Director: Elizabeth Banks
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Elizabeth Banks
Plot: The Barden Bellas compete for a second time, but will they succeed in the Worldwide Acapella Championships?
"We're back, pitches"
2012's Pitch Perfect, on its minuscule Hollywood budget of $17 million, managed to reign in a whooping $115 million at the worldwide box office. Not only did the production greatly profit, but it catapulted its leads to super stardom; donning magazine covers and chat shows, Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson have become household names across the globe. Three years on, the Barden Bellas return, yet do they succeed in reaching such sky-high expectations?
Not exactly.
Elizabeth Banks has taken a break from hemming outrageous wigs in 'The Hunger Games', instead directing the Barden Bellas to their next acapella tournament. Now, the first installment (in the now-trilogy) balanced its comedic wit, slapstick humour and musical numbers with a refreshing ease. While it is clear that the sequel strives for bigger performances and more outrageous stunts (queue the opening scene), it all falls a little flat. Banks' direction feels a little chaotic, with the 112 minutes feeling a little tedious at times.
In addition, the first film set the ground work for its characters perfectly. Unfortunately for round two, there's little movement in the way of character development.
While it's easy to pick out the negatives, Pitch Perfect 2 does hit some right notes. The leads are all on top form; Anna Kendrick's lovable goofiness continues to shine, and Rebel Wilson rightfully receives more screen time this time around. Not to forget the final performance, which picks up the entire production and ends the film on a high note.
In Conclusion: Pitch Perfect 2 has clearly suffered from the sequel treatment. The mash ups aren't as fun, there's way too many characters and there's a messy amount of side stories. Ultimately, the leads keep the whole thing stuck together and the occasional giggle will make it worth your time and money.
