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Ride Along 2

Ride Along 2

The brothers-in-law are back

2016102 minPG-13Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
Director
Tim Story
Starring
Kevin Hart, Ice Cube, Olivia Munn, Tika Sumpter

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.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Ride Along 2?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Ride Along 2 streaming on STARZ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Ride Along 2?

Ride Along 2 earns 6 badges, led by Box Office Hit and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Ride Along 2 worth watching?

Ride Along 2's Midcredits score is the 33rd percentile of all films, from 131K ratings across 6 sources. 38% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

33rd percentile

Better received than 33% of films

48th percentile among Action34th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)32nd
Approval (how many liked it)35th

56 /100

32nd percentile of all films

48th percentile among Action34th percentile among 2010s

Critics 32 · Audience 58

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.1 — solid but not unanimous.

38% liked it

35th percentile of all films

49th percentile among Action34th percentile among 2010s
38% rated it 7–1062% rated it 1–6

Critics 15% · Audience 48%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 7 noms overall

97th percentile

131K ratings across platforms

93rd percentile among Action97th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 40% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$40M
Opening weekend$35M
Domestic gross$91M
Worldwide gross$125M

Returned 3.1× its budget — 87th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both fans and detractors agree Ride Along 2 is a formulaic, cliché-ridden buddy-cop comedy that delivers laughs but little else.

Fans praised

  • Kevin Hart's energetic comic delivery
  • chemistry between Ice Cube and Kevin Hart
  • funny moments and laugh-out-loud gags

Detractors panned

  • formulaic and predictable buddy-cop plot
  • lazy writing and recycled jokes
  • forgettable and unoriginal comedy

What stands out

HumorDivisive60

laughs from Hart, but misses as often as it hits

Acting60

Kevin Hart's comic energy and Ice Cube's deadpan chemistry

Pacing60

flowing and brisk, but not especially tight

Effects and spectacle55

action sequences with some tension

DialogueDivisive50

mix of funny one-liners and recycled jokes

CharactersDivisive40

stereotyped cop characters with little depth

Plot and storyDivisive30

paint-by-numbers story with predictable twists

OriginalityDivisive25

derivative of countless buddy-cop films

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 11 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 9 points apart
  • Critics vs users 9 points apart

Watch experience

What is Ride Along 2 like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is gentle and funny and leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingJoyfulAbsurd
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
PlayfulWry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneA buddy cop comedy that plays its action and comedy straight, with Hart's manic energy and Cube's deadpan.
The rideAction scenes and Ben's antics keep the mood lively and absurd, with the tension peaking during the investigation in Miami.
StructureConventional linear narrative following the investigation from start to finish.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayA light, disposable buddy cop comedy that entertains in the moment but leaves little lasting impression.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% (this title) · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Buddy comedy: A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).

11% of films fit this archetype

with Quest underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA buddy cop comedy where an investigation leads to taking down a Miami crime lord, following a formulaic quest structure.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% (this title) · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsSelf-worth · 7% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film focuses on Ben trying to earn the respect and acceptance of his future brother-in-law James, while also proving his worth as a detective.
StanceThe film celebrates the eventual bond between Ben and James, affirming family and acceptance through comedic action.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingAtlanta and Miami police precincts, clubs, port

Content guide

Is Ride Along 2 okay for kids?

PG-13

Ride Along 2 is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence, sexual content, language and some drug material” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (38/100), sexual content at moderate (47/100), language at intense (67/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (35/100) and frightening material at mild (17/100). Overall it is heavier than 62% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 19 other countries
  • UK12
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland12
  • JapanPG12
  • South Korea15
  • Belgium16
  • BGC
  • Hungary16
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway12
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO12
  • Russia16+
  • SK12
  • Spain12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 38% of all filmsHeavier than 62% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 36%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 85%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 96%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 65%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 16%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Ride Along 2 have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Ride Along 2?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Kevin Hart
as Ben Barber
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ice Cube
as James Payton
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Olivia Munn
as Maya
Tika Sumpter
as Angela Payton
Ken Jeong
as AJ
Tyrese Gibson
as Mayfield
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Nadine Velazquez
as Tasha
Benjamin Bratt
as Antonio Pope
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Glen Powell
as Troy
Sherri Shepherd
as Cori

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Ride Along 2?

Movies like Ride Along 2 include Ride Along (2014), Taxi (2004) and Cop Out (2010). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films by Tim Story, and several are stories about police officers.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 12 share its story type: buddy comedy. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Ride Along 2?

2.2K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: action comedy. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.