Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018) User Reviews

A solid sequel to a surprise hit

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 29 March 2020]

This sequel takes place a year after the death of Donna. Her daughter Sophie plans to reopen her mother's hotel, on a Greek island, unfortunately it looks as if neither her three fathers nor her husband will be able to attend the opening party. Intertwined with scenes of her preparing for the reopening we see how her mother came to the island all those years ago... and how she encountered the three men who are Sophie's fathers. Of course at every possible opportunity the cast sing an appropriate ABBA song.

If you didn't enjoy 'Mamma Mia' you certainly won't enjoy this as it is more of the same; this of course means if you did enjoy the first you are likely to enjoy this too. The story is fairly simple but it is fun; especially the flashback scenes of Donna making her way to the island and meeting the younger versions of the 'three fathers' for the first time. The songs are fun even if things are stretched a bit to justify the inclusion of some well-known songs... particularly 'Fernando'. Of course the songs are a lot of fun, even the less well-known ones. The cast does a fine job and are clearly having fun; Lily James stands out as the young Donna. The setting, with its beautiful settings and mostly fine weather, only add to the pleasure provided by the film. Overall I'd say this won't be for everybody but it is good cheesy fun if you enjoy that sort of thing... and I did, more than I expected.

Doesn't have the same charm as the original

[liveyanne · 6/10 · 1 August 2018]

Mamma Mia was my favorite movie growing up. It came out when I was 10 and my friends and I learned all of all the songs. Going into this movie, I was expecting to absolutely love it. However, minutes within the first scene of the movie it was revealed that Donna had died. This really upset me because Donna made the entire first movie. And they didn't even bother to mention how she died. Next, we get to the flashback scenes of young Donna. This I love because the fashion is beautiful and Lily James is wonderful and has a good singing voice. I really like how she sang the original songs but the newer songs were just meh (I don't see people getting into them). At first it doesn't really make sense how she meets the three dads because during the flashback in the previous movie they look way different. The current time scenes were pretty boring and just revolves around everyone being depressed about Donna. They could have done so much more if they had kept her alive. The movie overall lacked much of a plot or direction and you knew exactly what was going to happen (other than maybe Cher arriving on a helicopter?). Ultimately, Mamma MIA, Here We Go Again cannot match the charm and authenticity that made me and everyone else adore the first movie but I still think it's worth a watch.

Over-the-top, melodramatic, cliched and fantastic.

[mignonnebusser · 8/10 · 29 July 2018]

Feel-good film of the year. I cannot get over how good this movie was. It was the most entertaining sequel I've seen. Point. There was a portion in the middle of the film where I laughed after every line said.

This is a humorous, light-hearted film that gets you addicted to the feeling of being young; having no plans and being okay with the uncertainty of it all.

A aesthetically beautiful film that captures the heart of the disco eva of the 70's. Costumes are beautiful - especially that scene in the orchard when the girl wears that orange skirt. Gorgeous.

A film to watch with your mum, ganny and best friend. Go into the film with a smile and leave laughing. Don't expect to learn life lessons - just enjoy the silliness of the Mamma Mia universe.

a look back

[ferguson-6 · 6/10 · 19 July 2018]

Greetings again from the darkness. It's been 10 years since director Phyllida Lloyd presented the crowd-pleasing MAMMA MIA! movie. It was a box office hit (over $600 million worldwide) and was, for a few years, the highest grossing musical of all-time. Most importantly, it was extremely entertaining and a joyous cinematic romp for viewers. This year's sequel is directed by Ol Parker (THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL and husband to actress Thandie Newton), and though the melancholy is slathered on a bit too thick, it also fulfills its number one priority - entertaining the fans.

The story begins with Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) putting the final touches on the house-turned-hotel in preparation for the upcoming Grand Opening. It's named Hotel Bella Donna in honor of Sophie's mother (Meryl Streep). What looks to be a straight-forward story surprises us with a flashback to Donna's 1979 graduation, which features not only the first song-and-dance number "When I Kissed the Teacher", but also the first of two ABBA cameos ... Bjorn Ulvaeus as a professor. The young Donna is played brilliantly by Lily James, and she effortlessly captures the free-spiritedness that led to the conundrum of the first movie - 3 possible dads for Sophie.

