Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam

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.

It seems that the only thing Disney can do is keep repeating itself over and over...with very little original anything being created. They are trying to promote another teen queen with using Demi Lovato in the starring role. While she can sing fairly well, her acting skills leave much to be desired. There is no depth to any of it. We are suppose to believe she is THAT upset about everything happening around her. The camp on the other side of the lake apparently has everything amazing going for them...and want to WIN the competition. The heck with having a fun and memorable summer...those kids are there because they ALL plan to be HUGE stars...soon...that is if their egos don't get in the way and they can prove they can actually sing, dance and perform. The well known Jonas Brothers show up..not as themselves...but as camp counselers...who are suppose to teach the younger kids how to be ROCK stars. Of course...two of the three seem to do OK..but one always seems to have issues...that we suppose to find funny..(Kevin..the now-married one...who never gets ANY love interest in any of their shows..)..While they do sing and play music...it isn't anything memorable at all. We know who we are suppose to cheer for...the good kids...the ones who have heart and are responsible...with or without adult supervision...which there is very little of most of the time. Lets' see...teenagers..left alone....in the woods...in cabins...HMMM..it adds up to more than just roasting marshmallows over the campfire. At least in the real world anyway. These are clean-cut Disney Kids though...and none have thoughts of anything even remotely out of line. What got me was they way these kids dressed...in the highest of fashion...very un-camping like attire. Who wears dresses and jewelery at camp? Both the girls and the guys were over-dressed big time. And yes...I know...it is a movie for pre-teens and teens that haven't outgrown family oriented programing. Trust me...in a few years...these same kids will think this stuff is lame. On to bigger and more adult themes...and then the next generation of Disney fans will come along. The way Disney crams their programing at everyone is ridiculous. It is like riding the rides in the Disney Parks...they are all fun the first few times you ride them...then after a while...you get tired of it all and wish for something else that is different and more memorable. The Disney of old is NOT the same as what they are cranking out today. Pity.

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.

As I can see, the majority of you reviewers were disappointed about this movie, and I agree with most of you. 4 of the songs in this movie were lame, the Nate-Dana love story was pathetic, and Mdot's character Luke Williams was very annoying, but in a very hysterically funny way. The Jonas Brothers are easily the worst actors on Disney, but in this film, Kevin was the most fun to watch, and Demi's character Mitchie was annoying and became a crazy control- freak!!! Please note that this movie and the Cheetah Girls: One World were the worst DCOMS I've ever seen, and that's no surprise, considering that they were both directed by Paul Hoen, and co-written by Dan Berendsen, who ironically did a brilliant job of writing the Wizards of Waverly Place Movie. This movie sucks, and for those of you who haven't seen it, you're doing yourself a favor. It's so terrible that even the Camp Star songs were much better than Camp Rock songs. Another thing I'd like to add is that when Shane and Mitchie were arguing, I thought the scene would be well acted out but it was so weak and poorly done especially from Joe who's acting worsened mainly because Shane's personality altered between the 2 movies. Overall, I'd have to give this film a 4/10. What made Nate and Dana's love story so unrealistic was done by a number of stupid stuff: Like the charm bracelet hitting him in the eye, even though he was way in the audience just made no sense and it was random, as well as when he said "Here I am", and she randomly got mad and assumed he was "Just like every other teenage guy in the world"!!!!!!! Give me a break!!!!!!! Some other unrealistic situations included some songs in the movie, most notably, "Wouldn't Change A Thing, which is a good song, but who in their right mind would sing a duet when they're nowhere near each other, and at night, wouldn't that wake everybody up?!?!? The best song was It's on, and Introducing me was funny, but overall the film and it's soundtrack were very disappointing!!!!!! 4/10 Kobe Busia