Summary
Sing 2 lacks an underlying heart.
This review of the film Sing 2 does not contain spoilers.
This week, the eclectic America’s Got Talent animal and the amphibian troupe are back in theatres with a sequel to their successful 2016 animated outing. This time despite the eternal optimism of their leader, Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey), they are rejected from getting a try-out at the world’s entertainment capital, Redshore City, a Vegas-like oasis with glitz, glamour, and everything tacky. Moon and his squad of entertainers sneak on stage for a tryout. Returning is Rosita (Reese Witherspoon), a singer who gave up on her dreams to raise a family. Also, a silky-voiced pig with performance anxiety, Rosita (Tori Kelley), and a young ape named Johnny (Taron Egerton) has dreams to sing of his own.
Moon hopes that reuniting with Ash (Scarlett Johansson), a porcupine punk rocker, will put them over the top. However, they only manage to pique the casino owner’s interest (voiced by Bobby Cannavale) because they use a couple of hits from Clay Calloway (Bono), a rockstar lone wolf still in mourning over his late wife. He promises them their Redshore show if they can get the legendary howler. Of course, Moon says he has his permission to use them and knows the star. He also is forced to take the lead away from Rosita (Witherspoon), his loyal performer. He hands it over to the owner’s daughter, Porsha (voiced by Halsey).
Who said you have to be loyal to get to the top?
There is just something sterile about most of the Illumination filmography. The Sing franchise is no exception. Even while Sing 2 has some amusing, even solid laughs (most notably from Eric Andre’s self-involved Yak), the film boasts an emotional, heartwarming journey about love, loyalty, and chasing your dreams, but lacks an underlying heart. It’s a recycled effort, with many Galago’s with a severe case of jaundice, is Sing‘s version of minions. Even the ending is played out, as they encompass the film’s emotion with, of course, a song from U2?
Well, they are Vegas-inspired shows, after all.
The final product is a good 30 minutes too long, which will be tough for any ten or under to get through, which is a problem since this is their target audience. Sing 2 is strictly for any parent looking to be amused not at the movie but at their kid’s enjoyment of it who does not know any better.
