Plot: What’s it about?
I find that it’s difficult for me to keep up with a lot of movies. In earlier days (i.e. before streaming) it was much easier. And with animation, it was even easier. There weren’t that many “computer animated” films out there and the ones that were more prevalent were all done by Pixar. That way of thinking might have worked a couple of decades ago, but no longer. If, by some chance, the movie Sing tickled your fancy – we now have the obligatory sequel. I have to admit that when this was announced, I rolled my eyes and thought “Oh great, this will be 110 minutes of my life I’m going to want back.” But I’ve tried to broaden my horizons and, hell, at the very least get the most out of my home theater system.
Buster Moon (voiced by Matthew McConaughey) and his gang have put together a musical revue that sells out every night. He thinks they can do better still. After a talent scout tells them that their work isn’t good enough, Buster comes up with a plan that take everyone into the city where they’ll convince Mr. Crystal (voiced by Bobby Cannavale), the head of the largest talent agency, to take them where they want to go. Mr. Crystal is convinced after hearing Gunter’s (voiced by Nick Kroll) idea for a science-fiction epic. He puts his daughter, Porsha (voiced by Halsey) in the lead replacing Rosita (voiced by Reese Witherspoon). Buster must also convince rock legend Clay Callaway (voiced by Bono). The problem is that he’s become an angry and isolated man, so getting his assistance won’t be easy. All the while Mina (voiced by Tori Kelly) develops a crush on Johnny (voiced by Taron Egerton).
Certainly there’s no shortage of talent in the movie. We’ve got a few Academy Award winners in some high profile roles. And there’s some bona fide musical talent in there as well. Sing 2 actually surprised me. It’s one of the few sequels out there that’s actually better than the original. And when we’re talking about a computer animated film aimed at children – that’s saying something. And if you’re watching for the songs, there’s a pretty good playlist. An opening rendition of Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy” sets the tone. Later, Halsey belts out a killer version of Alicia Keys’ “Girl on Fire,” Johansson performs the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s “Heads Will Roll,” and Egerton takes on Coldplay’s “A Sky Full of Stars.” So, I stand corrected, don’t judge a book by its cover. Sing 2 isn’t half bad. I’d watch it again.
Video: How’s it look?
The 1.85:1 HEVC 4K image is quite pleasing to the eyes, to say the least. There’s really not much I can fault with the results here. This looks how we’d expect it to being a movie created in the digital realm and shown in full 4K. Colors are bright and bold and really pop. There’s just a general clean look to the whole feature. Fans will enjoy the results here.
Audio: How’s it sound?
We get a Dolby Atmos track, down converted to Dolby True HD, the results were also pleasing. This is what we should expect from a feature involving singing. Vocals really come through with a crisp sound to them and free of distortion. The rear channels kick in constantly, to help create a strong sense of atmosphere as well. All things told, I can’t find much to fault here. Fans should enjoy this track as well.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- For Gunter’s Eyes Only (Mini Movie) – Johnny and Gunter attend a hypnotist show in Redshore City where Gunter is hypnotized and believes he is a 007 type spy.
- Animal Attraction (Mini Movie) – Darius messes up his commercial shoot and audition.
- Outtakes
- Meet the Animators
- Super Sing-Alongs
- How to Dance and More!
- How to Dance to Sing 2 – Choreographer Sherrie Silver takes you through dance steps inspired by the film –slowing down the process and simplifying just a bit to make sure you get your groove on.
- Stage Design 101 – The stars of Sing 2 will make sure you’ll have the skills to put together a stage worthy of Redshore City!
- Make up – Learn how to create a look that’s out of this world!
- Mics – Step-by-step instructions for making your own space-age microphone
- Costumes– Make amazing cosmic crowns and interstellar accessories
- Props – See how to build your very own spaceship – complete with control panel and observation deck
- The Voices of Sing 2
- Matthew McConaughey as Buster Moon
- Reese Witherspoon as Rosita
- Taron Egerton as Johnny
- Tori Kelly as Meena
- Nick Kroll as Gunter
- Garth Jennings as Miss Crawly
- From the Drawing Room
- Talent Talk with Tori Kelly – Director Garth Jennings chats one-on-one with Tori Kelly.
- Choreography – Famed African choreographer, Sherrie Silver, puts the dancers through their paces to create realistic moves in the animated space.
- Friends and Family – Check out these cameos from some of the friends and family of the SING 2 filmmakers.
- Costumes by Rodarte – Award-winning fashion label Rodarte designs the incredible costumes of SING 2.
- Anatomy of a Scene – The Bus Sequence & The Bicycle
- From Scratch to Voice – A step-by-step look at how voices are added to an animated film.
- Singing – See some of the stars of the film as they record their songs.
- How to Draw
- Buster Moon
- Ash
- Johnny
- Miss Crawly
- Clay Calloway
The Bottom Line
Essentially if you enjoyed the first one, Sing 2 is more of the same. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. With its heart in the right place and delivering on the basic premise, Sing 2 should please its intended audience.
