Friday After Next

Ice Cube is back for another Friday installment, but does it live up to our expectations? Here's our DVD verdict.

I am a huge fan of the original Friday. To this day it remains one of my favorite movies. In fact, hardly a single day goes by without me throwing a Friday quote at someone. As you can imagine, I was ecstatic when a sequel was released in 2000, however that feeling quickly turned to utter sadness as I watched some of my all-time favorite characters be flushed down the toilet.

Then, in 2002, my spirits were lifted with the announcement of yet another sequel. Little puppies and even children are rescued from the sewers all the time; surely a movie franchise can be as well. I quickly learned that puppies and children are higher priorities.

Friday After Next begins on Christmas Eve late Thursday night (technically early Friday morning as it's past midnight) when Craig (Ice Cube) and Day-Day are robbed of their presents and rent money by a low-life Santa. Rent is due in less than a week so the pair begins day jobs as security guards at a run down shopping center.

It's here that we are introduced to a handful of new characters as well as reacquainted with some old favorites. Craig and Day-Day's family returns, led by the always-hilarious John Witherspoon as Craig's father, and we are introduced to Money Mike, proprietor of the shop Pimps 'N Hos, Moly, Craig and Day-Day's new boss, and the pair's landlady, Miss Pearly.

That's the basic premise, however the story never really goes anywhere. The main plot revolves around the duo's inability to pay the rent. If they cannot come up with the money in time, Miss Pearly's son, fresh out of jail, will have his way with them (Coincidentally, Adam Doree has the same policy on late article submissions). However, I use the phrase, "Main Plot", loosely, as it takes a back seat to a handful of subplots, all of which have no conclusions. Are they still after the thieving Santa? How will starting a new job give them money in just a few days?

Of course, the story was never the reason to watch Friday. The franchise's appeal has always come from the characters. Unfortunately, none are entirely memorable this time around. Picture Prince as a pimp and you've got Money Mike, but the character isn't taken far enough in either direction. In fact, no character is taken as far as it could or probably should have been.

Ice Cube's film career baffles me. He's been seen in some fantastic movies such as Friday, Three Kings, and, most recently Barbershop. However, he's also been in such dreadful films as John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars and Anaconda among others. He certainly has proven that he's got the talent, but he still isn't a guarantee for a good movie.

Friday After Next, despite its mediocrity, has been given the full Infinifilm treatment (Who chooses the films for this DVD line anyway?!). There are too many extras to list here! We're taken behind the scenes with such things as wardrobe, a look at the Gotham Comedy Club, and even a nostalgic look back at the entire Friday saga. There's also a nice look at the production design and a featurette that's mostly an elongated commercial for the film, but also has new interviews with the cast and some behind the scenes footage. We even get to see 3 rival diner owners fight it out to earn the title of best BBQ in America. You just gotta love Infinifilm DVDs!

We're also treated to a set of 9 deleted scenes, all of which presented in anamorphic widescreen and 5.1 Dolby Digital sound. There's also a 7-minute extended ending, which isn't any better than what used in the final cut of the film, but a nice addition to the DVD nonetheless. Next is my favorite addition to any DVD, a screen-specific audio commentary. Actually, we're treated to two commentaries.

The first is by director Marcus Reboy, producer Matt Alvarez, and Ice Cube. The second is by cast members Katt Williams, Anna Maria Horsford, Terry Crews and K.D. Aubert. While neither is particularly thrilling, the second is more entertaining with the cast just having a good time watching the film. Finishing the disc is a 9-minute gag real, a music video, and the original teaser and theatrical trailers.

While it certainly isn't the worst film of all time or even of 2002, Friday After Next is a huge disappointment both on its own and as a sequel. It certainly has a few laughs here and there, but in the end comes up short in story and character. The screenplay seems so hollow that one might assume it was quickly written in order to make a quick buck. What's next? Will Craig and Day-Day be stalked by Jason Voorhees in the crossover film Jason Takes the Ghetto: The Final Friday? I highly doubt it if only for the fact that this movie has already killed the characters.

Ryan "Rip" Berg
DVD Reviewer, Kikizo Movies