Sequels suck. I liked Dude, Where's My Car? a bit more than I probably should've, but I'm certainly not banking on the follow-up to fare quite as well. Blues Brothers 2000? Don't get me started.

Yeah, the second Godfather is better than the first, and I'm pretty fond of the middle installment in the Back to the Future trilogy, but making more than one good movie with the same name often ends up like Blair Witch 2: completely unnecessary.

I'm glad they made a sequel to Barbershop, though. I'm even gladder it was good.

The first Barbershop told the story of Calvin Palmer (played by the always-enjoyable Ice Cube) and his struggles to maintain his family-owned business through financial strife and staff conflict. With an excellent ensemble cast, a serviceable story and a lot of humor, Barbershop was a great success. And though it certainly wasn't Oscar-caliber, it stands as one of the most likable comedies of the last few years.

Barbershop 2: Back in Business is just what you'd think; yet another movie about a bunch of people in a barbershop. But unlike most sequels, this one really works.

The changes made between both installments of Barbershop can almost all be considered improvements. Though the plot of Back in Business is pretty much identical to the original, this time it's a behind-closed-doors alliance between a competitive business and an evil alderman that Calvin and company have to stand up to -- a storyline that works better than that of its predecessor. A lot of the goofier comedy bits of the first movie give way to more of the topical humor and social commentary that made Barbershop so great in the first place.

The unstoppable Cedric the Entertainer, not Ice Cube, is arguably the star this time around, and every moment he spends onscreen, he's living up to his stage name. The mediocre-at-best Anthony Anderson is not to be seen here, but Kenan Thompson (yes, he of Good Burger fame) fills the non-Cedric comic relief role admirably. Eve's acting has improved a great deal, and the excellent returning character of Dinka is given a brief but satisfying love story.

It's a formula, sure, but it's worked both times, with no signs of slowing down. Aside from a rushed ending, a few characters deserving of more screen time and a shameless plug by the now-ubiquitous Queen Latifah, Barbershop 2 succeeds simply because there's just so much to like.

Too often, I leave comedies feeling cheated; too many jokes fall flat, and too many stupid plot points go nowhere. You might know exactly what you're getting into when you see Barbershop 2, but after a movie with genuine laughs and a real message, you won't walk out disappointed.

If there were a Barbershop sitcom with this cast (which I know there won't be), I'd watch it every week. And if there's a Barbershop 3 (and I bet there will be), I'll be first in line to see it.