In 1979 young Donna, Tanya and Rosie graduate from Oxford University -- leaving Donna free to embark on a series of adventures throughout Europe. On her journeys, she makes the acquaintances of Harry, Bill and Sam -- the latter whom she falls in love with, but also the man who breaks her heart. In the present day, Donna's young daughter Sophie now dreams of renovating a taverna while also trying to figure out who is the biological father of her unborn baby.
Review:
Mamma mia! Here We Go Again...just when I thought we wouldn't get a sequel.
The sequel to the hit movie-musical is finally hitting the silver screen, and while the movie doesn't live up to the charm and sparkle of the first, it's definitely a fun time at the cinema.
What made the first Mamma Mia work so well was the chemistry, and that the movie didn't feel like the songs were carrying the story. The first movie really made the viewer feel invested and its heart-warming antics. As someone who loves musicals, and the first movie, Mamma mia! Here We Go Again is missing the same allure and instead feels like the songs are carrying the story.
The most devasting thing about this is that if only more thought was given the script and more money put into shooting the film with more practical locations instead of making it a CGI fest, this sequel could have easily been worth the 10-year wait. The first movie was shot on a production budget of reportedly $52 million, which went on to gross $144.1 million in the United States and $615.7 million worldwide.
For a sequel that was filmed on a production budget of reportedly $70 million, this movie feels cheaper than the first. There is a remarkable Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again story sitting somewhere on screen except that unfortunately we aren't shown it.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is one helluva sing-along, but is sorely missing the charm and sparkle of the first movie, and mostly because of plot. Picture: Universal Pictures
However, feelings about the story aside, the movie is saved because of the excellent talent on screen.
Lilly James comes into the story portraying a younger version of Meryl Streep's character Donna. It is a daunting task for any actress to have to fill the shoes of Meryl Streep, but Lilly James really is a joy to watch, and thankfully have the vocal capabilities to carry of singing the iconic ABBA songs.
Amanda Seyfried returns as Sophie, and she is stunning to watch on screen especially in one key moment towards the end of the film that I won't spoil.
The chemistry between the Dynamos from the past really works especially when comparing to the Dynamos which consist of Streep, Christine Baranski and Julie Walters. The actresses had excellent chemistry and convincingly portrayed the younger versions of their characters.
Cher also makes a standout appearance in the movie, and while there are some leaps of logic necessary to believe that Cher is the mother of Meryl Streep, logic is again something this movie isn't really big on.
The movie at times does feel cheesy, but the cheese is part of its draw. Much like the first, the women vocally carry the movie whole the men are serviceable. The men know that they are secondary to the story and work extremely well within that role.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again certainly has its faults the movie remains utterly charming. The film knows exactly who it's audience is, and will undoubtedly be a hit with ABBA fans, and musical lovers.
Rating: 3/5