Popular South African actress, Nomzamo Mbatha has addressed the criticism that greeted American actor and filmmaker, Eddie Murphy‘s Coming 2 America, a newly-released sitcom that premiered on Netflix.
Since the release of Coming 2 America, a remake of Coming to America, a 1988 American romantic comedy film, critics have been of the opinions that the film didn’t meet up to the expectation of its original.
The Guardian, in its review, titled –Coming 2 America is an unfunny disaster for representation, wrote that the film is archaic in its portrayal of both black Africans and Americans as well as being devoid of humour. “The shortcomings of the much-anticipated comedy sequel Coming 2 America are too many to list. But they all begin and end with the unfortunate yet predictable truth that the film simply didn’t need to be made. Inundated with tired tropes and stereotypes of black people on both sides of the vast Atlantic, it is difficult to grasp the objectives of the movie, parse through its dubious humour and imagine who its intended audience is,” the publication added.
Addressing the criticism, Mbatha explained that Coming 2 America is getting all the negative criticism because it’s a sequel.
The actress who played Mirembe in the film, however, explained that had it been that it was a remake, the criticism would have been more.
Her words: “The first film actually came out like 32 years ago and I wasn’t even born yet. I think remakes get a bad rep. I don’t think sequels get as much of a bad rep as remakes just because a remake is trying to recreate something that was already there and it’s like, “I can’t see it”. Whereas with a sequel, you’re picking up from your favourite world that you were introduced to back then. We’re picking up from where the world is now, in that world. So I think that’s the most beautiful thing about sequels because it’s like, ‘Oh my God, I remember how the original film made me feel, I can’t wait to see where they are now. Do they have children, what are they doing? Are they still in love? Are they still together? Who’s new?'”
“So there’s that excitement that comes with the sequel. What Craig [Brewer] wanted to really bring forth, and also just to have the important central themes come through with this particular one, is the search for purpose and the connection to your identity. And also to leave behind the old and embrace the new and the biggest central theme, which is my favorite one, female empowerment. There is so much female power, woman power, in this one it’s sickening. You’ll watch it with your girlfriends and have moments where it’s like, ‘Yeah, sis! Yes!'”
When asked the role she played in the film makes her feel, Mbatha said featuring in Coming 2 America is something she was very keen on securing, adding that it’s inspirational.
“I truly wanted this role because I felt like I would be able to give her the subtle African woman nuances. I obviously was beyond excited when I got the news. I bawled my eyes out like. My first breakout role is on Coming 2 America and this is serendipitous. So for me, it was also very daunting just because you understand that there’s a lot of pressure from your people to be represented because you know there is African pride.
“There are so many people, women, and girls, that are going to feel seen and heard and represented. And I think, [the film] just read the room in that regard. It had its finger on the pulse. So I’m excited about this particular sequel just because it’s been a long-awaited sequel. Everybody has been wanting to see us again in that light, before your Black Panther, before your Wakandas were there, there was Coming to America which represented people in their most royal and beautiful selves just living large and doing Black, rich shit,” OkayAfrica quoted Mbatha as saying.
