Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam

Disney Channel hit back with a sequel to the musical Camp Rock with Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam. The movie takes place a year after Camp Rock and is about Mitchie who returns to said place with her friends to find out that there's a new camp open across the lake called Camp Star. As you may guess, they both soon start to get in a little competition and decide to settle the score once and for all in a final jam X-Factor style, performing in front of millions of viewers live on television and whoever gets the most votes win. Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam is actually a very pleasant surprise as it's an improvement from the first one on everything and it's actually a little enjoyable. The plot might be just as cheesy and just as bad as Camp Rock and a little stretched but it's a Disney Channel musical movie so if you expected different, you will be disappointed. The sequel's story is much better and improved and actually felt like a proper movie and not a bunch of people singing songs randomly. Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam has the original cast from Camp Rock and they're much better. Demi Lovato, who plays Mitchie, can be bad sometimes but she did have her moments and the same can be said for The Jonas Brothers, who have also improved a lot.

The characters are better written and this time round, the other two brothers from The Jonas Brothers actually have a part in the movie whereas in Camp Rock, they were hardly in it or hardly got involved in any part of the movie. Mitchie and the other characters are more tolerable this time round but Tess the 'diva' and the characters from Camp Star are too irritating. The script and the writing has quite a few weak moments but there were a couple of good scenes. Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam not only has a better story but it also has better songs and dances and there are some songs that are actually catchy (although there is one song that sounds way too familiar to Jason Mraz's I'm Yours which is sang by one of the Jonas Brothers). The singing has improved from the first movie and The Jonas Brothers sound a little better this time but I still think that Demi Lovato can't sing properly. She screams and shouts her lines when she sings. It's not bad in the first minute of the song but as it kicks in, she starts shouting and screaming the notes and you constantly have the remote control in your hand, with your thumb on the volume buttons. With the first Camp Rock, it felt like it was trying too hard to be the new High School Musical and really pushed the boat to try and overtake the popularity and success of High School Musical, however it failed to impress. With the sequel, it could easily rival the successful High School Musical and is very easily better than Camp Rock.

Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam might be better than the first movie but that doesn't mean it's a good movie, it's average at best. In this sequel, you can actually see that they've tried to improve the movie from the first one and while it does pay off, the movie is instantly forgettable, even if there are a couple of songs that aren't bad. The messages in the movie is crystal clear and it's your usual Disney message of working together as a team and how you should stick together, no matter what. If you were a fan of the first movie or like Disney Channel shows and movies like High School Musical or Hannah Montana, then the chances are that you may like this. If you've missed it then don't worry because Disney Channel has repeated the movie four times every day so far so you won't miss it so easily. If you're a parent and you're watching this with your children, you may find it alright but it's something you couldn't watch again. I couldn't watch it again, just thinking about it is making me cringe a little.

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Although it wasn't a perfect movie by any stretch of the imagination, I did like the first Camp Rock. Camp Rock 2 was reasonably good I felt, but I think the first was superior. Camp Rock 2 does look good, with nice photography and lovely fashions and scenery.

I also enjoyed the songs. Maybe not as memorable or as toe-tapping as the first in the first, but the melodies were pretty groovy and the lyrics decent and easy to sing along to.

Demi Levato like in the first is a breath of fresh air, both as a singer and an actress she shows a lot of promise. The supporting actors are not bad either.

However, the story is predictable and perhaps if they slowed the pace down some of the relationships could have been more believable and less underdeveloped. There is also some corniness in the scripting, and a lot of the characters are on the stereotypical side.

Overall, reasonably good if in need of improvement. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Having children has turned me on to bubble-gum pop, and it doesn't get much tastier than Camp Rock 2. The songs are catchy, but there's real emotion behind the writing and execution, more than there needed to be, and certainly more than the air-headed High School Musical films. When Demi Lovato sings "Can't Back Down," there's a certain gravity and toughness to the performance, and the song rocks like a boxing training montage. The background dancer's moves are somewhere between martial arts and sign language, and are executed with chilling precision. In contrast, "It's On" bounces with youthful energy, although I admit to being puzzled when putting the captions on ("let me see how you bob" will haunt me for months to come). The Camp Star numbers are all Vegas and Cirque glitz, and newcomer Mdot Finley owns the stage like an R&B Bono. The bittersweet "This Is Our Song," sung as the campers gather around a fire and uncertain of the fate of a place they've grown to love, turns defeat into victory by the sheer joy of singing in unison, of harmonizing with people you've bonded with. Do I take this stuff too seriously? Undoubtedly I do, but put that down to the genius of the songwriters and the likable performers Disney has under their wing. Well done.

I absolutely adore the music in this movie way more than the first one. The songs are just catchy and hold so much emotion. Camp Star was clearly better than Camp Rock but Camp Rock definitely had some amazing songs. The Jonas Brothers were really funny and sweet this time around. I loved that Shane (Joe Jonas) let go more in this one. Nick and Kevin were great and made me smile throughout. Mitchie's character could have been thought out more thoroughly. I wish she would've not been so rude to Shane. However, I do think she made up for that. The story was not as great as the first yet still held up. Overall, this movie is definitely worth it for the choreography, songs, and acting. It will put a smile on your face.

On the positive side, "Camp Rock 2" delivers on its promise of fun and catchy musical numbers, featuring talented young actors such as Demi Lovato, Jonas Brothers, and Alyson Stoner. The film also showcases the importance of teamwork, friendship, and pursuing your dreams, making it an inspiring watch for kids and teens.

However, as an adult looking back at the movie, it's hard to ignore the cheesiness and cringiness of some scenes and dialogue. The plot is predictable, the characters are one-dimensional, and the acting can feel forced at times. Additionally, some of the songs and dance sequences can come across as overly rehearsed and manufactured, lacking the spontaneity and energy of a live performance.

Overall, "Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam" is a fun nostalgic watch for those who grew up with the original movie and enjoy musical comedies. However, it may not hold up as well for adult viewers who are less forgiving of its cheesy and predictable elements.