After ten years, the gang is finally getting back together for another musical adventure. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is going to debut in theaters this weekend, and reviews for the film have already started to hit the web. In fact, CinemaBlend's own Mike Reyes had a chance to see the movie, and in his review, he noted that it's a film that will appeal to die-hard ABBA fans, and not many other moviegoers. Mike noted:
If you're that big of an ABBA/Mamma Mia! fan, you probably won't be able to resist Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. If you don't fit that description, you might be singing "S.O.S." from your seat the entire time.
Even the most casual fan probably already knows that the Mamma Mia! world revolves around covers of ABBA. That was the case for the first film back in 2008, and it looks like the Godfather 2-esque prequel-sequel is no different this time around. It's heavy on music and pageantry, but it's a specific type of pageantry that might not appeal to everyone in the audience
That notion of harmless fun seems echoed by other reviews of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again! Specifically, Richard Roeper of The Chicago Sun-Times similarly pointed out the narrative weaknesses in the film and honed in on its bizarre campiness. Nevertheless, there's apparently a certain lightness to the whole affair that makes it infectious for those who are willing to go on that type of ride. Roeper wrote:
So much head-scratching madness in one corny, old-fashioned musical that hops back and forth between the late 1970s and present day, with only the thinnest of storylines holding it. And yet it's impossible to work up anything approaching major distain.
While Roeper's review of the movie seems mildly forgiving of its shortcomings, others see the lighthearted fun as its biggest strength. With that in mind, Thrillist gave the film a glowing review and even pointed out that it's superior to the movie that preceded it. Thrillist said:
I'm happy to report that Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is utterly delightful, a little deranged, and an actual improvement on its predecessor.
That said, not all reviews of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again have been able to approach the film with the same level of forgiving lightness. In fact, Metro Weekly's review of the film takes a very critical approach to it, noting just how bizarrely bad it actually is. That review says:
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again aims for the sewage system, where it gleefully cavorts for nearly two stupefying hours.
So overall things seem like a mixed bag. There's apparently an audience for Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again's particular brand of energy. That said, it won't be for everyone, so it seems like it's worth looking at plenty of reviews to get a sense of what you're in for with this one.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again will hit theaters tomorrow, so make sure to keep it here for any and all relevant updates related to the long-awaited sequel! Beyond that, make sure to head over to our movie premiere guide to keep yourself in-the-loop on all of the films that are set to hit the big screen in 2018!
