Aca-Awful

Rating: 1/10 (17 May 2015)

Let me start this off by saying that I'm a huge fan of Pitch Perfect. The film is quirky, funny and has a great selection is music (I mean that remix of "I would walk 500 miles"? Classic!). I loved the homage to the Breakfast Club, one of my all-time favourite films. Plus, it had a great story to tell about friendship and how being different is a good thing. I laughed so much when I saw for the first time and I actually had goosebumps during the final performances. Alas, none of that magic happened in Pitch Perfect 2.
The film is over the top, lackluster and horribly racist at times. Cringeworthy is an understatement. First of all, the story is all over the place. The Bellas have been the reigning champions for the past three years, but things go downhill quite quickly after an 'indecent exposure' and they must 'find their sound' again. Good premise, except that everything has to be funny and over the top. For example, Beca's internship at a record company. Great story line, but why add Snoop Dogg to the mix? And the whole Christmas album was an obvious rip- off of Pentatonix' success with their 2014 Christmas album! Same goes for the riff-off scene. Extremely awkward premise and why add the Packers? Amy and Bumper's romance was cute, but why do they have to lick each other's face instead of having a normal, romantic kiss? Just because it's the sequel doesn't mean that everything has to be twice as big and bold. Keep it simple.
Second of all, the humour is either not funny or horribly racist. The whole Flo character should have been cut - she doesn't add to the assemble and after the seventh immigrant joke I just wanted to hurl my popcorn at the screen. Plus, John Michael Higgins' character went way too far too many times with his commentary. Sexism is not that funny and Elizabeth Banks' character should have punched him the face - that would have been funny!
Then there is the music. I played the first soundtrack over and over again, but this time around I can't really be bothered. In the end I rooted for the Germans, just because DSM had the best songs and solid performances. The Bellas didn't wow me at all. I just didn't like the original song, 'you're my flashlight to get me through the night'? Nope.
The highlight of the film were the performances of the real a capella groups like Pentatonix during the World Championships. Unfortunately this scene was way too short to make up for the entire film.
So all in all, I'm really disappointed in this film. I hoped it would be better than this, because this is mostly a film for the fans. Because of its box office success I suspect there will be a PP3, maybe with the 'legacy' Emily at the helm (since everyone is graduating)? Or maybe they will come together at the reunion, Tone Hangers style. I for one, will not be watching.