Those 3 dads return not only as Pierce Brosnan (Sam), Stellan Skarsgard (Bill), and Colin Firth (Harry), but also as Jeremy Irvine (young Sam), Josh Dylan (young Bill), and Hugh Skinner (young Harry). In fact, most of the run time is dedicated to the backstory of these characters and how they first met as youngsters. Each has a segment (and song) with young Harry featured in "Waterloo" accompanied by Benny Andersson (ABBA cameo #2) on piano. Young Bill is the charming sailor who saves the day for Donna, while young Sam assists her with saving a storm-shaken horse (kind of humorous since Mr. Irvine starred in WAR HORSE).

Also back are Dominic Cooper as Sky, Sophie's true love, who can't decide between romance and career, and Donna's life-long friends Tanya (Christine Baranski) and Rosie (Julie Walters), who are also part of the flashback as Jessica Keenan Wynn (excellent as young Tanya) and Alexa Davies (as young Rosie). New to the cast are Celia Imrie in the graduation number, Andy Garcia as the hotel manager, and drawing the biggest applause of all ... Cher as Sophie's grandmother (and as my viewing partner commented, an early peek at what Lady Gaga will look like as a grandma)! It's best if you experience Cher for yourself, and it should be noted that this is her first big screen appearance since BURLESQUE in 2010.

Of course, the songs are key and many of the ABBA numbers from the first movie are featured again this time. In particular, "Dancing Queen" is a nautical standout, and "Fernando" is a show-stopper. While it may not be quite as raucous as the first, it's a treat watching Lily James, and there is a wonderful blending of "old" and "new" in the finale. The only real question remaining is, did the casting director do the math before casting Cher (age 72) as Meryl Streep's (age 69) mother?

My youth memory-----here we go again.

[zhangzheng0529-405-585724 · 7/10 · 20 July 2018]

I thought this is just a rehash of the 2008 movie but after watching the movie I would call out one thing: they really put in efforts into it. As the newly-added elements in this sequel, the young versions of six leads particularly, the newly graduated Donna had a eye-dazzling performance. The plot unfolds in a way interlocking with each detail given away in the conversations of the original screenplay. Maybe I should have conjured every scene here up in 10 years ago but this sequel really serves as a good testament to jolly wishful and vibrant young Donna being an innocent lady fallen into three serendipitous and romantic loves rather than a putative slut in some evil minds by any chance if this sequel had never been shot. When I heard the classic quote " life is short, the world is wide. I want to make some memories", it really struck my heart and invoked the sweet moments of my adolescence. As much as I got a ticket for the original 10 years ago even after watching the Broadway stage show, today I just want a mindless, escapist and entertaining night to reminisce some old unforgettable recollection of myself. "You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life", with such strong and positive notes hovering and whirling in your ears, who'd dare say such a task would have not been fulfilled?

Here we go again

[lee_murcutt · 10/10 · 21 July 2018]

In a world that has gone crazy, it was so nice just to sit back for 114 minutes and forget about real life. Transport yourself back to a simpler time and of course to the wonderful music of ABBA. Throughout the movie you go through all the emotions yet once it had finished you just want to sit there and wish you could do it all again The whole cast looked like they had as much fun making it as we did watching it. Everyone did their bit although Lily James was outstanding as the young Donna. It's one of those rare films as you leave your seat and enter the real world you do so with the biggest smiles of your face.

My, my, how can I resist it?

