so much, it was like visiting with old friends here in "Barbershop 2".

This opens with Eddie (Cedric the Entertainer)'s origins in 1967 when he runs into the barbershop to hide from the cops for stealing a steak. Calvin Palmer, Jr. (Ice Cube) is more comfortable as the owner of the family barbershop with many of the old crew. Jimmy is now working for alderman Lalowe Brown. Eve is still angry. Gina (Queen Latifah) runs the local beauty shop. Land developer Quentin Leroux is buying up local businesses. Franchise barbershop "Nappy Cutz" opens across the street.

The gang is back and the chemistry is still there. This time they're taking on the issue of gentrification which is less edgy than the original. The tension isn't as high. In a way, Barbershop itself has been gentrified. It's still a place where one likes to revisit because of the cast of characters.