Second verse, same as the first in Pitch Perfect 2

REVIEW: Pitch Perfect 2 sings the same tune as before. Unless you’re a huge fan, some bum notes may get on your nerves real fast.

Pitch Perfect 2 (M)

Director: Elizabeth Banks (feature debut)

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Hailee Steinfeld, Elizabeth Banks, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Alexis Knapp.

Rating: **1/2

Chorus still catchy, verses need fresh voice

You can safely file Pitch Perfect 2 under ‘fans only affair.’

Of course, given there are so many fans of the original Pitch Perfect — a breezy breakout hit in 2012 — a sequel serving up more of the same will probably do just nicely.

For the uninitiated, more of the same means wall-to-wall a cappella singing routines, broken up by lots of wonky comedy, a little romance and an unbreakable girl-gang camaraderie.

Under the direction of Elizabeth Banks (also reprising her key role as a super-sarcastic vocal-comp commentator), Pitch Perfect starts out promising more than before, but is soon delivering less than hoped.

The opening act is attention-grabbing, you do have to concede that.

During an appearance before President Obama that should be their crowning moment, champion collegiate songbirds the Barden Bellas are plunged into disgrace after their plus-size mascot Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) experiences an all-too-revealing wardrobe malfunction.

All but banished from the a cappella scene as a result, the Bellas face a serious struggle to claw their way back to the big time.

News of an internationally televised singing tournament in Denmark presents the Bellas with the lifeline they are looking for.

However, divisive tensions among the group and a confidence-sapping rivalry with an intimidating new German a cappella act named Das Sound Machine put a huge question mark over the future of the Bellas.

With the sole exception of new cast addition Hailee Steinfeld as an eager recent recruit to the Bellas, Pitch Perfect 2 is content enough to stick rigidly to the formula that made the first movie such a smash.

The overall effect is not unlike a couple of Glee episodes tacked together for no particular reason other than to keep the catchy songs and sketchy gags coming.

While the plentiful and diverse musical offerings can’t really be faulted, the comedy cupboard is disappointingly bare when it comes to any fresh humour in play.

When each of the characters are not indulging in the same old schtick as before (Rebel Wilson is the most guilty of all on this charge), the jokes run the gamut from meekly inane to markedly insensitive (with one crack about refugees dying at sea simply inexcusable).

Pitch Perfect 2 is now showing on general release at cinemas around Australia.

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Originally published as Second verse, same as the first in Pitch Perfect 2