[Galina_movie_fan · 7/10 · 28 November 2022]

If you did not like the first movie, the second one will not work for you either, but if you're a fan of ABBA songs and don't mind stepping into the same waters a second time, my, my, how can you resist it? The film unfolds in two parallel time spaces. Thirty years ago, Donna Sheridan, the protagonist of the first film and the original musical, is a young and beautiful Oxford graduate and lead singer of the pop group Donna and the Dynamos. She is traveling in Europe, looking for her special place on earth. Along the way, she meets three attractive young men, one of whom will become the father of her daughter Sophie. Nowadays, 25-year-old Sophie is restoring an old hotel on the island of Kalokari, the greenest and most picturesque island in Greece.

Like the first ABBA film, the sequel is bright and colorful, with ABBA songs sounding almost non-stop. Old friends will gather for a holiday. One of the best songs of ABBA "Fernando" will receive a worthy performance by a famous star who will turn out to be Donna's mother and Sophie's grandmother. At the end of the film, two memorable scenes will follow each other. One is sentimental but very touching and the last one is a final parade, where, indeed, all the characters from both movies, young ones and their grown-up alter egos participate in dancing and singing.

Both movies are good to watch in winter - they are warm and cozy. Expect from them no more and no less than they can give you - songs, dances, bright extravagant clothes, blue sea, cute characters, great actors who have nothing special to play, but who cares? They were on vacation and had a fun time that they generously shared with us.

Pure Escapism

[andreamars · 10/10 · 29 July 2018]

I'm at a loss why there are so many poor reviews of this film. But everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I loved it from the start. Lily James was outstanding as young Donna. Yes it was a shame Meryl Streep didn't play a bigger part but such is life. Take it for what it is. There were a couple of songs i didn't know so it may have been better keeping to the well known songs, however they did fit in with the script. It was a rollercoaster or emotions. Laughing and crying in equal measure. Julie Walters was as fabulous as always too. I loved it and will be watching it again as soon as i can.

Intolerable, miserable and downright brain-damaging

[Louis_Bacon · 20 July 2018]

Choreography is extremely lame (sometimes it's just some "waving" and that's for like 3 of the songs), especially during the Waterloo segment, where they all look like a high school theater musical gone wrong. Songs are just re-hashed from the original, with nothing different to make it watchable. Actors are flat-out incompetent, especially the younger ones and Cher (give her the Razzie already). Script is... well, there isn't one. It adds NOTHING new to the original story. We still have no idea who the father is and no new information that could make this go forward in any kind of way. Streep is in this as a freakin' GHOST for the very last musical number.

There is NO reason for this to suck as much as it did. I expected average, at the very least boring. But this is an insult to ANYONE, even fans of the original will be pissed by how this brings NOTHING new and barely makes any sense.

Avoid this movie. Re-watch the original, but please do not give this movie any credit for doing anything.

Pleasant but slightly disappointing.

[elmoslively · 7/10 · 20 April 2019]

The first thing we have to do is all agree that what holds the Mama Mia! films together is the timeless music of ABBA. And this film does an adequate job of highlighting some of their great hits (Cher's version of Fernando is fantastic!), along with some lesser known songs that were mostly album fillers back in the 70's.

Unfortunately some of the young supporting players weren't very good singers, but the main cast was entertaining.

This is just an okay follow up to Mama Mia! which starred Meryl Streep, who's very much missed in this sequel, with only a few brief scenes. But Lily James and Amanda Seyfried have surprisingly good voices.

It was worth watching on cable, but I'm glad I didn't pay to see it.

I was definitely cheated by you, Mamma Mia 2

[Kira_bella · 3/10 · 20 July 2018]

