In Sex and the City 2, the girls are back with the same wild outfits, the same posh cocktails and sex just as steamy as it was a decade ago. But this time around Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda have a new set of issues: boring marriages, problem children, sexist bosses and hot nannies.
In the newest chapter of the series that defined urban cool while simultaneously challenging common conceptions of female sexuality, this sequel to the 2008 film takes the four best girlfriends that we’ve adored through the good and the bad (we’re referring to sex, of course) away from Manhattan, where their jobs and families finally seem stable, and transports them to the lavish deserts of Abu Dhabi — the “New Middle East.” However, Samantha’s implausible, all-expenses-paid business trip is just too convenient of an excuse to move the old story to a new setting. In this over-the-top fantasy (which is, nevertheless, a pleasure to watch), the girls experience an extravagant lifestyle with private butlers and a 22K-a-night suite. Not to shabby for a recession.
This new destination is more than conducive to the absurd and beautiful outfits that we have come expect, but the story comes off as desperate for new and emotionally engaging plot lines. Nevertheless, Carrie’s run-in with her ex, Aiden (drama!), Samantha’s quest for some desert loving and the unavoidable culture shock make for an enjoyable show for those of us still in love with the original series. Diehard fans will love the new adventures and progressive plotlines, but newcomers beware: those new to the SATC franchise may be a bit confused by unexplained pasts and a little bored by the chick-flick storyline. We can’t take the city out of the girl and maybe shouldn’t take her out of the city either.
