Freshman director Ivan Frank's "Belly 2: Millionaire Boyz Club" is an execrable in-name-only sequel with virtually nothing in common with Hype Williams' superior shoot'em up "Belly." Neither of the two characters, either Sincere or Tommy, who survived "Belly" show up for "Belly 2." This formulaic sequel set in Los Angles is low-budget in every category. The shoot outs are lame, and the profanity-laden dialogue is mundane throughout this shoddy 76-minute crime melodrama that boasts no surprises. Like "Belly," "Belly 2" has a protagonist who narrates the action.
Scenarist K. Snyder and Frank focus on a thug named Reginald 'G' Bailey (Jayceon Taylor of "Street Kings") who has just served an eight-year stretch in the pen and is prepared to go straight. No sooner has G gotten out than he hooks up with his old pal, Tone (Michael Kenneth Williams of "Brooklyn's Finest"), and they get back into the swing of things by knocking off an old competitor's business. Amp Dawkins (Bryce Wilson of "Beauty Shop")informs on G to a corrupt cop, Detective Coleman (Ed O'Ross of "Red Heat"), and Coleman questions the Tone. When the Tone refuses to provide any information, Coleman gives him a count of five to fess up and then blasts him in cold blood at point blank range on the number four.
Meantime, what slimy Coleman doesn't realize is that a DEA task force is conducting surveillance on him, while one of their newest undercover operatives, Agent Alexis Douglas, has been sent in to romance G and get the goods on him. She gives G a wristwatch, but he doesn't know that it contains a recording device. Ironically, Coleman kidnaps Douglas and threatens to ice her if G doesn't return the 150 keys. Frank stages a sloppy shoot out in a fenced in warehouse. Predictably, G blasts Coleman. When Alexis confesses that she is an undercover cop, G blasts her at point blank and walks out.
Altogether, "Belly 2" is bad, really bad. This street level gangsta flick does nothing that you haven't seen before and done done better. Whereas redemption played a part in the original "Belly," redemption has nothing to do with anything here. At fade-out, a wounded G staggers around from a firefight and vows to keep on doing what he does best. He displays no remorse. Skip this inferior fluff.
Scenarist K. Snyder and Frank focus on a thug named Reginald 'G' Bailey (Jayceon Taylor of "Street Kings") who has just served an eight-year stretch in the pen and is prepared to go straight. No sooner has G gotten out than he hooks up with his old pal, Tone (Michael Kenneth Williams of "Brooklyn's Finest"), and they get back into the swing of things by knocking off an old competitor's business. Amp Dawkins (Bryce Wilson of "Beauty Shop")informs on G to a corrupt cop, Detective Coleman (Ed O'Ross of "Red Heat"), and Coleman questions the Tone. When the Tone refuses to provide any information, Coleman gives him a count of five to fess up and then blasts him in cold blood at point blank range on the number four.
Meantime, what slimy Coleman doesn't realize is that a DEA task force is conducting surveillance on him, while one of their newest undercover operatives, Agent Alexis Douglas, has been sent in to romance G and get the goods on him. She gives G a wristwatch, but he doesn't know that it contains a recording device. Ironically, Coleman kidnaps Douglas and threatens to ice her if G doesn't return the 150 keys. Frank stages a sloppy shoot out in a fenced in warehouse. Predictably, G blasts Coleman. When Alexis confesses that she is an undercover cop, G blasts her at point blank and walks out.
Altogether, "Belly 2" is bad, really bad. This street level gangsta flick does nothing that you haven't seen before and done done better. Whereas redemption played a part in the original "Belly," redemption has nothing to do with anything here. At fade-out, a wounded G staggers around from a firefight and vows to keep on doing what he does best. He displays no remorse. Skip this inferior fluff.