The narrative stalling tactics do tire as they accumulate, but the chuckles come often enough…
The grim arithmetic of sequels demands more of what worked the first time: more camp, more sincerity. Charm doesn’t stand a chance. Cras...
Pitch Perfect 2 is sweet, predictable story, but it’s shored up by some hilarious and absurd action on the sidelines.
Reprising the kind of musical performances, campus hijinks, stinging humor and sassy sisterhood put in place by its eminently likeable predecessor...
It’s at least 20 minutes too long. But Banks marshals things with such cheery uplift you’re all too happy to spend time in th...
Detroit News May 15, 2015 A movie with attitude and energy that’s not as aca-amazing as the original, but still makes for semi-shiny summertime fun.
As wardrobe malfunctions go, they don’t get much more disastrous.
"Pitch Perfect 2" actually is more enjoyable than the original. First-time director Elizabeth Banks manages to move the story forward and wrap it u...
The Atlantic December 31, 2015 What felt like winking cheekiness in the first movie can come across now more like clumsy provocation.
As of today, this is the most delightful movie out there.
Stop me if you think you’ve heard this one before.
The casual busyness of the plots does not distract from the essence of the movie, which is the pleasure and occasional stress of hanging out with l...
For big fans of the first "Pitch Perfect," the sequel will not aggravate or offend. But I swear, in one party sequence Kendrick appears to be...
Inspired musical numbers, an uninvested Kendrick and too many ethnic jokes make this comedy a mixed bag.
Despite stereotypical characters and many flat jokes, the charisma of the cast and energetic direction won me over in the end.
Boston Globe May 14, 2015 Actress-turned-director Elizabeth Banks delivers a comedy that’s slightly broader than the first film, and just as infectious.
Ethnic clichés abound, college comes off as a free sleepaway camp, and the simple wonders of unaccompanied singing are inflated to Las Vegas-s...
A cappella isn’t something everyone wants to do, as Beca constantly reminds us, but for this kid, it’s all she’s ever wanted to d...
It is an impressive feature directing debut, with Banks handling the high-octane chaos of "Pitch" with almost perfect aplomb.
As this overlong, lacklustre sequel demonstrates, a souffle can only rise once.
The sameness of the two movies doesn’t make the second feel like a re-tread. If anything, it feels comfortable.
Like many of the musical artists whose songs are covered, the series has suffered a slump with its second outing. "Pitch Perfect 2" plays the...
Pitch Perfect 2 is a very fragmented affair, more a selection of comic sketches than a coherent movie in its own right.
Serves it all up again, with just enough flashes of absurdist wit, musical brio and new characters to keep this serviceably fun follow-up from goin...
It actually is difficult to write a review of Pitch Perfect 2. First you have to think up and reject a bunch of adjectives and nouns to pair w...
Say what you will about the film’s wielding of stereotypes – it genuinely loves its characters.
As second rounds of comedies go, "Pitch Perfect 2" definitely is not perfect. Its script is more than a smidge pitchy.
Even stronger than its predecessor, which didn’t quite go as far in terms of representing these young women in a wider context.
Really, all the news is good about this sequel: It is, if anything, funnier than the original.
The movie is really just a group of sketches strung together. But so was "Animal House" and "Caddyshack," really, and no one complains ab...
The over-the-top racist caricatures feels horribly out-of-sync with the movie’s positive message about girl power and friendship.
The Guardian May 14, 2015 It just about works, but it’s a long way from perfect.
The Guardian May 17, 2015 It’s funnier than most modern teen-oriented American comedies, and ends on a high note that will leave you thinking it’s a far bet...
What we have is an update that is tighter, slicker and fine-tuned in more ways than one – no doubt music to the ears of the fans of a flo...
It’s not as smooth a ride as Pitch Perfect, but it doesn’t really need to be.
Funnier and sleeker than Pitch Perfect, this is a rare sequel that hits all the right notes.
It’s a big, estrogen-filled, foot-stompin, booty-shakin' a cappella party, and I didn’t want to leave.
New York Post May 13, 2015 There are a half-dozen hilarious scenes, the Barden Bellas' new nemesis is awesomely weird, and you could hardly find a more endearing gr...
Despite so much returning talent (the film also shares the same screenwriter in Kay Cannon), Pitch Perfect 2 is singing a completely different...
It is badly written, inexpertly directed, poorly acted, erratically paced, and features music of dubious worth.
Rolling Stone May 14, 2015 There’s no effing fun in a summer where you can’t sing along with the Barden Bellas. So thank the aca-gods for this spirited seque...
This sequel succumbs to a predictable syndrome and goes big when it should have gone home. Its self-satisfaction is a step toward cynicism, an...
It was almost inevitable, though, that the sequel couldn’t match its original, and this too experiences a bit of sophomore slump ...
While just a jot less fun than its predecessor, Pitch Perfect 2 is a worthy sequel in tone, even if the story feels padded with ...
It may be calculated, but it gets the best out of a talented cast. And with a surfeit of charm and some killer wit muddled in, it’ll sur...
Anna Kendrick’s Beca, a mash-up maestro, spends the movie looking like she’d rather scale a fish than scale her vocals. (Maybe bec...
There’s no interest in surprising us even a little bit.
Vanity Fair August 14, 2015 This is a rare comedy sequel that works, so let’s hope they don’t do a third.
Elizabeth Banks makes a credible directing debut with a riotous, even more female-driven sequel to the 2012 hit.
Toronto Star May 14, 2015 There are just too many moments when jokes fail to ignite and Banks' answer seems to be: "throw in another song."
Jokes fly like they’re being shot from T-shirt guns at a gonzo pep rally, and not all of them stick the landing. But the story also give...