Despite a predictable narrative that drags in the middle, what makes the film appealing are the colourful anthropomorphic creatures and the wonderful songs they sing…writes Troy Ribeiro
Director: Garth Jennings. Voice Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton, Seth MacFarlane, Tori Kelly, Nick Kroll, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Pharrell Williams, Chelsea Peretti, Letitia Wright and Eric Andre. (Rating: ***) Duration: 110 minutes
Mounted like an adventurous, storybook-style spectacle, ‘Sing 2’ takes place sometime later after the events of its 2016 prequel.
Set in the glitzy showbiz town of Redshore city, Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey), hoping to launch a bigger and flashier musical act, gathers together much of the same old cast consisting of Ash (Scarlett Johansson), the porcupine who’s the first to answer his call; Johnny (Taron Egerton), the gorilla who gets a dance sequence in the new show but can’t master his moves until he pairs up with Lynx (Letitia Wright); Gaunter (Nick Kroll), a passionate dancing pig who partners with Rosita (Reese Witherspoon), the momma pig who has basically achieved all that she wanted; and Meena (Tori Kelly), the shy elephant who can’t work up any chemistry with her self-absorbed singing partner Darius (Eric Andre), the yak.
Together, after failing to impress talent scout Suki (Chelsea Peretti), for one of the local talent events, they sneak in for an audition with entertainment mogul Jimmy Crystal (Bobby Cannavale), who is totally uninterested in Moon’s original show-pitch. But after Gunter tells him about “a spectacular show that will take your audience out-of-the-world”, Jimmy is hooked and greenlights the show to Moon with a clause.
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The show should be up within the next three weeks and feature the recluse rock star Clay Calloway (Bono), the white-maned, aged lion who has not been seen in the circuit for the past 15 years after his wife passed away. How Moon accidentally promises something he isn’t sure he can deliver and actually succeeds in his mission forms the crux of this story.
Despite a predictable narrative that drags in the middle, what makes the film appealing are the colourful anthropomorphic creatures and the wonderful songs they sing.
The number of characters and eye-catching pieces fill up the screen impressively. There is a grand musical number which is the highlight of the film. Also, the goofy dialogues offer profound life lessons that are either motivational or uplifting.
The voices of the ace star cast lend the right amount of dramatics to the characters.
Visually, the film is exciting, and it is easy to lose yourself in the telling. The animation is spectacular, with all animals faithfully created, looking appealing and truly alive. Also, each frame is vibrant and colourful. The action sequences add that extra punch to the narrative.
Overall, the film is a fun entertainer that will wow children and adults alike.
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