ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS — ★ ½ — Ice Cube, Mike Epps, Tommy Flanagan, Eva Mendes; rated R (gore, profanity, vulgarity, nudity, brief sex, racial epithets)

Those who think the "Rush Hour" movies would have been improved by having even more of the motor-mouthed, helium-voiced Chris Tucker might get a kick out of "All About the Benjamins."

For the rest of us, this supposedly comic thriller is an endurance test of sorts. Not only is the film a frantically annoying piece that seems little more than an excuse to reunite "Next Friday" stars Ice Cube and Mike Epps, it's also surprisingly mean-spirited, and it's downright nasty in its level of violence.

Admittedly, it's a fair bet that the film's exaggerated action was intended to be cartoonish and was meant to get laughs — at least judging by a scene fairly early in the movie, in which an incidental character watches some animated violence. But it's far more likely that some audiences will leave with a bad taste in their mouths.

Also, some of the movie's more dicey content could, arguably, be construed as being racist. (For one thing, it seems to regard Europeans with particular contempt.)

Co-producer and co-screenwriter Ice Cube also stars here as a bounty hunter with the unlikely name of Bucum (pronounced "Book 'em") Jackson. Bucum is the best at what he does, though he has some questionable methods, which is why he's constantly in trouble with Miami police.

He's also on thin ice with his boss, who reluctantly gives him what should be a pretty cushy assignment — to bring in con man Reggie Wright (Epps). However, while he pursues the petty crook, Bucum stumbles onto a murder scene. So the two men reluctantly partner up — as Bucum attempts to find the killers and recover millions in stolen diamonds, and Reggie tries to find his lost wallet, which may contain a winning Florida lottery ticket.

Director Kevin Bray betrays his music-video roots with the grainy, handheld camera work, gratuitous use of slo-mo and lingering shots of bikini-clad women, none of which enhances the material.

And while there's a natural on-screen chemistry between Ice Cube and Epps, too often the two seem to be making things up as they go. Consequently, co-stars Eva Mendes and Valarie Rae Miller — who play Reggie and Bucum's girlfriends, respectively — upstage them quite easily.

"All About the Benjamins" is rated R for a nearly constant stream of strong, sexually related profanity, brutal violence (gunfire, beatings and both automotive and marine mayhem), gore, a scene of torture, use of racial epithets and crude sexual slang terms, nude artwork (mannequins and T-shirts) and a brief sex scene (overheard). Running time: 98 minutes.

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