Movie Review - Pitch Perfect 2 (2015) the Bellas find themselves singing for the future of their group after a humiliating performance in front of the President means they could end up banned for ever Movie Review

Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)   2/52/52/52/52/5


Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)

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After a humiliating performance in front of the President of the United States of America, the Bellas lead by Beca (Anna Kendrick) and Chloe (Brittany Snow) face their worst nightmare, being banned from competing in any Aca-competition meaning the end of the Bellas. They have just one shot at redemption which is to do what no other American aca group has ever done which is to win an international competition against the best groups from across the globe. But not only have the Bellas a new member in Emily (Hailee Steinfeld), a legacy, but they have lost their harmony as the stresses of what is going on begins to affect them whilst Beca finds herself distracted having been offered a position as an intern for a record producer.

I have to be honest and say that when I reviewed "Pitch Perfect" it did little for me but it has since grown on me with the fun, friendships and singing winning me over. And after watching "Pitch Perfect 2" I wonder whether that is going to happen again because for the most I was unimpressed, even a little disappointed with what there was in this sequel. And I put that down to the fact that not only do the Bellas find themselves dealing with a loss of harmony but the movie itself has lost its harmony and feels like it is trying too hard in all areas.

Now in a way the issues with "Pitch Perfect 2" start with the storyline as whilst I am certainly grateful that this isn't just a rehash of the first movie it does give us a fractured bunch of Bellas with each character ending up being negative, angry and frankly a bit annoying. It makes it a movie where the humour is meant to come from these once friends being at each others throats and it doesn't work as the charm of the Bellas is the unity they have. I also have to say that Elizabeth Banks as director didn't do it for me this time either as her styling was too different to the first movie and often contributed to it feeling like it was trying too hard to be different to the original.

But it isn't just the storyline which disappoints and the characters disappoint just as much this time around. Not only are some characters little more than there in the background but the chemistry between the main characters feels lacking. It makes many a scene where Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wison, Brittany Snow and Skylar Astin share end up feeling awkward and I wonder whether dialogue was written or they were just given a brief on what a scene was and then told to come up with it themselves.

Now whilst much of "Pitch Perfect 2" ended up disappointing me I will say the Bellas come good and the movie is almost saved by the big closing number which is simply a triumph on many levels.

What this all boils down to is that maybe "Pitch Perfect 2" will succeed like the original did by ending up winning me over if I decide to watch it again but as it stands this is a movie which seems to struggle from trying too hard.


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