Chocolate City: Vegas

The original 'Chocolate City' set the groundwork so with many of the same faces returning all 'Vegas' had to do was cook up a simplistic plot and maybe increase the male visuals. It does exactly that but with a bigger budget as the guys takes a road trip. Released at the same time as 'Magic Mike XXL' the comparisons between series continues as both center around a competition involving a lot of moolah.

Picking up from where things left off, Michael (Robert Ri'chard) went to Japan and continued to dance so Carmen (Imani Hakim) broke up with him. Plus Princeton (Michael Jai White) in financial trouble might lose the club. A competition in Vegas to crowd the best male exotic dance crew and a prize of 500k could fix everything. Turns out former friend & dancer Pharoah (Ginuwine) has his own stage show in Vegas now and is the odds on favorite to win.

If I thought the story in the first flick was predictable then this one is half baked. The romance subplot, school issues (again) and the return of the pastor (writer/director La Marre) sets up a wack ending. Then there's the prize pool. Let's just say hypothetically they win. They gotta give 30% (150k) to their backer leaving 350k. You help out Princeton for 88k. How does 262k get split six ways leaving Michael with 50k? Hmm.

Vivica A. Fox returns and Mekhi Phifer puts in a spot. Ri'chard is still fine, but White is seen less and Ginuwine isn't developed much as a villain. More bodies get shown off so that might bridge the gap for ladies, but the plot doesn't come together in a satisfying manner. Who rightfully watches male strippers on a TV while your ill dad lays right next to you in a hospital bed too?