Movie Review: Pitch Perfect 2

Out of all the films that have become breakout successes in the past few years, none has followed a more unconventional path to success than musical/comedy Pitch Perfect. The film-which was released in late September 2012- was a modest success grossing $65 million during its theatrical release, but became a bonafide sensation in its post-theatrical run following the breakout success of Anna Kendrick's "Cups" from the film's soundtrack and strong word-of-mouth which led to the film grossing over $100 million in Blu-Ray and DVD sales. Naturally, Universal capitalized on that success and offically greenlit a sequel in April 2013. With a film like Pitch Perfect, the sequel could've easily been a half-assed affair that only existed for the actors and studio to cash in on the now-lucrative Pitch Perfect brand. Thankfully, Pitch Perfect 2 couldn't be further from a pointless cash grab.

Like all good sequels, Pitch Perfect 2 effortlessly overcomes the burden of heightened expectations and pleasing the film's established fanbase by making a film that is cut from the same mold as the original yet is still fresh enough to not feel like a complete retread. Returning screenwriter Kay Cannon and first-time director Elizabeth Banks-who also produced and co-stars in the film- take the first film's mix of a capella singing and rapid-fire absurdist humor, and raises it to the next level. A majority of Pitch Perfect's audience have gravitated towards this series strictly because of the music and the sequel does not fail to deliver with its plethora of musical sequences. The musical numbers are on a much grander scale this time around and enhanced sense of spectacle makes the musical portions of the film much more striking. Personally, I felt the musical numbers (save for the rousing finale) in the first installment fell pretty flat. The over-the-top arrangements and choreography as well as much better song choices make the a capella sequences this time around a whole hell of a lot better than they were in the first film. 

However, like the original, Pitch Perfect 2 is driven by its comedic elements. Because of Pitch Perfect's musical backbone, the film's highly effective oddball humor is largely glossed over by fans and critics alike. T Just like the musical elements, the comedy here is also a major improvement from the first. The film's primary cast (a.k.a the actressess that make up the Barden Bellas a capella group) anchored by Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson,  Ester Dean and Hana Mae Lee once again turn in rock-solid and wonderfully hilarious performances. There's a seriously great comedic chemistry between the entire Barden Bella ensemble and their rapport has only grown stronger in their second film working together. While the main cast delivers once again, the much-improved supporting cast really pushes the film over the edge. Series newcomers Keegan Michael-Key, Chrissie Fit, Flula Borg, Brigitte Hjort Sorensen and a handful of brilliantly-implored cameos that I won't divulge all make significant contributions to aiding the film's non-stop parade of laughs. With the sheer number of s throughout and depth of comedic talent in the cast, I really hope the comedy value of Pitch Perfect 2 won't be completely overlooked this time around. Pitch Perfect 2 was a beyond pleasant surprise and I fully expect it to be one of the best comedies of the summer, if not the entire year.

4/5 Stars