"Sing 2" a funnier, sweeter, and tighter sequel

Sing 2 (2021) 

2016’s “Sing” was Illumination Entertainment’s animated jukebox musical with an irresistible voice cast and a robust soundtrack including covers of both classic and today’s hits. Never less than eager to please, it was cute and lively but mostly forgettable. The good news about a sequel is that if you liked “Sing,” it is more of the same, and if you didn’t like “Sing,” “Sing 2” feels like a comedically sharper, even more delightful version of an “American Idol” with anthropomorphic animals. Tune out the fact that there probably wasn’t much more story to tell because returning writer-director Garth Jennings proves skeptics wrong by not just going through the motions for a quick cash-grab around the holidays.

Since the first film, koala Buster Moon (voice of Matthew McConaughey) has turned a rock ’n roll production of “Alice of Wonderland” into a local hit at his New Moon Theater. The whole gang—harried mother pig Rosita (Reese Witherspoon), voice-of-an-angel gorilla Johnny (Taron Egerton), painfully shy but vocally powerful elephant Meena (Tori Kelly), and flamboyant porcine superstar Gunter (Nick Kroll)—works their hearts out, but it’s not enough to catch the eye of a big talent scout (Chelsea Peretti). Buster is determined enough that he gets the troupe together, including rocker porcupine Ash (Scarlett Johansson), and travels to the fabulous Redshore City, Vegas-like entertainment capital of the world. There, they ambush their way into auditions held by egomaniacal mogul wolf Jimmy Crystal (Bobby Cannavale) and try showing Crystal what they got. On the spot, Buster pitches an idea (a grand sci-fi musical called “Out of This World,” courtesy of Gunter) and mentions his connections with legendary lion rock legend, Clay Calloway (Bono, of course). Trouble is, Buster doesn’t actually know Clay, who now lives as a recluse, and must find his address and convince him to return to the stage. If they want to have a show in three weeks (and not be taken out with the trash by Crystal’s thugs), Buster and his cast must perform a miracle, and Crystal wants his tone-deaf daughter Porsha (Halsey) in the lead role. 

Sweeter and funnier than its predecessor, “Sing 2” steps up the imagination and the “let’s put on a show!” exuberance. Even though every character gets something to do in a movie that's two minutes longer than the first one, the narrative is tighter and somehow less scattershot than before. In a mostly sly jab at the real-life gender pay gap in Hollywood, Johansson’s Ash leaves her current gig for not being paid what’s she worth. The off-kilter animation offers plenty of details to enjoy again; there’s a stealth forced-entry into Crystal’s entertainment office, cued to Billie Eilish’s “bad guy,” that’s highly amusing. Save for Seth McFarlane, the first film’s ensemble returns, with their energy (performed in voice booths) all feeling mutually committed across the board. Buster’s geriatric assistant Miss Crawly, voiced again by writer-director Jennings, is the hilarious MVP once again and gets even more to do than just be oddball comic relief; when Buster leaves her in charge, Crawly is quite the ball-buster. And, finally, there’s a wide variety of music to tap your toe to, ranging from songs by Prince and Elton John to Ariana Grande and Shawn Mendes. As an end-of-the-year respite from a lot of awards-season movies running over two hours, “Sing 2” is a pleasant surprise that’ll just make you happy.

Grade: B

Universal Pictures is releasing “Sing 2” (110 min.) in theaters on December 22, 2021.