Review | "Pitch Perfect 2GÇ¥ is exactly what you'd expect

By Adam Pilskog-á

The big winner of the weekend is Elizabeth Banks. Who? The director, producer and supporting star of "Pitch Perfect 2,GÇ¥ the sequel to the 2012 surprise girl-power comedy hit.

Budgeted at just $29 million, "PP2GÇ¥ had a domestic gross of more than $70 million in its first weekend, blowing away "Mad Max: Fury Road,GÇ¥ and knocking "Avengers 2: Age of UltronGÇ¥ from its box office perch.-á

"Pitch Perfect 2GÇ¥ (rated PG-13) is primed to do well internationally as well and looks to destroy its 2012's $65 million domestic take, the second-highest opening weekend for a female director ever, according to variety.com. Not bad for a debut.

"PP2GÇ¥ picks up three years after the first installment. Beca (Anna Kendrick) and her crew of a capella debutantes are fresh off of three straight collegiate singing championships. A mishap in front of President Obama and the millions of Youtube hits that follow leave the Barden College Belles banned from competition, with one caveat: Win the worlds, and get reinstated. They pick up a new recruit, a Belle legacy named Emily (Hailee Steinfeld) and battle the German uber-group, Das Sound Machine, who are the singing equivalent of "Rocky IVGÇ¥'s Ivan Drago.-á

The film follows the formula of the first very closely. Light and fluffy is a safe way to play it, with lots of catchy songs, some mashed up and some just done with vocal flair. Sticking to a riff-off (with some nice cameos), some comedic romance and a modest amount of character conflict, there isn't much surprising or even clever about the plot. There is the big finale, with groups showing their best stuff, and I must say, Journey's "Any Way You Want It,GÇ¥ performed in different languages has never been better.-á

The draw for me isn't the humor but the music. I can't be the only one who has the secret karaoke fantasy that is the lives of these ladies (and gentlemen). I was a little disappointed in some of the selections, but a 36-year-old man clearly isn't the target demographic. They threw me a bone with some early "90s hip hop, Journey and Pat Benatar.-á

Musically, the German super-group bullies the Belles, but there is always more comedy than competition between the crews, and that keeps the tone of the film in line with its predecessor in terms of positivity and fun. Throw in the Green Bay Packers in a scene that parodies an illegal underground gambling ring hosted by David Cross, and you know it's a good time.

Keegan Michael-Key and John Michael Higgins steal the show in my opinion. Key plays Beca's boss with his typical sharp-tongued wit, constantly denigrating his interns. He's honestly one of the funniest guys around. If you haven't seen Key and Peele and you're into sketch comedy, check it out. Higgins brings the vapid podcast commentator to another level with his racist, sexist and generally inappropriate comments.-á -á

The rest of the cast is mostly filler, with Adam Devine getting a bit more screen time as Bumper and Rebel Wilson's Fat Amy as the butt of most of the jokes. The fat jokes get old, even if most of them are self-deprecating and not mean-spirited.-á

The Belles are still the motley crew we saw in the first film: the hot, sexually aggressive one, the black lesbian, the Guatemalan who is always one-upping the sob stories, the creepy Asian girl who barely talks and the bubbly optimistic blonde. It's an eclectic bunch, but they work well together.

There are absolutely no surprises when you walk into "Pitch Perfect 2.GÇ¥ You get what you pay for, and it delivers music, comedy and a genuine feel-good experience. Not to be the broken record, but the first film was better. It's a bit of fun, but I can't imagine a third film in the franchise. Of course, stranger things have happened.-á

Rating: 6/10

Monroe resident, Adam Pilskog contributes monthly to the Monroe Monitor. He has been reviewing films for the last seven years on his blog at www.goodbaduglymovies.blogspot.com.