After the Bellas embarrass themselves in front of a very important political figure, they must compete in an international competition to save their reputations. Most comedy sequels aren’t nearly as good as the first movie, and pitch perfect 2 it certainly follows this trope. I liked the first movie. He had great music, some funny moments, and a genuine heart. It was far from perfect, but I left it feeling accomplished. I did not share the same sentiment with this film. While the music is still pretty good and the plot pretty interesting, the laughs aren’t as frequent, the writing is uneven, and the movie as a whole doesn’t feel as genuine as the first.
Bitches Here-Wiedersehen!
Before we delve into the negatives of the movie, there are several positives that the movie hits. First of all, the music is incredibly memorable. However, it doesn’t reach the heights of the first movie (more on that later). In particular, I loved the riff-off scene and the final performances by the Bellas and Das sound machine. This is where the film really shines, and I applaud the cast and crew for continuing to deliver compelling music and performances. Along with the music, I thought the plot was handled pretty well. I thought it took a very interesting route where the Bellas are essentially coming to the end of their time at Barden University and looking towards their future. This was handled very well when it comes to Becca. He had to make some tough decisions, as well as some harsh realities. Another advantage of the film is also the performances of the entire cast. They all do a great job, although some of the characters aren’t that great (more on that later). The standout for me has to be Keegan-Michael Key. He was both hilarious and gave some of the best moments in the movie. Overall these components of the film were handled very well and are what primarily elevate this film.
tone slapped
Unfortunately, having an interesting plot and engaging musical sequences doesn’t save the movie. Going back to the music, although it was great, it didn’t ‘wow’ as much as the first time. Bella’s final performance from the first film remains the best musical number this franchise has to offer. She really hoped that her final performance this time would rival hers, but it didn’t. It was still a very good performance, with a lot of heart, but it lacks the uniqueness of the first movie. Another problem with the movie lies in the writing and the characters. The writers completely shoehorned Emily (Hailee Steinfeld) into the film. Steinfeld does a good job on screen, but her character is lousy. He spends too much time with her, and I just didn’t care. She (eventually) has a major role in the movie, but I can’t help but feel that her role could have been anyone else’s and it might have worked a little better. Instead, we got a sloppy one-dimensional character who never really proves her worth (again, the character, not the actor). The issues with Emily’s character are also very prominent in the rest of the writing. it’s very sloppy. That’s why the jokes (for me) didn’t come as often as the first one. I found myself laughing from time to time, but never really having a good laugh. This is also why certain moments didn’t feel as genuine as they did in the first movie. Good writing really goes a long way and sadly the writing for the movie didn’t measure up.
closing remarks
I really wanted this movie to recapture the magic of the first one, and while it did in some ways, it lost a lot of the magic in others. However, despite all the problems I had with the film, there were some aspects that I did enjoy. The movie certainly ends in a way that could invite a third movie, and I hope they don’t make one (even though it’s making a lot of money, which means they probably will).