Pitch Perfect 3

The first two Pitch Perfect films are exceedingly good, all-round entertainment which latched on to a growing trend and a gap in the market at the perfect time. A more mature look at university societies than High School Musical, actually funny and with a great soundtrack.

The sequel was an inevitability and a clever way of moving the characters on from the events of the first film. A three-quel, given the success of the first two, was also an inevitability but, unfortunately, doesn't deliver anywhere near the same level of quality.

The cast all return (minus the male characters, which gives better focus on the more interesting Bellas) and are, again, fantastic but the plot is happy just to hit the same beats as the first two movies without offering anything new.

As such, we start with a post-university reunion (fine) which quickly descends into a harebrained idea to join a military tour of Europe (bizarre!) which consequently leads to another 'riff off', another 'competition' (although the underused 'Evermoist' rival band, including Ruby Rose, don't get anything to do) and, most curiously, a family drama backdrop when Amy's long-lost Father comes into play. This leads to the last third of the film descending into a fairly good, spy-movie pastiche with the Bellas kidnapped on a boat moored off the coast of France. Whether it's a good direction to steer the plot is certainly up for debate.

It's all very entertaining, but far too familiar, and the film decides to throw more plot at an already convoluted and unnecessary story when just spending some time with these characters (for the last time, no less) would suffice.

It also suffers hugely for being, and I can't quite believe I'm typing this, a huge advertising campaign for DJ Khaled. He plays himself (which in itself would be fine) but, for some reason, the 'winner' of the military tour 'competition' earns a support slot on an upcoming tour of his (for some reason) and it's utterly ridiculous. 'DJ Khaled', as a name, is the most-used word in the script and it feels wrong.

There's still some great music, good jokes and the Bellas themselves are a joy to be around but it, shamefully, falls way short of its predecessors.

A disappointing final note to what has been a stellar series. Aca-below par.

2 stars **