So... I went into this movie LOVING the first one and happy they were making a second. I left the movie ... um... empty? Okay, I love the idea of them going back to when Donna was first pregnant with Sophie and her journey, however... like none of the events actually added up to the story of how it all happened in Mamma Mia when Sophie found her diary. Literally none of it.. at all. Also WHY WAS CHER EVEN IN THIS MOVIE?!?!! Her character did NOTHING to the plot and it just was kind of stupid the movie would have been better without her since, again IN THE FIRST FILM (did you guys just not go back to the first script before planning this?) her mom was presumably DEAD (cut to the scene after Donna and them sing Super Trooper and are in her room and Donna says "somebody up there has it in for me, I bet its my mother" ... POINTING TO THE CEILING LIKE HER MOM WAS DEAD). I just am disappointed. I feel like Cher was just in there to sing Fernando cause that's...all she did. I loved who played young Donna, Lily James, though she was sweet. I don't know, this movie just didn't have the same feel as the first one. Although, I did cry in the end and I know I wasn't the only one that did cause I heard the sniffles in the theater xD that last scene was very touching. But um .... that's about all I got. Loved the original cast and the young cast (although it would've been HILARIOUS if the guys dressed like in the first movie when Donna had flashbacks of them hahaha). The songs are decent, also the replays of the classic hits were great. It was just ... kinda there. Probably won't see it again, I'll stick with the first movie.

Also, these are JUST MY OPINIONS, if you see it differently awesome I'm so happy for you, I just feel like... they had a chance and they missed the shot. It wasn't a complete miss in my opinion, the story of how Donna met the guys and how it all happened just didn't really add up to how it was told originally and that kind of bugged me. I get they were going completely back and creating a whole new story, however, they made an "outline" of how she met them all when Amanda sung Honey, Honey ... so ... and I just again don't get why Cher was even in this. It just made zero sense. If she wasn't in the movie it'd be 5 minutes shorter, that's it. Maybe I'll see it again once it comes out to video and watch them back to back and have a different reaction, but until then ... I'm empty.

If you liked the first "Momma Mia", you'll love this one!

[andersond-266-146287 · 10/10 · 21 July 2018]

I spent 90% of this movie with a huge smile on my face and 10% trying not to ugly cry. Wonderfully cheesy and lovely!

It was a good story but

[amybourque · 7/10 · 5 December 2022]

The movie started out great. I loved the back story. But the whole bit with Cher at the end was unnecessary. I love Cher. She's one of my favorite singers. I karaoke her. But I absolutely hated her in this movie. She was rude and egotistical and she had nothing to do with her daughter and told her she couldn't come home when she found out she was pregnant. But lo and behold she sees her long lost love and all is forgiven?? No... that's not how real life works and it would have been so much better if they would have told her off. Seriously it felt like she was just brought in for a token song and then to be a feature on the group song at the end. A movie starring Cher but you don't even see her until the last twenty minutes.

The rest of the movie would have gotten a rating of 9. It was that good. Please don't put Cher in if they do a part 3.

Utterly dreadful

[kriegerg69 · 1/10 · 26 September 2018]

Meryl Streep reportedly didn't want to do a full role, so she only appears for a few minutes near the end of the movie. They basically explain that Donna has died...without Streep, this film never should have been made. It even has a very downbeat, lackluster opening instead of the dynamics the first film had in its opening...and that was a bad sign to start off with. Technically, it's very well photographed (albeit much darker-looking than the first film) and technically accomplished, but that's not enough. Musically...they used all the good and well-known songs in the first movie, so this one uses much lesser ABBA tunes, and unfortunately reuses several songs from the first film...that gets very tiresome very quickly because the viewer (at least I did) wants to hear songs not used the first time around. The only two standouts were "Knowing Me, Knowing You" and the song "Waterloo" (only heard and performed during the first film's end credits) but redone here as a big production number. Half the movie is spent on flashback scenes to Donna's past using younger actors as the characters. There was also absolutely no need for Cher to be in the film, as she adds nothing...nada...zero...to the story...only reason is so her character can sing the song "Fernando" (not used the first time around). She's accompanied by Andy Garcia, whose only reason for being there is he plays Fernando, giving a very weak reason for Cher's character to sing to (and with) him, and there's no reason for his character to be there either. There's also really weak reasoning for Rosie and Bill's breakup to be part of the story, rather odd considering they got together near the end of Mamma Mia. Most annoying was how there was no mention at all of Harry Bright's (Colin) sexuality...in Mamma Mia, it turns out he's gay and ends up with a handsome boyfriend, but that gets thrown right out the window with no mention of his being gay or what happened to his partner from the first film (except for some brief hinting at in the flashbacks with the younger Harry). Personally, I would not recommend this movie to anyone. Stick to the first movie because it's a continual feel-good time and is much more fun. Mamma Mia 2 is almost depressing to watch.

