HOLLYWOOD—I recall when the film “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” arrived in 2009, my nephew seriously thought it was one of the funniest movies of all time. I mean he could watch it over and over again without any hesitation. When you factor in that the movie starring Kevin James as a cop ensuring the safety of all residents at the mall was a box-office success, it was only a matter of time before a sequel found its way to theaters.
Its 2015, and we have “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2” which takes Paul (James) to a new geographic region: Las Vegas. Oh yeah, the change of scenery does indeed allow for quite a few laughs in my opinion. When you think of Vegas the last thing that comes to your mind is the factoid that policing would be needed, but if you want my honest opinion, Vegas is a place that could use a lot more policing.
The plot involves Paul who is actually taking a break from policing the malls to head on vacation with his daughter Maya (Raini Rodriguez) before she heads off to college.
What later ensues is a threat that forces our protagonist to get back on that segway scooter to do patrolling that only he can do with plenty of hilarity along the way. It’s funny because I almost feel like it was this movie that made the segway scooter a popular attraction. A bunch of crazy circumstances occur placing our favorite cop, back into his comfort zone to ensure all is well on his watch, even when vacationing.
It would be important to note, the movie does not actually encompass all of Las Vegas as one would suspect, and the bulk of the tale takes place at the Wynn resort which is a lovely attraction to say the least, and the visual spectacle of prim and prestige is showcased in all of its glory.
This is indeed James’ movie; without him, “Paul Blart” would just be a movie attempting to deliver laughs that don’t always live up to the set-up. The actor is able to utilize his comedic chops and timing to work the narrative in his favor.
“Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2” is the perfect family flick that brings plenty of laughs for the kiddies, but the adults will also be pleased by the gags and antics as well.
