Skip to main content

Movie Review - Pitch Perfect 3 (2017)


When Pitch Perfect came out in 2012 nobody, including myself, was expecting too much from the film based on it's trailers. To our surprise the film ended up being much better than anticipated and went on to be both a critical and box office success. It did so well at the box office that it spawned a sequel in 2015. The sequel wasn't quite as loved as the original but it still struck a chord with most critics and audiences enjoyed it so much it went on to gross more than double what the original was able to bring in. Now we arrive at the third and supposed final film in the franchise, which might be a good thing because this one felt like they were running out of steam.

The Barden Bellas are back after winning their world championship in the previous film. They've all gone on to bigger and better things, or at least that's what they all hoped for. After reuniting for a get together the Bellas decide to go on one last singing competition because they know they are all at their best when they are with each other. They join a competition overseas at a USO tour where the winning group will get to open for DJ Khaled. This isn't an easy task as the Bellas face groups who play actual instruments instead of singing acapella. 

One thing that this franchise has been able to coast on is the chemistry between all the girls who make up the Bellas. They all are basically playing stereotypes but they work together and you can see how much fun the actresses are having. Another strength has been the song performances and here it's no different with an array of new songs and even new characters getting a chance to shine and show what they've got. Everyone in the cast does a great job once again with Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson still leading the pack but we still get scene stealing moments from the likes of Ester Dean, Hana Mae Lee and even John Michael Higgins and Elizabeth Banks revive their hilarious duo of John and Gail.

Now while the film does a lot to entertain and give fans of the series plenty of what made the first two films so good is also one of the biggest downfalls here. There is nothing new here
and it felt like the filmmakers were running out of ideas at times. Fat Amy has a a subplot dedicated to her and her father, played by John Lithgow, that single-handedly almost ruins the entire story. Had it been just a minor piece that would have been no problem but it ends up being a huge part of the film that feels way too unnecessary with everything else going on. Not to much the story has way too many subplots to keep up with. Where in the first two films it felt like Becca's story, the Bellas story and a dash of Fat Amy this time it feels like everyone has their own story and it's too much for an hour and half film.

In the end, it felt like this should have been a better finale for this great group of girls. While there are plenty of moments to enjoy there are lots of moments that will have you rolling your eyes or awkwardly laughing because you're not sure if the scene is supposed to be funny or not. Also it would have been nice to see the Treblemakers make a return but I guess there was already too much going on. If you're a fan of this franchise you'll more than likely have a great time but this finale will not gain any new fans.

Rating:
6/10

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Mandalorian and Grogu | Review

  2026 | PG-13 | 132 mins. | Directed by Jon Favreau It's been seven years since the last time a Star Wars movie hit the big screen. After The Rise of Skywalker premiered in 2019 and was met with lukewarm reception, Disney decided to shift their focus for Star Wars. Over the last seven years the franchise has seen several series make their way to Disney+. These series have allowed Disney to expand the universe and create new stories within the world. The first series, and arguably one of the best, to hit Disney+ was The Mandalorian. Fan and critic reception has been mostly positive for the three seasons of the show. After toying with a fourth season, Disney decided to scrap the idea and do a new Mandalorian movie and return Star Wars to the big screen. With The Mandalorian and Grogu , the movie follows Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu on a new adventure. Now working for Colonel Ward (Sigourney Weaver) and the New Republic, Mando and Grogu are hired by the Hutt family to track d...

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Review

  2026 | PG | 98 mins. | Directed by Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Pierre Leduc After striking out in the 90s with a live action attempt at the character, Universal and Illumination finally struck gold with Mario and his pals in the 2023 smash hit The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The movie went on to gross over $1.3 billion at the box office and was the second highest grossing movie of 2023. It was inevitable based on well the movie did that a sequel would be right around the corner. Now in 2026 The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is hitting theaters with a bigger story and even more characters.  When Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson) is kidnapped by the son of Bowser (Jack Black), Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie), it is up to Mario (Chris Pratt) and the gang to try and save her. Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) set out on their own journey to try and find where she is being kept. Meanwhile, Mario and Luigi (Charlie Day) stay back to help protect the Mushroom Kingd...

Power Ballad (2026) | Review

  2026 | R | 98 mins. | Directed by John Carney Power Ballad  is the latest movie from director/writer John Carney. Carney has built a solid filmography over the years with his stories heavily revolving around music. With Power Ballad , Carney explores two different sides of the music world. One involving a singer who had to give up his dreams for his family and the other who is living out his dreams but trying to stay relevant.  The story here follows Rick (Paul Rudd), a washed-up wedding singer who tried to make it big as a rocker but had to put his dreams aside when he met his wife and they had a daughter together. When his band, The Bride and Groove, is hired for a gig at a prestigious venue, a world-famous boy band singer named Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas) makes an appearance as he is the best friend of the groom. While performing, the band plays a song with Danny that really gets the party going. Him and Rick hit it off and they start to hang out for a bit after the re...

Swapped (2026) | Review

  2026 | PG | 102 mins. | Directed by Nathan Greno Swapped is the latest in what seems to be a never-ending cycle of animated talking animal movies. With the success of Zootopia 2 last year and recent movies like Hoppers and Animal Farm also getting into the mix, how does Swapped separate itself from the pack? On paper, it looks like just another generic animal movie with a heavy-handed lesson that the characters must learn and then everyone feels good in the end. Thankfully, Swapped stands on its own and separates itself by being creative with its character designs as well as taking big chances in its plot point. Throughout the movie we follow a small woodland creature named Ollie (Michael B. Jordan). When he is younger, he befriends a young bird, called a Javan, that he shows how to eat the food of his species. After doing so the bird invites the rest of her flock to come and try this food, which makes things difficult for Ollie and his family. Ollie's species, called Pookoos, ha...

Spider-Man: Brand New Day | Review

  2026 | PG-13 | 145 mins | Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton It has been five years since the last Spider-Man movie hit theaters. Spider-Man: No Way Home was one of the biggest post pandemic movies and was able to capitalize on bringing together all three live action Spider-Man actors. After taking some time off, Spider-Man is back with a new director and a new look at not just the superhero but Peter Parker himself. Picking up right where the last movie left off, everyone has not only forgotten that Peter Parker is Spider-Man, but everyone also has forgotten Peter Parker altogether. Now, living on his own and mostly keeping to himself Peter tries to live a life without his aunt, his best friend and the love of his life. Continuing with his duties as Spider-Man, he has been collaborating with the local police to help track down any villains that try to destroy the city. He still keeps tabs on Ned and MJ as they are now attending MIT and living their life post-Peter Parker. A new t...