Plot: What’s it about?
A pair of shoes can work wonders, especially if those shoes happen to have been owned by someone who had magic of their own. Jerome Jenkins, Jr. (Jascha Washington) loves to be on the court and on his game, but he isn’t as welcome there as he wishes. When he heads down to the local court, he is greeted with disrespect and when he is able to play, he is taken to school. But he refuses to give up on his passion for basketball, even if he is told he is too young, too slow, and too short to keep up. When he finds an old pair of sneakers, he doesn’t pay them much mind, until he puts them on. As soon as he does, he can sense that his luck on the court is soon to change for the better. When the sneakers are on his feet, Jerome can suddenly dribble with excellent skill, spin and juke with ease, and yes, even dunk it home. Of course, he has no idea how the shoes make this happen, but he couldn’t be more pleased. He is soon a legend on the local court and even takes his game beyond his hood, but is there a price for his newfound fame?
The original Like Mike had a neat concept, not one that was deep or that original, but one that provided some solid potential. The movie was by no means a great one, but it was decent family entertainment that better than some might have expected. Like Mike 2 is not a sequel in the usual sense, instead it takes the same story and tells it again, just with a new cast involved. Ok, so maybe not the exact same story, but pretty close and not much is different this time around. I am not a fan of this concept, but I remained open minded, only to be given quite a disappointing feature film. The main role is played by young Jascha Washington, who is decent, but lacks the same presence as Lil Bow Wow in the original. There are moments of entertainment here, but they’re rare and often recycled material from better pictures. I suppose if you’re desperate for family friendly fare, Like Mike 2 is a rental option, but there are so many better choices out there. I had hoped it would be as good as the original or better, but no such luck.
Video: How does it look?
Like Mike 2 is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, with a full frame edition also included on this release. As you’d expect from Fox, the image looks very good and presents no serious problems. The print is in great condition and free from defects, which is to be expected since the film is such a new release. The contrast is even handed and never becomes too dark, which means detail is never obscured in the least. No errors surface in terms of color either, as the hues remains vivid and flesh tones look natural also. I knew this would be another great transfer from Fox and of course, I was right in that assumption.
Audio: How does it sound?
The included Dolby Digital 5.1 track won’t disappoint, but this material isn’t that powerful, so don’t expect too much. The main surround presence comes from the musical soundtrack and a few audio intensive scenes, such as the ones with Dig’s plane. The atmosphere is active when it needs to be, but that it isn’t often and as such, the front channels handle most of the burden. This is how it should be however, as the film is dialogue driven and the vocals are well presented, with no real issues to report. This disc also includes Spanish and French language tracks, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes three promotional featurettes, as well as some deleted scenes.
