Rating:

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again Trailer

After the incredible success of the film adaptation of musical Mamma Mia!, the story continues in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again five years after the events of the original film. Two parallel timelines unfold during the film as the present day sees Sophie preparing for the grand reopening of the Hotel Bella Donna, which alternates between flashbacks of a young Donna and her adventures after graduating from Oxford University, which may include a certain three young men of significance…

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is a fun romp that retains much of the formula of its predecessor, yet fails to serve any significance. Lily James gives a gusto performance as a young Meryl Streep, which is no easy task, yet because of the original film’s existence, the flashback scenes offer nothing new to the story and are ultimately redundant. With much of ABBA’s back catalogue of hits used in the first film, the film is forced to rely on lesser known songs this time around with the addition of a number of repetitions from the original film. The musical numbers are still a riot, with the cast gamely demonstrating their enthusiasm, despite a lack of singing prowess from some of the cast members.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again sees all the cast from the original movie return, yet one cast member is glaringly absent for much of the film, which sadly suffers as a result. It is evident that the cast are having the time of their lives on screen, but the lack of a story and number of plot holes result in a film that almost feels pointless.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is out on DVD today and although it has a number of issues, the film is still a fun form of escapism, especially now that the dark gloomy wintery evenings have arrived. For me, I had a more personal interest in the film as my sister’s boyfriend worked for a few days on the film during the Oxford scenes, so that was quite exciting and actually how I first found out that the sequel was being made!

Have you see Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again? Are you a fan of musicals and sequels?