Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018) Review
2:26 PM
How could I resist ya?
This review contains spoilers
This review contains spoilers
My thoughts changed! For my additional (more positive) thoughts on Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, read until the very end.
It might not be the most well-made film, but Mamma Mia! has become a modern classic. This sequel is not necessary but pleased fans of all ages, including myself when it was announced. Unfortunately, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is not as enjoyable as its predecessor; it lacks a strong narrative, catchy songs and...Meryl Streep. Ol Parker's direction never feels ambitious and the film is often laughably bad. Thankfully, the strong cast and intended campiness work in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again's favour. While it often crosses into 'so bad, it's good' territory, this sequel will please the biggest ABBA fans but may leave others feeling disappointed.
2008's Mamma Mia! included most of ABBA's biggest hits, leaving their lesser known songs for the sequel. I actually think I would have preferred it if this film had the same soundtrack as the first instead of songs like "One of Us", "Kisses of Fire" and "Why Did it Have to Be Me?". I would compare Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again to a touring music artist whose career is declining - the popular hits are the best songs ("Mamma Mia", "Dancing Queen") while most of the others are great opportunities for a toilet break. From a different perspective, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again gives exposure to some of ABBA's overlooked songs and this film could turn them into future classics.
The film starts poorly. The opening number promises a lot of fun when Donna walks up to the podium in platform boots. Then "When I Kissed The Teacher" begins that has no context, boring choreography and is not memorable whatsoever. Just one song later, Here We Go Again dives to a new low with "One of Us". This song was awful; it had terrible production and felt extremely awkward. There are some musical highlights that are worth the price of admission. Lily James' rendition of "Mamma Mia" is excellent. The whole subplot leading up to the song makes it fit into the plot perfectly. It was during this song where I felt satisfied with Here We Go Again for the first time. The (literal) arrival of "Dancing Queen" is one of the film's best moments. The boats full of people partying and celebrating while singing the ABBA classic represents the arrival of the feel-good film I had waited 90 minutes for. "Super Trouper" is another excellent number: it is colourful, vibrant, camp and everything an ABBA fan could wish for. If only the audience did not have to wait until the credits for the film's most fun musical number. Finally, "My Love, My Life" is undeniably the most touching song; it gets emotional!
Surprisingly, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again lacks energy. The beloved characters from the first film are all depressed and beset because of Donna's (Streep) death. It was a bold move for Parker to kill Donna but I think that was more Streep's doing than anybody else's. Streep was the core of Mamma Mia! and there was a dark cloud over the film's first two acts because her absence is very noticeable. Sophie (Seyfried) is no longer cheerful and glowing, instead, she is serious and glum. The same can be said for most of the original cast. Was it really worth killing off Donna if the rest of the characters have to suffer? I used to call myself a fan of Amanda Seyfried, but her performance in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again felt off. Her character's lack of happiness also gave the impression that Seyfried did not want to be there. Even when Sophie cheers up, Seyfried's 'happiness' was very transparent. Christine Baranski's Tanya was my favourite out of the returning characters. She was hilarious! Baranski has great chemistry with Julie Walters; the Mamma Mia! movies would not be the same without Tanya and Rosie. Let's not talk about their younger versions though...
Luckily, Lily James' portrayal of young Donna injects lots of positivity and energy to (almost) balance out the other characters' distress. James is likeable and delivers a crowd-pleasing performance. She may not resemble Meryl Streep, but she embodied many of the same characteristics Streep did with her performance. While James is a great young Donna, I was not a fan of Jeremy Irvine, Josh Dylan or Hugh Skinner who play the younger versions of Sam, Bill and Harry. It probably didn't help that I was unfamiliar with all of them as Mamma Mia! was star-studded. Their performances were not inherently bad, Irvine, Dylan and Skinner were just irritating and could not match the performances of Brosnan, Skarsgard and Firth. None of them were heart-throbs and they all looked a little too similar - I could not understand why Donna would fall for them so easily. Their musical numbers felt like amateur productions.
With seventeen songs taking up around an hour of the film's run-time, there is another hour that Parker's script has to fill. Parker's script lacks a narrative direction. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again really does not have a strong plot. According to the synopsis, Sophie supposedly learns about her mother's past but there is no diary, images or other pointers to suggest that this is the case. The film simply jumps from present to past. Young Donna is following her dreams and meeting new people while Sophie is preparing for the re-launch of her mother's hotel. There is not enough material for a feature-length story. Consequently, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again drags at times and moves at a slow pace. The narrative hooks advertised in the trailers do not come into play until the third act - do not expect much of Cher or Sophie's pregnancy.
