Sing 2 Review: Mostly Enjoyable Except for the Uncomfortable Meena Story

Illumination animated films fill a very specific role in the all-ages media bracket. To me, they are popcorn films that are predictable, rely on tropes, and are pretty standard for the most part. That is also their strength. You know what you’re going to get with just about every single one of them. I’m not looking for Pixar-level deepness or groundbreaking animation like with Laika studios in these films. I find them enjoyable in a way I can turn my brain off, have some laughs, and kick back. I watch these movies for the same reason I used to really love My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. For the time I’m there, I can step away from my life, and no matter the stakes, everything will be okay in the movie. It’s not about the ending, which is always nice and sweet, but seeing where the journey takes you.

While they have some very good movies such as Despicable Me that kicked off franchises, I find Illumination movies to be more guilty pleasures. Some I secretly love despite their flaws (I admit I was in The Lorax’s Onceler fandom). And then there are others that are comfort films.

The Illumination movie that became my favorite was Sing. It’s my go-to comfort movie. The characters are relatable. I love the relationships they build with each other. The songs are fun as far as jukebox musicals go, pulling from multiple genres. Each person has fantastic character designs that really play in the world created for them. It’s no Zootopia by any means, but it’s a film I put on when I just want something on in the background.

I was very excited when Sing 2 was announced and waited patiently for the sequel. I finally got my hands on it to check it out, and boy do I have some big thoughts about this movie. Let’s get into Sing 2.

The movie mostly takes place in Redshore City, the fictional Las Vegas of the world. On screen, the movie is gorgeous. I stopped the film at several points just to look at the sets of the theatre show or the natural backgrounds of Clay Calloway’s home.

As someone with a Theatre degree, I adored seeing the show come together over the course of the movie. The background characters like Mason the set designer or the nice dog with the multi-color hat reminded me of the eccentric people I definitely used to work with in the theatre world. It added such a nice realism watching these animated sets get built from the ground up. Though if this show was real, it would actually injure actors. This is the kind of show I used to have nightmares about when I was a stage manager. But the theatre in-jokes were a lot of fun for me as I have done most of these jobs at one point in my life.

The set designs are beautiful, a huge step up from Sing. The charm of the first movie’s finale is the characters pretty much slapped their show together on raw talent, duct tape, and a heck of a lot of luck. It’s what made the movie rewarding. This time around in Sing 2, it’s fun to see the characters let loose on someone else’s dime and show off. Each character gets their moment to shine in an extravagant way which is a delight. After being on this journey with them for two movies, I want these characters I love to shine.

Also, there were a lot of fun callbacks to the first film that just left me smiling like a loon. The return of one character towards the end with ties to Johnny left me very emotional to see the story and character growth there.

A bigger location means the cast is expanded in some ways but loses other characters too. I definitely felt the lack of Seth MacFarlane’s rude but delightful Mike from the first film. Though, it makes sense for his character storywise not to continue with this crew. The other character I missed from the first movie was John C. Reilly’s Eddie, Buster Moon’s best friend. He was such a big presence in Sing that it felt like a huge void in the cast. Even a non-speaking cameo in the final shot would have been enough. Though, Eddie’s absence gave way for his grandmother, Nana Noodleman, to have a bigger and much more important role. Nana is a wonderful character, and I still hear her opera music in the back of my mind every time I see her enter a room. So, I didn’t mind too much losing Eddie.

I think that’s where I struggled the most in this movie was the balance between the previous characters sometimes clashing against the new cast. While everyone had very good arcs (except for Meena who I will get to in a minute), they had to constantly share the light with other people. While I bet the physical comedy bits with Miss Crawly tested well with kids, I wouldn’t have minded seeing those trimmed down to give a little bit more time to smooth out the character work.

Some cases worked very well such as Johnny and Nooshy, who quickly formed a dynamic bond together. Their scenes are some of my favorites and are played very organically. Seeing the other dancers coming to support Johnny over time felt earned and so satisfying.

Then there were others who felt unresolved or sidelined. While Ash plays such an important role in the movie, she’s almost always away from the rest of the cast. There were times I often forgot she was in the film until we flashed back to her hanging out at Clay Calloway’s house trying to convince him to join their show.

The other duo that felt lacking was Rosita and Porsha. These two ladies’ stories are constantly intertwining. Porsha is the catalyst for Rosita’s arc of overcoming her fears after being pushed out of her lead role. Even just a quick moment of Rosita handing Porsha her alien costume, or even just a smile between them to show everything is good while they’re putting on their makeup would go a long way. This ending didn’t quite land for me.

Though, it does give us some brilliant scenes of Rosita with her dance partner, Gunter, and her husband, Norman. I’m so glad that at no point in either Sing movie there was ever a push for a love triangle or that kind of garbage. Rosita is a devoted wife to Norman. Gunter is her partner on stage. There is no jealousy of any kind from these three characters. Both Norman and Gunter are there as emotional supports for Rosita, both being what she needs in different ways. It’s never a conflict but instead a great look at healthy relationships in personal and professional lives.

