Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018) [Movie Review]


Dir: Ol Parker
Starring: Lily James, Amanda Seyfried, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Pierce Brosnan
Dur: 1 hr 57 mins
Genre: Musical-Rom-Drama
Rating: 6/10

This is the sequel of the 2008 film which set a very high bar. Sadly, this one seemed to fall on its face. When I first watched Mamma Mia I was so fascinated by the whole project. A beautiful story, tailored to fit in some of Abba’s greatest hit songs; it was just wonderful. So, I had pretty high expectations for this movie. I waited a long time for it and when I finally got a chance to watch it, I could hardly wait. But then as the minutes ticked by, I realized that my waiting was not so much for the film to be released as much as it was for it to end! Don’t misjudge my words; it isn’t a terrible film, it’s just that it didn’t have a similar feel like its prequel. The essentials were all there: the romance, the song and dance, the network of connections, but yet it felt empty.


I wasn’t too impressed by the plot. It seemed at certain points that the writers had run out of ideas and were just forging connections and twists to keep the film running. The song and dance choreography was just top drawer. Perhaps they are the real carriers of the film. The story is passé. Lily James, who plays young Donna, is brilliant. She delivers the most powerful performance in the film and perhaps one of her all time best. She has been nominated for her role and I sincerely hope she wins that award; she totally deserves it.

The film has a lot of crossing over: the present melts into the past which blends seamlessly back with the present. The editing, camerawork, choreography and perhaps even the direction, all create a magical feeling but the story is a let down. It tries to serve as the origin story of the first film, explaining the unexplained; again, something it does shoddily. It doesn’t give a good message but compensates with a grand finale. However, there again, the whole thing seems forced. So if you’ve seen the first film, don’t bother watching this one. If you haven’t seen either, then I suggest you begin with this film and then go back and watch the prequel.  

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd4cLL_MP7M

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