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'Miss Congeniality 2': Congenial, but not fabulous

One accusation you can't make against "Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous" is that audiences won't know what they're getting into. Even as cookie-cutter sequels go, this one is particularly unsurprising; moviegoers who laughed at the first movie and would rather go out this weekend than watch it again on DVD will likely get just what they want.

Warner Bros. Pictures 'Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous' 2 out of 5 stars Director: John Pasquin Starring: Sandra Bullock, Regina King, Enrique Murciano, William Shatner, Ernie Hudson and Heather Burns Run time: 115 minutes Release date: March 24, 2005 Rating: PG for sex-related humor See showtimes On the web Official movie site View the trailer   -- Trailers require Quicktime [an error occurred while processing this directive]

Naturally, some things had to change. Sandra Bullock's FBI agent Gracie Hart, now too famous for undercover work, has been coerced into becoming the "face of the agency," a public-relations flack. In the movie's alternate universe, a government spokesperson travels with a three-person styling team and gets a complimentary set of Fendi luggage. Hart takes to the role so fully (heartbreak has cleaned her slate, personality-wise) that the snorting, bumbling tomboy of the first film disappears completely.

For grumpiness, then, we need Regina King, who plays an agent sporting "anger issues" and the name of a cult filmmaker (Sam Fuller). You'll remember King from "Ray," where she was the singer's grumpy mistress; here, she allows the producers to get their clichˇd buddy-cop kicks without paying for Jackie Chan.

Hart's pal Miss America is kidnapped, she and her new partner follow the trail to Vegas, and Treat Williams shows up as — who'd believe it? — a slick, self-interested agent who gets in the way.

Now that we have the inconsequential matter of plot out of the way, the movie can get to catfights, a drag-queen musical sequence, Hart in an 8-foot feathered headdress that won't come off even when she needs to get in a Mini Cooper, lip gloss and William Shatner. What more could you want on a Friday night? Oh, yeah: hugging at the end.