Kevin Hart
Ben Barber
Overview
As his wedding day approaches, Ben heads to Miami with his soon-to-be brother-in-law James to bring down a drug dealer who's supplying the dealers of Atlanta with product.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
6 min readThe Buddy-Cop Formula: A Comfortable Rut or a Reliable Pleasure?
There’s something oddly comforting about a movie that doesn’t ask too much of you. Ride Along 2 is that kind of film—a sequel that doesn’t bother reinventing the wheel because, frankly, the wheel still rolls just fine. It’s the cinematic equivalent of slipping into a well-worn pair of sneakers: not stylish, not groundbreaking, but familiar enough to make the walk to the fridge feel like an adventure. And yet, for all its reliance on the same crowd-pleasing blueprint as its predecessor, I found myself wondering whether comfort is really such a bad thing.
The setup is simple, almost aggressively so. Ben (Kevin Hart), the fast-talking, would-be cop who somehow survived the first film without getting himself killed, is back, this time dragged to Miami by his perpetually exasperated brother-in-law, James (Ice Cube). Their mission?
To dismantle a drug ring supplying Atlanta’s criminal underbelly. The shift in setting from Atlanta to Miami is the sequel’s most ambitious gambit—a change of scenery that promises new energy but delivers mostly the same old rhythms. The sun-soaked streets, neon-lit clubs, and pastel-colored buildings are visually distinct, sure, but the film’s heart remains stubbornly rooted in the dynamic between its two leads.
That dynamic is the film’s greatest strength and its most glaring limitation. Hart and Ice Cube have a rapport that feels almost effortless, a testament to their real-life friendship as much as their on-screen chemistry. Hart’s Ben is a whirlwind of nervous energy, a man whose mouth moves faster than his brain (and, often, faster than his body).
Ice Cube’s James, meanwhile, is the immovable object to Hart’s unstoppable force—a man who has spent so long being the responsible one that he’s forgotten how to relax. Their interactions are a masterclass in comedic timing, with Hart’s rapid-fire delivery bouncing off Ice Cube’s deadpan stoicism. It’s a formula that worked in the first film, and it works here, too, even if it doesn’t evolve.
The problem isn’t that Ride Along 2 is bad. It’s that it’s content to be fine. The jokes land often enough to keep you chuckling, the action sequences are serviceable (if unremarkable), and the supporting cast—Ken Jeong, in particular, as a flamboyant tech mogul—adds some welcome color.
Audience Opinions
Audience 5.1/10
"A forgettable sequel that relies too heavily on its leads' chemistry without delivering fresh laughs or action."
Kevin Hart and Ice Cube’s dynamic keeps the movie afloat, but the humor feels recycled and the plot lacks originality. Many found the action sequences underwhelming and the supporting cast underutilized, leaving the film feeling like a tired retread of the first installment. latestnetflix.com's take is that the few genuinely funny moments aren’t enough to justify the sequel’s existence.
What viewers praise
- Hart and Cube’s chemistry The lead duo’s comedic timing and rapport remain the strongest aspect of the film, providing most of the laughs.
- Occasional humor A handful of scenes, particularly those involving Ken Jeong, land well and offer genuine amusement.
- Miami setting The vibrant backdrop of Miami adds some visual appeal and energy to the otherwise stale proceedings.
Common complaints
- Recycled jokes The humor feels repetitive and borrowed from the first movie, failing to evolve or surprise.
- Weak plot The story is thin and predictable, offering little in the way of fresh ideas or engaging twists.
- Underwhelming action The action sequences lack creativity and fail to deliver the excitement expected from an action-comedy.
- Underused cast Supporting actors like Olivia Munn and Ken Jeong are given little to do, wasting their potential.
- Forced sequel The film feels unnecessary, as if made solely to capitalize on the first movie’s success without adding value.
Recommended for
Kevin Hart fans Ice Cube fans Light comedy seekers Casual action-comedy viewers
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsKevin Hart and Ice Cube Return for Ride Along 2—Bigger Budget, Bigger Stunts, and a Miami Showdown
The Ride Along franchise revved its engines for a second lap in 2016, trading Atlanta’s streets for Miami’s neon-lit chaos. Ride Along 2, directed by Tim Story, reunited Kevin Hart and Ice Cube as the mismatched duo Ben Barber and James Payton, this time chasing a drug kingpin south of the border. The sequel promised more action, more laughs, and—if the trailers were any indication—a lot more explosions. But behind the scenes, latestnetflix.com contends, the film’s production had its own share of high-speed twists.
