Brian Martin

Seriously, this movie was better than it had any right to be. Clearly written by a fan with considerable talent, it surprisingly reaches the emotional (if not quite the comedic) heights of the original. Yet, it achieves and even greater feat - it somehow manages to make the SECOND movie better and more relevant. The first reel is the weakest. It felt like we were headed for another cash-grab sequel with too much going on as a distraction for a poor plot . But into the second reel, strong reverence for the source material, nostalgic touches, and a familiar but unique storyline had won me over. Still, I was afraid to get too excited because the likelihood of the movie falling apart seemed almost inevitable. If you've ever watched your favorite sports team down by many points and facing certain defeat, you know what long odds feel like. When that same team starts to mount an improbable and nearly impossible comeback, you hold your breath but temper your excitement with the reality that it's probably not going to work out. The deeper into that last third we got, the more it felt like a sports scenario. They could've taken the safe route a few times. But once it became clear they were swinging for the fences, I couldn't help think "OMG, please don't blow it!". They staked the entire movie... no... the entire TRILOGY on music. The themes of friendship, redemption, love, forgiveness and idealism resonated throughout the movie but it all came down to the ending. If they couldnt nail the ending and the music, it would be all for nothing. The longest yard, so to speak. The next day, I still can't believe it. I still can't believe this movie got made, was written so brilliantly, and that they stuck the landing. The filmmakers delivered a love letter to the fans and it was glorious. Don't read about it too much. Perhaps it's best to go into it thinking it'll be a dumb sequel. Maybe then, like me, you'll find yourself with a huge smile and a full heart after seeing it.