2.5/5

Rating: 5/10 (19 November 2015)

Anna Kendrick is one of the most talented and energetic stars out there. She's a phenomenon, with her role in the first "Pitch Perfect" and "Into the Woods" bringing light to her singing voice. Films like Up in the Air, Scott Pilgrim, and End of Watch are all great, independent choices. She's left her twilight days behind and cares about her career. She needs to stop doing films like this. Don't get me wrong, she's still really funny, and her story(working at a Record Label with Key from Key and Peele) is by far the best part of this generic slog, but that doesn't save it. It just made me wish that I was watching Anna Kendrick in another movie. Pitch Perfect 2 tries to repeat the catchy musical numbers, and slapstick gags of the first movie, while raising the stakes. What stakes? Who cares? This time the group is going up against the German Accapella group, Das Sound Machine, the best in the world. Meanwhile, they're becoming a mess, losing their creative voice, and dividing more and more as it's members prepare for life outside of college. I say: Good for Them. If I were Becca(Anna Kendrick's character), I would have left the group for a real life a long time ago. How great would it have been if the above record label storyline became the full movie? My score would be way higher. Also, the "You just didn't like the first one" argument doesn't work on me. I didn't love the first one, but I certainly thought it was good. It introduced a funny cast of original characters and put them in funny social situations. "The Stakes" didn't matter. Oh all these characters are still here, but because the film fails to do anything new with them, they become grating and annoying instead of fresh and funny. I was making a checklist by the halfway point, mentally checking off a point whenever a character made the same joke again. And by the three quarters point...I was considering sneaking out to see Mad Max again. I suppose most of this must fall on Director Elizabeth Banks. I love her as an actress, and she is a high point in this film as well...but she fails to do anything new or exciting with this installment. Well how's the soundtrack? The true answer is great. I was praying for a musical number more and more, as a flashy and funny break from the mediocrity that was being put before me. There's no point in seeing Pitch Perfect 2, just buy the album. Here's a pun to leave you with: Pitch Perfect 2 is pretty off-key.