Sing 2: Film Review
I really enjoyed the first Sing all the way back in 2016 and while I wasn’t exactly screaming out for more, I knew the second instalment, Sing 2, would be a lot of fun and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
The film kicks off a few months after the events of the first film, and Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey)’s new theatre is thriving. However, he’s not satisfied with his small-town success and wants to make it in the big leagues in Redshore City (think Las Vegas). He gathers up the usual crew – Rosita (Reese Witherspoon), Ash (Scarlett Johansson), Johnny (Taron Egerton), Meena (Tori Kelly) and Gunter (Nick Kroll) – and they scheme their way into an audition with Jimmy Crystal (Bobby Cannavale), the owner of the Crystal Tower Theatre. They make up a sci-fi musical concept and claim that have reclusive singer Clay Calloway (Bono) onboard, so Jimmy signs off on the show and gives them three weeks to put it together and find Clay.
This animated jukebox musical is a lot of fun and will bring joy to both children and pop music-loving adults. I had a massive smile on my face within the first five minutes and it didn’t drop very often as it’s just so damn entertaining. Writer/director Garth Jennings has written a script with a brilliant sense of humour and I laughed out loud quite a few times!
Like the last film, the main players have their own subplots within the grand story and these arcs help make the narrative more substantial and help you care about the characters more. My highlights were the audition montage (I was howling with laughter) and the completed show; it is spectacular!
I would love to know how much Universal spent on music rights because this is jam-packed with more than 40 songs. There are a lot of toe-tapping pop songs as well as a few random surprises such as System of a Down’s Chop Suey!, My Name Is by Eminem, Heads Will Roll by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and Eve’s Who’s That Girl? Those four brought me the most unexpected joy. There’s a bit too much U2 in it for my taste and it feels like an odd choice to have four of their songs (one original) in the movie but I guess Bono’s casting is to blame for that and I liked him as the grieving and gravelly-voiced Clay.
The returning stars are as excellent as they were the first time, with McConaughey’s Buster being the standout and the one who drives the story forward. Kroll is hilarious as the German pig Gunter and Johansson has a gorgeous singing voice. Among the newcomers, Halsey is a fun new addition as Jimmy’s spoiled daughter Porsha – who can sing but not act – and Cannavale is suitably menacing as the boss Jimmy.
If you weren’t too keen on the first Sing then there’s no point in checking this sequel out as it’s more of the same. But, if you’re like me and you liked the first one a lot, then you’ll have a great time with this.
In cinemas from Friday 28th January