When it debuted, Pitch Perfect was a bit of a sleeper hit. Before being told about it, I had never even heard of its existence. Although the movie didn’t sound like it would match my particular taste, I decided to give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I found it really enjoyable and was happy to learn that there will be a sequel. Particularly with comedies, which are either merely cash grabs or lack the original’s enchantment, sequels are renowned for losing the magic of the original. Even though Pitch Perfect 2 wasn’t as amazing as the original in most of its filmmaking bravado, I found that it builds upon its predecessor quite wonderfully!
How to Download Pitch Perfect 2
You can download the film from a digital store. You can also stream it. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice.
Pitch Perfect 2 – the Movie Review
The Bardon Bellas are at the top of their game when the film first starts out, however, after a wardrobe malfunction of our dear Fat Amy (in front of the President no less), they fall off their pedestal and once again become the underdogs. The Barden Bellas are removed from the a cappella performing circuit after the debacle. Now, the Bellas’ only chance for redemption is an international competition, The World A Capella Championship, where they will compete against a brand-new crew of talented German artists, the incredibly talented Das Sound Machine. However, Beca is dealing with some personal challenges, which will seriously impair her performance.
Now, I’ll start with the main issues in the film that make it a bit worse than the original. Rebel Wilson had to act in a really random way as compared to how she would have if she wasn’t trying too hard to be funny here. Becca is trying to inform the Bellas that she is quitting the team, but there’s not much exploration of why she wants to do it. The new girls felt like very random additions, they were diverse but not really memorable, aside from Hailee Steinfeld’s character Emily Junk. The last thing that bothered me was the final performance, where the German team was actually performing much better than the Bellas, but the Bellas were the ones that won out in the end.
There’s a new director in the chair, so the film feels slightly different. In all honesty, you wouldn’t realize there was any directional change from the first movie in Elizabeth Banks’ debut as a filmmaker. Her self-insert character Gail and the character played by John Michael Higgins are both great and provide the movie with a lot of much-needed dry humor.
It was fantastic to see almost the entire cast back, and there were a few changes made to the number of lines that various characters were receiving based on how well-liked they were in the first. Hailee Steinfeld and Anna Kendrick played the most emotionally accessible roles, while others were there either as buffers, comedic relief, or just additions to make the music more interesting. The character “Fat Amy,” who was a fan favorite in the original, got a substantial increase in dialogue.
The music is an integral part of the whole Pitch Perfect experience. It’s safe to say that the music in this film is definitely unique and fun to listen to. It is enjoyable in a way that it feels different than the first one, yet it also brings more of the same. I definitely preferred the music in the original film more due to consistency with the plot, but it’s honestly more of the same poppy a Capella music on a slightly larger scale, so you won’t be disappointed if you liked the first film.
Visually though, this feels like a huge upgrade to the first film. The color is popped and way more, the set design is much larger than life, and the wardrobe is Immaculate. Not to mention, the cinematography sees a huge jump in quality as the film manages to capture exactly the essence of a chick flick without being too overzealous.
The Verdict
In essence, Pitch Perfect 2 does a fantastic job of bringing the Bellas back to the forefront of a capella singing. It pushes our characters on a much grander stage than ever before, while also teasing character stories in the background. However, when in terms of consistency in its characters, music, and world, there are a few aspects that turn this film into a much more confused product than the original. It’s way funnier than the first one though, so you should definitely check it out if you’re interested!
