Less than satisfying ‘Sex’ but…

There’s barely any sex in the extra-flamboyant “Sex and the City 2,” and in the Philippines, that also means that there are two major scene deletions. The first movie has them too, annoyingly. And story-wise, while the predecessor felt padded and was mostly concerned with heartache and wedding jitters, the sequel has gutbusting parts, but is lacking in the emotional hook department.

Still, the woman power messages transmit just fine (and memorably, in Samantha’s case), during the foursome’s all expenses-paid Abu Dhabi vacation. Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis reprise their most famous roles, each of which has changed distinctly. The changes aren’t all welcome or interesting, but fans won’t mind too much.

Perhaps the gayest thing in cinemas this week, “Sex and the City 2” celebrates the union of old supporting characters, their ceremony graced by iconic Liza Minnelli. There’s even a brief appearance by “The Pretender’s” Michael T. Weiss, as a dude who hits on Chris Noth’s character Big.

Not surprisingly, there’s a constant showcasing of clothes, shoes, jewelry, and hotel interiors, treating audiences to a barrage of colors and non-traditional artistry. It ends up an odd, disorientingly paced travelogue, studded with awkward parts (like the prolonged karaoke number), but this less than satisfying “Sex” still diverts thanks mostly to the audaciously written and portrayed Samantha.