Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)

(On Cable TV, April 2019) “Here we go again” is indeed the point of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again as it tries, and succeeds better than expected, at recreating the in-your-face fun factor of its 2008 predecessor. This time, the timeline splits into a prequel and a sequel, showing a mother/daughter pair of stories with parallels to each other. Clearly, the novelty factor of the original (if such a thing could exist considering its adaptation from a long-running touring musical) is no longer there, replaced by comfort at the premise. The large ensemble returning cast is made even larger by the duelling timelines, and features both better vocal performers and a somewhat more judicious use of those returning actors with limited vocal ranges. Everything is shot in a comfy colourful way meant to evoke happy memories and sun-drenched holidays. While this Mamma Mia sequel is watchable to those who haven’t seen the original (or don’t have specific memories of it), it’s clearly meant as an encore for fans. The film deftly plays on its own self-awareness, blending allusions to itself and its actors in a way that’s unapologetically meant to be fun—just witness the buildup to Cher’s arrival in the film and the mass prostration that follows. It’s all great good fun like the original (and perhaps even more so, given better vocals, more ambitious cinema-specific scripting and bigger slicker numbers), even though the constraints of sticking to the ABBA catalogue mean diminishing returns in terms of big anthems. It does reach a crescendo during the final number, blending timelines in a big celebratory number. In the grand spirit of musicals, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is not meant to be intricate, but there are a few nice touches along the way. But perhaps best of all, it’s utterly unrepentant about the kind of musical comedy it means to be.