If they awarded trophies for movie sequels, "Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous" wouldn't even qualify for a consolation prize . . . or a booby prize, for that matter.
In fact, this follow-up to the surprising 2000 comedy hit is so deprived of charm and so full of shrill, forced humor that it may make fans of the original forget why they enjoyed it.
"Armed and Fabulous" picks up right after the first film, except that FBI agent Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock) has broken up with the agent played by Benjamin Bratt in the first film. This has left her smarting and unable to deal with her newfound fame as a result of her undercover participation in the Miss United States Pageant.
So Gracie's bosses decide to give her a new job, as the new public "face" of the FBI, complete with another style-and-personality makeover. They've also given her a bodyguard, Sam Fuller (Regina King), who's as hostile and aggressive as Gracie used to be.
When Gracie goes to Las Vegas on a public-relations tour, she and Sam begin investigating the kidnapping of the reigning Miss United States (Heather Burns, repeating her role from the first film) — much to the dismay of the local FBI chief (Treat Williams). William Shatner is also on hand, reprising his character.
Among those who didn't return for the sequel were co-stars Michael Caine, Candice Bergen and Bratt. And as a result, the film is woefully lacking in star power.
Worse, little of this material is as funny as screenwriter Marc Lawrence and director John Pasquin intended it to be. You can tell just how desperate they are by the jokes about feminine-hygiene products and gags involving people getting hit in the groin. A lot of it is also surprisingly mean-spirited and violent (and not just in the slapstick way).
Still, give Bullock credit for her ability to make dialogue funnier than it should be (she does know how to deliver a line). But she doesn't get a lot of support — Diedrich Bader is a woeful replacement for Caine, and even Shatner's supporting bit goes awry.
"Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous" is rated PG-13 for action violence (shootings, fisticuffs and violence against women, some of which is done for laughs), crude sexual references and humor, and scattered use of profanity. Running time: 115 minutes.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com