Girls United Again

Don't be mislead by the title, because other than cheerleading, this movie has little (actually, nothing) to do with "Bring It On". However, I only say that so that you won't be disappointed if you were expecting it to tie in.

That said, this movie is a lot of fun, and has some great lines and superb actors. It's got more in common with "Animal House" and "Revenge of the Nerds", plot-wise, and what it lacks in character development, it makes up for in spirit, and a charming innocence.

The first "Bring it On" is no masterpiece, but it has charm and manages to be very entertaining. In this direct-to-video sequel, the talented cast from the original is replaced by second-rate actors and the script is brooding with everything I hate about teen movies in general. Maybe I'm biased because I'm from New Jersey, but I've never heard any of my peers use the phrase "Shut up!" Give me some characters and dialogue I can relate to for God's sake! Enough of these Barbie and Ken Dolls! Aside from the ultra-lame dialogue, almost every gag falls flat. And the stupid plot involves a couple of cheerleading outcasts training a ragtag team of students (who know NOTHING about cheerleading) in a limited amount of time! I'm not going to give away the outcome, but the premise alone makes you want to puke, right? Bree Turner is a hot actress, but she doesn't match up to Gabrielle Union. And that Reese Witherspoon lookalike who plays the lead definitely doesn't match up to Kirsten Dunst! Don't see this movie! Just another lifeless sequel to serve as fodder for the video shelves.

My score: 3 (out of 10)

This movie was direct to video release which should tell you right away it lacks a little compared to the success of the first film. Also, the cast are all nobody's (no offense) unlike the great teeny bopper cast of the first (some offense there)

Aside from all of that the movie really isn't terrible. If you are into cheerleading you'll most likely enjoy it. The acting is average, the "story" is pretty weak, but the cheering is very good.

If you're a fan of Bring it On then watch this one, just check your expectations at the door. I rate it a 5 out of 10.

BAD BAD BAD! Sorry to anyone who thought this was a GOOD movie.. Hardly Believable, and compared to the fun fast pace of the First BRING IT ON, this one lacks..EVERYTHING! There was a lot of attempts at Copy-Catting the Original..We had the opening "Dream" and then there was a "Locker room scene" And there was a "Try Out" ... lastly a "competition" ... ugh...futile attempt. IMO: Sequels should NOT be made if the original Screen Writer didn't contribute, Very Important...DIRECTOR...The Original director was great! All the scenes were LIGHT...no squinting at dark scenes. Lastly, original Actors/Actresses, and if they don't participate...At least get actors/Actresses people can actually LIKE. Sorry, but Bring It On Again just didn't have Anything...Where was all the REAL Cheer leading??(noting: Exception of the "Competition") They expect the audience to Believe that a couple of disgruntled cheerleaders can have a "try out" get a bunch of activists together and uh Bribe them with the Winnings into suddenly being able to do all the moves and flips and such that Competing cheer leaders do? Sorry...Not Even. In the Immortal words of Missy....GIVE IT UP ALREADY!!

In any industry you try to do things cheaper and faster for the consumer so you can compete with the guy across the street. Whether you're operating a laundromat, barber shop, pizza place, grocery store, or you're a major conglomerate with a movie studio as one of your holdings, you try to cut back on costs and boost your profits. It's competition the American way.

So what on Earth does that have to do with a sequel to a movie about cheerleaders? Well, in movies it's no different. Only here that theorem backfired: Once you have a smash hit of a film, it's your job, as a producer, to capitalize off that film's success by seeing if you can duplicate that success with a leaner and more improved product. You cut the budget, higher a second rate screenwriter, cast B-list talent, skimp on the shooting schedule which means the director and DP don't have time to setup much needed shots, which also means there isn't enough money to higher all extra material and personnel that made your first film such a huge success. Result; a film that has all of the earmarks of the previous feature, but lacks meat and its own legs to stand on. There are exceptions to that rule, but they're rare.

So it is with "Bring it on Again", a story about a cheerleader who arrives at some no-name state college, finds herself ostracized after being associated with the wrong crowd, and now has to fight (cheer?) her way back into the hearts and minds of her peers to ultimate cheer- leading triumph.

It's a cheap sequel meant to capitalize off of Peyton Reed's very entertaining high school genre film of four years before, but the social schism being addressed is never fully explored, the plot is pretty outrageous and borders on the realms of science fiction, poor Anne Judson-Yager is in over her head without any real direction from 3rd string director Damon Santostefano, and overall the cast and crew aren't there to relive nor re-imagine the previous tale. No score, little to basic editing (essentially strewing together master shots), essentially no magic whatsoever save for the cheer-leading itself which seems okay (though I'm no expert in that area).

Pass it up. Me, after donating my special edition "Bring It On" DVD to the library many years ago, I went ahead and blew some money on a three movie repackage deal that included the original film and two of its sequels, of which this film was one. Eh... it's ten bucks that could've gone into my gas tank. That's how I see it.

Watch at your own risk.

p.s. I wonder what Roger Coreman would've done with this script.