Speaking of Cher, she does distract from the plot and does not feel like a genuine character. However, she is Cher and it is fabulous to see her as a true diva. Cher's Ruby has a great subplot that builds to a great performance of "Fernando". Like "Mamma Mia", the song ties well into the plot. From one legend to another, Meryl Streep's very brief scene was not enough! Not only was it unnecessary to kill her character, but she must have spent no more than an afternoon on set. Her lone song was effective and Lily James filled her shoes well, but Meryl Streep really should have continued as a lead character. Her short-lived performance is tender and loving though.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again promised a return to the feel-good, summer vibes of its predecessor and it fails to deliver. The original is superior. Here We Go Again definitely takes itself more seriously and maybe that is why it has seen a decent amount of acclaim but I hoped for the opposite. Lily James, Christine Baranski and Cher are all excellent in different ways. I prefer the first film's soundtrack, Here We Go Again's tracks feel like rejects. There are some great moments but there are some equally terrible scenes too. Mamma Mia,I'm disappointed
I don't know if it was something in the air tonight, but suddenly the mixed feelings I had about this film have become very positive. I apologise to everybody involved for being overly critical the first time; this film was not made to be critiqued, it was made to make audiences around the world feel good! I left the cinema this time around feeling very happy!
Firstly, I'd like to apologise to Amanda Seyfried who I criticised for forcing happiness in her performance in the second half. Seyfried clearly did want to be involved otherwise she would have refused. I loved Seyfried's Sophie in the first film so it was a shock to see her less energetic and more mature...but that is what happens when people grow up. Seyfried's singing voice is impressive and she sells the emotional finale just as much as Meryl Streep. Although I originally praised her, I did not give Lily James enough credit for her stellar performance. Despite being a new face in this franchise, she embodies Donna entirely and consequently feels familiar. I also apologise to the actors playing the younger versions of Bill, Sam, Harry, Tanya and Rosie; they may not be perfect, but they all have big shoes to fill and rise to the challenge.
I was wrong (but also right) about the music - "From a different perspective, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again gives exposure to some of ABBA's overlooked songs and this film could turn them into future classics". I enjoyed EVERY musical number a whole lot more the second time watching, including "I Kissed The Teacher" and "One of Us". While "Mamma Mia", "Fernando" and "Dancing Queen" remain my favourites, there is a lot of enjoyment to be had with "Knowing Me, Knowing You" (the song I currently have on repeat!), "The Name of the Game", "Adante, Adante" among others. I think I reacted negatively to the sequel's soundtrack at first because they are songs I had never heard. I've learned a lesson - don't be scared of new things! I still enjoy the first film's soundtrack more but my negative feelings towards this one have been converted.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is a film I found flaws in, but I have since discovered that those flaws are easily overlooked. Who cares if Cher's scenes were obviously filmed separately to everybody else? The tonal shift between the two films is understandable considering the circumstances (I still don't forgive Meryl Streep!).
Mamma Mia! Thank God I watched it again.
It might not be the most well-made film, but Mamma Mia! has become a modern classic. This sequel is not necessary but pleased fans of all ages, including myself when it was announced. Unfortunately, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is not as enjoyable as its predecessor; it lacks a strong narrative, catchy songs and...Meryl Streep. Ol Parker's direction never feels ambitious and the film is often laughably bad. Thankfully, the strong cast and intended campiness work in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again's favour. While it often crosses into 'so bad, it's good' territory, this sequel will please the biggest ABBA fans but may leave others feeling disappointed.
2008's Mamma Mia! included most of ABBA's biggest hits, leaving their lesser known songs for the sequel. I actually think I would have preferred it if this film had the same soundtrack as the first instead of songs like "One of Us", "Kisses of Fire" and "Why Did it Have to Be Me?". I would compare Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again to a touring music artist whose career is declining - the popular hits are the best songs ("Mamma Mia", "Dancing Queen") while most of the others are great opportunities for a toilet break. From a different perspective, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again gives exposure to some of ABBA's overlooked songs and this film could turn them into future classics.
The film starts poorly. The opening number promises a lot of fun when Donna walks up to the podium in platform boots. Then "When I Kissed The Teacher" begins that has no context, boring choreography and is not memorable whatsoever. Just one song later, Here We Go Again dives to a new low with "One of Us". This song was awful; it had terrible production and felt extremely awkward. There are some musical highlights that are worth the price of admission. Lily James' rendition of "Mamma Mia" is excellent. The whole subplot leading up to the song makes it fit into the plot perfectly. It was during this song where I felt satisfied with Here We Go Again for the first time. The (literal) arrival of "Dancing Queen" is one of the film's best moments. The boats full of people partying and celebrating while singing the ABBA classic represents the arrival of the feel-good film I had waited 90 minutes for. "Super Trouper" is another excellent number: it is colourful, vibrant, camp and everything an ABBA fan could wish for. If only the audience did not have to wait until the credits for the film's most fun musical number. Finally, "My Love, My Life" is undeniably the most touching song; it gets emotional!