Worst flick of the year - period

[Zen-2-Zen · 25 July 2018]

Lilly James didn't need this kind of blunder.

Even if we forget totally stupid "story" (on the grounds that it's a summer flick so a story is not on the checklist) everything else is even worse.

Amateur hour direction, "choreographer" form the 1st grade elementary? No, kindergarten. At lest that's the aspect that can be designed and rehearsed.

Singing - can't say who is worst. Like someone made a bet how many eardrums he can rupture. If that is the actual singing voice of Lilly James then the should never ever try again. But I think that it's not. Listen carefully - it's a single tone like from an arcade game. No harmonics/timbre. It physically hurts your ears => auto-tune, triple run by someone on double crack overdose, or meth, or both :-)

Two old ladies "singing" and "dancing" == dread queen "experience".

Imagine if they hired Agnetha & Anni-Frid to do it instead, even just an homage ? They'd kill them all even in their late 60-s at there would be at least twice the audience since it would be genuine historic event. But then they'd be in danger that they's sing everything :-)

This is internet age - we have all their songs on 2 clicks on YT and we still remember how Agnetha & Anni-Frid sound and whit what kind of finesse they deliver.

This colossal failure is actually the strongest argument ever for dubbing singing voices. Something that "old Hollywood" knew how to execute to perfection.

Imagine when Cher ends up being the best singer and looking the best in comparison (despite all that Botox) and Amanda Seyfried starts sounding OK.

Camera/light design - was anyone even doing this of they gave a VHS to a janitor? How on earth did they manage to make Lilly James look fat in her face ??? The magical Lilly James from "Downton Abbey" and the best "Cinderella" ever? On what kinds of drugs one has to be to screw it THAT MUCH ????

You'd have to keep her in a torture chamber and sleepless for 3 days to get the "result" (swollen face) we saw. Oh wait, you don't, you just need totally incompetent light, photography and "direction". If they asked any passer by he'd do it better - because he'd put in a effort !!

Don't know what else to say - just want to forget this as fast as I can. IMDb needs to introduce negative votes.

I don't know if IMDb "survives" YT links, but if it does you just have to see this - young girl who intuitively understands the importance of harmonics/timbre. She's not autotune "perefct" but you just can't stop "thinking about these angel eyes" :-) To play it safe, just add watch?v=jOl3dgPuX-Q to base YT URL and you'll be there :-) Or search for "ANGELEYES I ABBA I Annelie".

So how comes that "venerable production" couldn't do something so simple? Because they couldn't care less - that's the alpha and omega of this failure.

Romantic comedy sequel seasoned with musical numbers and professionally directed

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 11 February 2023]

Amusing picture packing twisted relationships , sensitive comedy , dances with enjoyable sensuality and including agreeable melodies . It is an enjoyable picture with fine actors and attractive musical numbers following the previous big hit . The film deals with two parallel stories , adding songs, dances, along with breathtaking choreography are pretty well. Nowadays, Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) is preparing for the grand reopening of her mother Donna's (Meryl Streep's) hotel , going on Donna's death the prior year . Sophie is upset because two of her fathers, Harry (Colin Firth) and Bill (Stellan Skarsgård) , are unable to make it to the reopening and she is having trouble in her relationship with Sky (Dominic Cooper), who is in New York City, over her memorializing her mother's life. Alongside , in 1979, a young Donna (Lily James) graduated from Oxford's New College with Rosie (Alexa Davies) and Tanya (Jessica Keenan Wynn), and prepares to travel the world. In Paris, she meets and parties with Harry (Hugh Skinner) with whom Donna is very much in love and after other suitors (Jeremy Irvine ,Josh Dylan) . Then , all of them fall in love for her and eventually gets pregnant . Discover how it all began !.

