The Barden Bellas are back! After a humiliating wardrobe malfunction at a Presidential performance, Beca (Anna Kendrick), Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) and the rest attempt to regain their reputation by entering an international acapella competition as yet un-conquered by an American group. As the competition escalates, the Bellas must face off against legendary competitors Das Sound Machine, a slick, efficient (and very stereotypically German) group headed by Krämer (Flula Borg) and Kommissar (Birgitte Hjort Sørensen).





All anyone wanted from this movie is the same sense of fun, cobbled-together rebelliousness they got the first time round, and to a large extent, that’s what we get: all the characters are still engaging and enjoyable to be around, the new German faces a particular highlight (even if they’re so two-dimensionally evil you half expect the Imperial March to accompany their every appearance). A select few of the Bellas (Anna Camp and Hana Mae Lee in particular) become more memorable for their individual shtick than their actual names, but the laughs are both plentiful and consistent from start to finish. The relationships between certain characters are also fleshed out more as some of them find or lose love, peaking with a stomach-achingly funny set piece between Fat Amy and Bumper.









Pitch Perfect’s fantastic finale. A hint of sequel-itus is also visible in the middle act as the various sub-plots threaten to slow the proceedings, until Anna Camp returns and kicks things back into gear. For first-time feature director Elizabeth Banks, this is a sizeable entry for the CV: the film is capably directed, often with a lot more flair than the previous instalment. The choreography and the music selection is stronger than the first time around, even if the polished editing and smooth transitions between numbers lack the mish-mash charm of’s fantastic finale. A hint of sequel-itus is also visible in the middle act as the various sub-plots threaten to slow the proceedings, until Anna Camp returns and kicks things back into gear.





Pitch Perfect 2 is flashy, fleeting, and thankfully doesn’t pretend to be anything else. Speaking as someone who is only a recent convert, I’d be hard pressed to say no to a third instalment. Heck, this film even got away with a jab at Hayden Christensen, usually a deal-breaker for yours truly. is flashy, fleeting, and thankfully doesn’t pretend to be anything else. Speaking as someone who is only a recent convert, I’d be hard pressed to say no to a third instalment. Heck, this film even got away with a jab at Hayden Christensen, usually a deal-breaker for yours truly.