What I feel it comes down to is the already established relationships from the first movie are so incredibly strong. These characters clearly love one another and are important parts of each other’s lives. We see this when Ash drops everything to come to help her friends. Again when Rosita’s many children storm their hotel room to the delight of Johnny, Meena, Ash, and Gunter (who I must think are honorary aunts and uncles). The narratives with the new characters simply needed a touch finer tuning to fully integrate them into the strong bonds formed from the main cast.

That is except for the villain, Jimmy Crystal, who is delightfully evil in the most sleazy Hollywood way possible. It is so cathartic to watch this entertainment mogul and borderline mob boss come completely unhinge and get his comeuppance. I think in an age where we have so many redeemed or sympathetic villains (something I do love), sometimes it’s nice to have a standard, mustache-twirling, evil-because-he-can-be villain, especially in all-ages media. It allows for the characters around him to find their shades of nuances like with Porsha or his assistant Suki, who had one of the more surprising and subtle arcs of the film.

While not perfect, the character arcs for everyone in Sing 2 were a highlight of the movie.

That is except for Meena’s story which I saved for last because I will discuss a spoiler for the movie. It’s a topic that needs to be talked about. Her story is cringeworthy and quite damaging which is surprising for Illumination. Their films are popcorn movies. They are harmless, normally fun entertainment, and nothing more.

But the message of Meena’s story is gross. I saved it for last in case you don’t wish to be spoiled for the film. Bounce out now if you want to avoid it or if the topic of assault is uncomfortable for you. Because that is essentially what happens to this teenage character.

Let’s talk about Meena and Buster Moon.

Early in the film, Buster gives Meena a role to have a romantic part in the show. Meena has always been an extremely shy teenager in both films. She clearly tells Buster point blank that she is not comfortable being cast with someone she doesn’t know as well as the idea that her first kiss will be with a stranger.

Buster calms her, promising to make sure the person he casts to be Meena’s partner will be good for her. Which shouldn’t be hard, because he knows Meena. They have been working together for some time. He should know exactly who to look for.

This does not happen. Buster casts some narcissist who disrespects Meena for the entire movie. The jerk, named Darius, never once calls Meena by her name. He constantly touches Meena without her consent. He physically yanks her around by her hoodie! Buster sees he clearly makes Meena uncomfortable MULTIPLE TIMES. He flat out says to Gunter and Miss Crawley that Darius is not working for Meena. But he pushes her into the role anyway!

The amazing way (read that sarcastically) that Meena overcomes her fear of romance is by falling in love with a cute boy who works at an ice cream truck. This part is fine. The two are very nice together in that cute teenage first crush way. But the love interested it not the issue.

The issue is Darius never treats Meena respectfully and Buster lets it happen. No one ever called out Buster or Darius’ behavior. This is a big mistake! Especially in a post-Me Too era, this is disgusting writing that’s so uncomfortable to watch.

What hurts more is how it demolishes the other characters in this core cast. Johnny, Rosita, and Ash can all see how badly Meena is being treated. They are right there watching her go through this. Sing highlighted the bonds of these normal people and how they defended and uplifted each other. Maybe I can let Johnny and Ash slide, as they are both teenagers too and might not know what to do. But for Rosita to see this and, as a mother, say nothing!? I call bullshit on these writers!

I also call bullshit on Buster Moon. I love that Buster is a very flawed and selfish man in Sing. Behind that smile and those silver-tongued charming words, he’s a cutthroat koala who will do anything to save his father’s theatre even lying to people, stealing from other businesses, and manipulating those around him. His journey in Sing is realizing it’s not about the building but the people who make the theatre come alive. It’s about bonds and community.

So for them to have Buster in Sing 2 to completely do this creepy story to Meena, a freaking minor, is absolutely disgusting. I can’t believe that Illumination did this story after such horrific tales of victims of sexual assault in Hollywood and women having to swallow fears and take abuse like this just to make it in the industry!

It would be one thing if it was addressed. If Rosita or the others spoke up for Meena. If Buster apologized. Heck, if the narcissistic Darius apologized or at least learned her NAME, it would be some progress after everything he’s done. Or maybe the ice cream boy love interest is actually talented and they pulled him into the show last minute and fire Darius! There are so many ways to resolve this mess. But they didn’t and Sing 2 was greatly soured by this story. It was gross, uncomfortable, and should never have gotten through to the final cut without some sort of justice for Meena. Someone should have stood up for her.

Overall, I did mostly enjoy Sing 2. It’s definitely not the comfort film that Sing was for me, but I am glad I saw it. It could have been smoother in places and that Meena storyline is hot garbage. I do love all these characters very much. I would definitely check them out again if there is ever a Sing 3.

Only if there is some justice for Meena first.