Entertaining and fun musical comedy that got success at box office . It is a funny picture dealing with couple relationships , jealousy , lies , family conflicts and many other things .R omantic comedy with good actors , spectacular musical numbers singing charming songs , and nice direction . It is not surprising to recourse this Musical Comedy genre carried out by writer Ol Parker , Richard Curtis , Catherine Johnson , all of the comedian experts . The best parts of the movie are the choreographic numbers and known songs adapted in original model with roots in pop music of the great band Abba ; recreating the essence of the classic songs by body movements accompanying sensual melodies and lyrics . This is an agreeable musical comedy including love stories in which there are twisted messes , as well as the ordinary clichés . Colorful story of loves and jealousy in which predominates songs and musical spectacle . It has some moments of enjoyment as well as amusement and others quite a few embarrassing . Regular and unbalanced , but gaining the sympathy almost at all times . Bad timing results to be the voice of the singers with the actors , it is less achieved . The cast is excellent with plenty of known actors, these interpreters provided a considerable boost to the result , such as : Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Cher, Andy Garcia, Meryl Streep, Stellan Skarsgård, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Dominic Cooper, Amanda Seyfried, Hugh Skinner, Jeremy Irvine, Alexa Davies, Lily James, Jessica Keenan Wynn, and Josh Dylan . All of them play and dance wonderful and classic songs , including catching soundtrack by great composers Benny Andersson, Anne Dudley and Björn Ulvaeus .

The motion picture was well written and directed by Ol Parker. This craftsman is a good British filmmaker who has made some nice movies played by famous actors , such as : Ticket to paradise (2022) with George Clooney and Julia Roberts ; Mamma Mia! (2018) ; Now is good (2012) with Dakota Fanning and Jeremy Irvine ; Imagine Me & You (2005) with Piper Perabo, Matthew Goode, and Lena Headey. Rating : 6.5/10 . Well worth watching.

Cried the whole movie

[nathaliesafatly · 7/10 · 31 July 2018]

Definitely a great movie. Not as magical as the first but it's explains a lot about donna. But and a huge but if you lost recently a parent don't watch it or at least go with a pack of tissues. I cried and weeped like a baby the whole time. So emotional it killed me. I left drained and so sad although the movie is supposed to be a happy one. Why in the name of God would they kill donna's character?!!!

Love the first and now we know the characters - better

[rsvp06 · 8/10 · 21 July 2018]

After 10 years we all should know the Mama Mia! plot and characters. It was refreshing to watch the "fore-story" with new actors, interspersed with the original cast. The constant transitions/fades between 20 years before and present required attention, but was fascinating, eye-riveting and ABBA's music and cameo never fail. Everyone I have talked to, who has seen, it want to go back one more time. (Hint: Don't leave until ALL of the final credits have rolled).

A Haunted House Sequel of The Original

[DKosty123 · 6/10 · 31 July 2018]

There are good things about this musical comedy. The locations used in Croatia look fabulous. The Graduation seen at Oxford, UK reminds me much of Professor Wagstaff's college decorum at Huxley University in HorseFeathers (for those who have never seens one of the Marx Brothers top grossing films from Paramont, it throughly lampoons higher education. That is the only reason why it doesn't get as much aclaim as Duck Soup. )

Another good thing is the crossing of 3 generations or so in the cast. The idea here is to continue the story and try to get all ages interested it it. A fair part of the cast is really quite old. 72 Year Old Cher looks very heavy both in girth and in the make up department. It is also unclear why she is even there other than to do the one song. I also wonder if CGI is used along with make-up on Cher as her neck has no wrinkles which is truly amazing.

Meryl Streep at age 69 does not have as much make up and actually looks good for that age. I am glad to see the Grandparents, Parents, Kids and Grand kids all mixed together.