A Sequel with Higher Stakes (and a Bigger Budget)
After the original Ride Along (2014) grossed over $150 million worldwide on a modest $25 million budget, Universal Pictures greenlit the sequel with a heftier $40 million war chest 
. The bump in funding wasn’t just for flashier effects—it reflected the studio’s confidence in the franchise’s bankability. Hart and Cube’s on-screen chemistry had become the film’s biggest selling point, and the sequel leaned harder into their odd-couple dynamic, this time throwing them into a new city with new villains.
The plot, as outlined in IMDb’s summary, sees Ben and James heading to Miami to dismantle a drug ring supplying Atlanta’s dealers 
. Benjamin Bratt joined the cast as the primary antagonist, a smooth-talking kingpin with a penchant for high-stakes crime. The shift from Atlanta to Miami wasn’t just a change of scenery—it was a deliberate attempt to escalate the stakes. Where the first film thrived on fish-out-of-water humor (Ben, a security guard, playing cop), Ride Along 2 doubled down on the action-comedy formula, packing in car chases, shootouts, and a climactic explosion that Roger Ebert’s review dryly noted would "scare even Dante" .
Hart and Cube’s Off-Screen Chemistry: Still the Secret Weapon?
By 2016, Kevin Hart was riding a career high. Central Intelligence, The Secret Life of Pets, and Get Hard had cemented him as one of Hollywood’s most bankable comedians. Ice Cube, meanwhile, was balancing his acting career with his music and production ventures (including the Friday franchise). Their real-life friendship—often touted in interviews—translated into an easy, improvisational rapport on screen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnjVXHYsh5A
A snippet from a YouTube interview with Hart (source ) hints at the duo’s approach to the sequel: "We didn’t overthink it. We knew what worked the first time—just give the people more of that." While the full interview isn’t available in the retrieved evidence, the sentiment aligns with the film’s tone: bigger set pieces, but the same core dynamic. Hart’s rapid-fire delivery and Cube’s deadpan reactions remained the backbone of the comedy, even as the action grew more over-the-top.
That said, not all the humor landed. Ebert’s review criticized the film’s reliance on "ridiculous vehicular chases" and "gun-glorifying shootouts," arguing that the sequel prioritized spectacle over substance . Still, the film’s 4.2/10 rating on AceShowbiz (based on unspecified user reviews) suggests some fans disagreed, enjoying the escalation in chaos .
New Faces, Familiar Tropes
Ride Along 2 expanded the cast with a mix of returning players and fresh faces. Tika Sumpter reprised her role as Angela, Ben’s fiancée and James’ sister, while Olivia Munn joined as a tech-savvy undercover agent . Ken Jeong, Tyrese Gibson, and Nadine Velazquez rounded out the supporting cast, adding their own comedic flavors to the mix.
But the real standout was Benjamin Bratt as Antonio Pope, the film’s primary villain. Bratt, known for his roles in Traffic and Modern Family, brought a level of polish to the antagonist role, balancing menace with charm. His character’s Miami-based drug empire provided the perfect backdrop for the film’s high-octane finale, which reportedly involved a massive explosion (a staple of the genre, but one that Ebert’s review suggested might have been a bit too Dante-esque) .
The Verdict: More of the Same, or a Franchise in Need of a Pit Stop?
Ride Along 2 opened on January 15, 2016, to mixed reviews. Critics like Ebert found the sequel’s action bloated, while some fans appreciated the escalation in stakes . The film’s 5.1/10 rating on SensCritique (based on 829 votes) and its AllMovie’s 5/10 user rating reflect the divide . Financially, it performed decently, grossing $124 million worldwide—not a flop, but a noticeable drop from the original’s $150 million haul .
As for the future of the franchise, no third Ride Along has materialized (at least, not as of the available evidence). Rumors of a potential Ride Along 3 have circulated over the years, but with Hart’s career pivoting toward dramatic roles (Mea Culpa, The Man from Toronto) and Cube focusing on other projects (Friday sequels, Are We There Yet?), the series may have stalled out.
For now, Ride Along 2 remains a snapshot of mid-2010s action-comedy excess—equal parts entertaining and exhausting, depending on your tolerance for explosions and Hart’s motor-mouthed antics.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.