You may already have been told you won’t like this film because it’s not meant for you. It seems to be the automatic response of people who want to like this film when hearing the negative comments… I’d be interested how many people stick to that line once they have seen this painfully long sequel to the painfully long first film.

Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda take another bite out of the Big Apple in the sequel to the 2008 blockbuster. Returning in their starring roles, as the four great friends are Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon. Of course, where would these women be without their men? Also back for the much-anticipated sequel are Chris Noth as Mr. Big, David Eigenberg as Steve, Evan Handler as Harry, Jason Lewis as Smith, Mario Cantone as Anthony and Willie Garson as Stanford Blatch.

Starting off on quite an amusing note, the gang are all back together at a gay wedding. I’m going to be honest from the outset, i have no idea who these people are. I have never seen an episode of the TV show, and also manged to miss the first film when it was released. So apparently this is Carrie’s best gay friend or something and they all hang out together. There is the ginger one, the cute one and the old one. There is no doubt there is a great chemistry between the leads and even their respective partners fit well into the grand scheme of things. The cute one (Charlotte) has two kids, one of whom appears to be Chinese and so i suspect is adopted? Anyway she is struggling to cope and has hired a full-time nanny to assist. This leads to the best gag in the film as all the other men lust after her ‘perkiness’ and find Alice Eve’s athletic exuberance irresistible. It does however hint at the broad stereotypes the story will follow as Eve is accompanied by a twee Irish folk tune (because she’s Irish you see?)

Carrie and Big (i can only guess at the highbrow connotations to his name) appear to be having problems of their own. He likes to watch TV and buy take out food after a busy day working and earning a crust to keep his wife in the finest threads as is her wont. She likes to go out day and night, lunching with friends and making awful puns which sent the audience into hysterics. I assume this is what happened on the TV show as well? I’m confused. She’s awful! If Carrie isn’t out and about town, then she’s supposedly writing books and articles about going out and fashion. She says she wants to spend more time with Big… here’s an idea, buy a cook book and make some dinner! I joke of course, but this is the sort of comment you’d expect from me… i am a MAN after all.

Anyway so somehow the old one manages to blag a PR freebie and get a holiday for all the gal pals to the Middle East. I have never had such a freebie. I was annoyed by the very idea and to make things worse i understand that this is a common practice in the industry. I need to make new contacts.

When abroad the film then really does take a turn for the worse. The tedious puns and relationship nonsense is all present and incorrect, but added to the mix is a hideously outdated view of the region and cultural sensibilities. Essentially the audience are asked to laugh and tut at the backward mentality of men in the Middle-East. “Look at how repressive they are… not allowing a European man to wander around a family restaurant with a massive erection whilst fondling an old slapper”. Ridiculous right? That’s exactly what you want to see in your local McDonald’s on a Friday night, and shame on anyone who complains about it… you live in the dark ages mate, get with the times. Granddad!

I can actually cope with all the other problems in this film. I haven’t seen a good film about modern adult relationships for a long time, and this doesn’t change that but by those low standards it’s average. Some laughs, some decent observations in the myriad of cliches thrown out. No it is the hideously offensive second half of the film that makes this a problematic release for me.