Surprisingly, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again lacks energy. The beloved characters from the first film are all depressed and beset because of Donna's (Streep) death. It was a bold move for Parker to kill Donna but I think that was more Streep's doing than anybody else's. Streep was the core of Mamma Mia! and there was a dark cloud over the film's first two acts because her absence is very noticeable. Sophie (Seyfried) is no longer cheerful and glowing, instead, she is serious and glum. The same can be said for most of the original cast. Was it really worth killing off Donna if the rest of the characters have to suffer? I used to call myself a fan of Amanda Seyfried, but her performance in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again felt off. Her character's lack of happiness also gave the impression that Seyfried did not want to be there. Even when Sophie cheers up, Seyfried's 'happiness' was very transparent. Christine Baranski's Tanya was my favourite out of the returning characters. She was hilarious! Baranski has great chemistry with Julie Walters; the Mamma Mia! movies would not be the same without Tanya and Rosie. Let's not talk about their younger versions though...
Luckily, Lily James' portrayal of young Donna injects lots of positivity and energy to (almost) balance out the other characters' distress. James is likeable and delivers a crowd-pleasing performance. She may not resemble Meryl Streep, but she embodied many of the same characteristics Streep did with her performance. While James is a great young Donna, I was not a fan of Jeremy Irvine, Josh Dylan or Hugh Skinner who play the younger versions of Sam, Bill and Harry. It probably didn't help that I was unfamiliar with all of them as Mamma Mia! was star-studded. Their performances were not inherently bad, Irvine, Dylan and Skinner were just irritating and could not match the performances of Brosnan, Skarsgard and Firth. None of them were heart-throbs and they all looked a little too similar - I could not understand why Donna would fall for them so easily. Their musical numbers felt like amateur productions.
With seventeen songs taking up around an hour of the film's run-time, there is another hour that Parker's script has to fill. Parker's script lacks a narrative direction. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again really does not have a strong plot. According to the synopsis, Sophie supposedly learns about her mother's past but there is no diary, images or other pointers to suggest that this is the case. The film simply jumps from present to past. Young Donna is following her dreams and meeting new people while Sophie is preparing for the re-launch of her mother's hotel. There is not enough material for a feature-length story. Consequently, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again drags at times and moves at a slow pace. The narrative hooks advertised in the trailers do not come into play until the third act - do not expect much of Cher or Sophie's pregnancy.
Speaking of Cher, she does distract from the plot and does not feel like a genuine character. However, she is Cher and it is fabulous to see her as a true diva. Cher's Ruby has a great subplot that builds to a great performance of "Fernando". Like "Mamma Mia", the song ties well into the plot. From one legend to another, Meryl Streep's very brief scene was not enough! Not only was it unnecessary to kill her character, but she must have spent no more than an afternoon on set. Her lone song was effective and Lily James filled her shoes well, but Meryl Streep really should have continued as a lead character. Her short-lived performance is tender and loving though.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again promised a return to the feel-good, summer vibes of its predecessor and it fails to deliver. The original is superior. Here We Go Again definitely takes itself more seriously and maybe that is why it has seen a decent amount of acclaim but I hoped for the opposite. Lily James, Christine Baranski and Cher are all excellent in different ways. I prefer the first film's soundtrack, Here We Go Again's tracks feel like rejects. There are some great moments but there are some equally terrible scenes too. Mamma Mia,
I don't know if it was something in the air tonight, but suddenly the mixed feelings I had about this film have become very positive. I apologise to everybody involved for being overly critical the first time; this film was not made to be critiqued, it was made to make audiences around the world feel good! I left the cinema this time around feeling very happy!
Firstly, I'd like to apologise to Amanda Seyfried who I criticised for forcing happiness in her performance in the second half. Seyfried clearly did want to be involved otherwise she would have refused. I loved Seyfried's Sophie in the first film so it was a shock to see her less energetic and more mature...but that is what happens when people grow up. Seyfried's singing voice is impressive and she sells the emotional finale just as much as Meryl Streep. Although I originally praised her, I did not give Lily James enough credit for her stellar performance. Despite being a new face in this franchise, she embodies Donna entirely and consequently feels familiar. I also apologise to the actors playing the younger versions of Bill, Sam, Harry, Tanya and Rosie; they may not be perfect, but they all have big shoes to fill and rise to the challenge.
I was wrong (but also right) about the music - "From a different perspective, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again gives exposure to some of ABBA's overlooked songs and this film could turn them into future classics". I enjoyed EVERY musical number a whole lot more the second time watching, including "I Kissed The Teacher" and "One of Us". While "Mamma Mia", "Fernando" and "Dancing Queen" remain my favourites, there is a lot of enjoyment to be had with "Knowing Me, Knowing You" (the song I currently have on repeat!), "The Name of the Game", "Adante, Adante" among others. I think I reacted negatively to the sequel's soundtrack at first because they are songs I had never heard. I've learned a lesson - don't be scared of new things! I still enjoy the first film's soundtrack more but my negative feelings towards this one have been converted.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is a film I found flaws in, but I have since discovered that those flaws are easily overlooked. Who cares if Cher's scenes were obviously filmed separately to everybody else? The tonal shift between the two films is understandable considering the circumstances (I still don't forgive Meryl Streep!).
Mamma Mia! Thank God I watched it again.
70
/100
Original Score: 56/100
Original Score: 56/100
What did you think of MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN? Was it worth the 10-year wait? - COMMENT BELOW
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