The bad parts are the mix ups in script and the story. I came out of the film that I saw with someone and they had a different idea of what everything meant than I did. I would classify this more as a Musical than a comedy. Of course, the way they present it I think an episode of 79 year old Maury Povich needs to be done to have a DNA test sort out the fantasy from the reality (if there is any reality in this plot line). Oh well, we got 3 daddies, a plastic great Grandma, a mom who appears to be risen from the dead, and more women throwing themselves at men than the average movie. Women can throw themselves at METOO, I don't mind.

I think with a few lines and zingers, we could make this a sequel to Halloween and bring in Jason as Cher's Ex-Grandpa. It is entertaining and well staged. It's just a bit out of the realm of being a musical that would bring back musicals and another summer of 2018 movie that falls short. (note- the Comedy in Ant Man and The Wasp is much more on target than the humor in this musical, even though it gets shrunk).

Loved it!

[tonje_thor · 10/10 · 21 July 2018]

I would not say that this is a good film, but I really enjoyed it anyway, it's a film that makes you laugh, smile and let you have a good time!

Little smile factor in comparison to the original

[fanball8 · 6/10 · 21 July 2018]

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, takes place five years after the original movie, as Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) prepares a party for the grand reopening of her mother's Hotel Bella Donna on Kalokairi. Through flashbacks, a second plot-line set in 1979 reveals how young Donna (Lily James) met and romanced the young Sam, Bill, and Harry who became Sophie's fathers.

The 1979 plot-line, which was written to fill in the long-awaited details of how Donna became involved with Sam, Bill, and Harry, was, for the most part, uninspired. The attraction between Young Donna and the charming Bill (Josh Dylan) was believable, and a bright spot in the movie. The development of Donna's feelings for Sam (Jeremy Irvine) and Harry (Hugh Skinner) were unconvincing, though, and it seems that the songs in these scenes were used to cover up for the lack of chemistry between the characters.

Cast-wise, the lovely and charming Lily James carried the show. She sang beautifully, turned in an outstanding acting performance, and most of her scenes made for striking cinematography. Cher (as Ruby Sheridan) rode the strength of "Fernando" to one of the musical's highlight numbers, but her performance in "Super Trouper" was lackluster.

Director Ol Parker did not measure up to Phyllida Lloyd's impressive directing in the original Mamma Mia! The supporting players, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgard were not well portrayed in some scenes by Parker, and the actors looked awkward at times. Lloyd's use of facial close-ups and angles in the original were brilliant by comparison.

Five songs; Waterloo, "I Have a Dream," "The Name of the Game," "Mamma Mia," "Dancing Queen," and "Super Trouper" from the original Mamma Mia! are featured in this prequel.

The dance scenes mostly looked bland in comparison to the original. The "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" -- "Voulez-Vous" party sequence of the original movie was spectacular in comparison.

There are a few good songs that were not used in the original. Early in the movie, Lily James turns in a sexy performance with "When I Kissed the Teacher," wearing retro-style pinstriped pants that accentuate her curvy hips. Mostly, though, the writers reached pretty deep to present music in Here We Go Again that wasn't sung in the original. Unfortunately, this resulted in many of the musical segments feeling forced into the story line. Also, Director Ol Parker falls well short of achieving the enjoyable visual and audio quality of the original film's musical numbers.

While the on-scene sets were mostly in Greece in the original, most of the on-scene sets in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again were in Croatia. Although they tried to achieve similar scenic effects in Here We Go Again, the scenery is better in the original.

The original Mamma Mia!, with an excellent cast, superb directing, intense face close-ups, choice song selection, beautiful scenery, and superbly-produced musical numbers resulted in a huge smile factor for me throughout the movie. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again fell well short of the original in all these aspects, with few smiles.

Why?

[redb38 · 1/10 · 22 July 2018]

I felt really let down by the creators of this film. Why would they make a movie without the main character because they had killed her off already. The film was depressing. I may be the only one that has this view...

Pure joy, perhaps my new favourite movie

[leobrodin · 10/10 · 21 July 2018]

This movie is two hours of great music, great acting and great scenery. That is all there is to it and nothing more is needed to make this one of my favourite movies ever, up there with Shawshank Redemption. No amazing twists or thought provoking situations here. Just two hours of pure uncontained joy in an unusual case where the sequel beats the original.

Lean back, sing along with the rest of the audience and go with the flow.

Vocally much better thank the first

[mylesharding-93819 · 7/10 · 13 April 2020]

It is great to see the memories play out and tie into the first film. Much better vocals in this also, making it easier to enjoy the song arrangements. It is an enjoyable film and worth watching if your into musicals with a storyline.

Waste of time and money

[ikizdevran-882-254684 · 5/10 · 24 July 2018]

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again fails to bring anything new to the table. It is made purely based on the success of the first film. Hollywood tend to do that a lot. When a film becomes successful, they make a 2nd film out of it, which lacks pretty much everything. First of all, if you want to go to see this film because Meryl Streep is in, don't bother, because she has a scene of 5 minutes in the end. She just sings two songs and that's pretty much it. She is in the front row of the film poster, she is the main image of the final trailer, because production company uses her image to attract audience. These kinds of tricks can be seen a lot, while advertising substandard quality films. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again has one purpose, and that is to make more money by using the fame of the first film. I failed to understand why they even bothered making a sequel when everything was wrapped beautifully in the first film. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is written and directed by Ol Parker. I said written, but I really don't know what he has exactly written, because in the means of story there is nothing.

The people in this film are like from a different planet. They live in a parallel universe or something. There is no one ugly in the film. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is all about beautiful people, their artificially created problems, fake tears, sadness and meaningless joy. They are all very successful, their secret bonds don't have a resource. We don't know why those characters love each other so much, but they do. The film takes place five years after the previous events. Donna is dead. Sophie (Amada Seyfried) takes over the hotel and builds it from zero. While they prepare for the grand opening, we go back to 1979, where everything starts for Donna. She is claimed to be a free soul and an independent woman, but someone must tell the writer of this character that having one night stands with handsome men on your way to Greek Island is not independence. Young Donna (Lily James) is presented to be a very different girl, but when you watch her behaviors, she is pretty much superficial. She falls in love with a man, gets depressed after he leaves, and in the very same day, she has sex with a different guy because she is very sad. Sophie and her problems regarding the hotel in the present day are told in parallel with Donna's youth and her story, how she met Sam (Pierce Brosnan), Harry (Colin Firth) and Bill, (Stellan Skargard) how she moved to the island of Kalokairi and how she built the hotel.

Young Donna's friends Tanya and Rosie, as well as her lovers, Harry, Bill and Sam, are played by actors and actresses who have nothing to do with the actual characters. They all look very different. The story takes place in a Greek island but the film was shot in Croatia and Shepperton Studios in Surrey England. Set up of the sequel is pretty much similar with the first film. There is a song for every situation. The story was created based on the situations in those songs, and there is a song for every character, problem and situation. That's the reason why I said there is no story. It is time for a sad song, a sad situation is created. It is time for a joyful song, and something happy happens. There are very few scenes that can be compared with real life situations. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is a complete waste of money and time. I had a good taste in my mouth after the first film, but now that is all gone thanks to this useless film that was made just because of financial matters.

The strongest point of the film is its songs. It is satisfying in the means of music. You get to hear songs mostly from ABBA, as usual, and Arrival. After all, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is also a musical, but even so, some songs are really bad for my taste. When I Kissed the Teacher from Arrival is one, for an example. Just to be able to sing this song, they created a graduation scene. This is what I meant when I said, circumstances are created based on the songs in the film. I have never seen such a thing in my life. I haven't seen an acting performance worth mentioning. This film was released on July 16, 2018 in Hammersmith Apollo and on July 20, 2018 in the United Kingdom and United States. It has 114 minutes of runtime and made with a budget of $75 Million. With a forced story and meaningless characters, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is a film that I will never watch again. Having actors and actresses in the film just because they look beautiful shouldn't be a criteria while choosing your characters. This sequel is so hopeless that even the presence of Andy Garcia and Cher couldn't save it.