Directed by: Paul Hoen
Starring: Demi Lovato, Joe Jonas, Kevin Jonas, Nick Jonas, Alyson Stoner, Meaghan Martin, Matthew “Mdot” Finley, Chloe Bridges
Disney Channel Original Productions
Overall Blu-Ray Score – 3.5 out of 5 stars
Disney, the king of all family movies and TV shows, made history with the “High School Musical” series and the critical and financial success that it garnered. Disney has since been trying to re-capture that glory. It’s most successful attempt was “Camp Rock”, which while entertaining and good was not as music-centric as the “High School Musical” series before it nor quite as polished. This has been addressed with the new sequel, “Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam”, which has higher production values, a better script, amped-up star power and yes folks, a ton of more music.
When the campers show up for the summer they immediately notice that they are no longer alone on the lake. Camp Star, another music camp, has moved in next-door and is owned by Axel Turner(Daniel Kash) who has a past with Brown Cesario (Daniel Fathers), the owner of Camp Star, and there is plenty of bad blood between the two. So much so that Axel Turner convinces most of the Camp Rock staff to come work for him leaving Camp Rock without enough counselors to manage their campers. This means that Mitchie (Demi Lovato), Caitlyn (Alyson Stoner), the Jonas brothers and the rest of the gang have to become counselors for the remainder of the summer in order to keep the camp running. The bulk of the movie follows Lovato and company as they turn their campers into chorus members in preparation for a glitzy, end of summer sing-off against Camp Star.
Each song in the film seems tailor-made for the kids that Disney has placed in this movie. While Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas are the main characters and have the most spotlights, each other character is highlighted in at least one song ensuring that each strength is showcased. And unlike the first “Camp Rock”, all three of the Jonas brothers are featured in key roles.
The first “Camp Rock” had twelve songs total. “Camp Rock 2″ has twenty. And while most of the songs in the first movie were about 2-3 minutes long most songs in the sequel are at least 3-4 with quite a few that are even longer. The songs are well-written and the choreography is more intricate than what you’ve seen in High School Musical while also being easy enough for children to enjoy and attempt to re-create on their own while they watch it a third and fourth time.
The two stand out songs are “Introducing Me,” a song sung solo by Nick Jonas to his love interest with witty lyrics and comical sweetness intertwined over a catchy tune as he attempts to introduce himself in song because he fails to do so with words. “Heart and Soul” is another song that I found myself humming along with. Sung by the Jonas Brothers as they name drop their inspirations and pioneers of modern musicality in an effort to inspire their fellow campers to embrace their inner rock stars.
Now if you’re not a fan of “High School Musical” or any other musicals then you’re not going to enjoy “Camp Rock 2″. If you don’t want to see high school kids resolving issues with the power of song and cooperation then don’t bother watching it. But if you want to sit down with your family and enjoy a movie about dedication, friendship and music than you’d be hard-pressed to find anything better this year. And I promise even the adults will find themselves humming a song or two afterward, I know I sure did…
Film Score – 3.5 out of 5 Stars
The picture quality of “Camp Rock 2″ is about as well as can be expected for a TV film on Blu-ray. The black levels are solid and reds and other bright colors pop on a HD display. It was a much better transfer than I expected to find. My only complaint is that it is more obvious that the singing was done post production due to the higher clarity allowing easier reading of the lips of singers along with the words.
Picture Score – 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Audio is an integral part of any musical and while “Camp Rock 2″ doesn’t have 7.1 surround sound the 5.1 channel sound is no slouch either. Tones are balanced and easy to hear without strain and thankfully I never had to adjust the volume when a song started or stopped as can happen often in musicals due to the different levels of audio utilized. There isn’t a lot to showcase the surround capabilities of your home theater such as a plane or explosion might but it still is nice to seen featured nonetheless.
Audio Score – 2.5 out of 5 Stars
Disney is the king of family entertainment and their flagship titles tend to have a plethora of extras and games for the children to enjoy. Unfortunately, it seems that “Camp Rock 2″ did not warrant the extra attention that the larger titles receive.
Extras Score – 1.5 out of 5 Stars
There are not as many extras and those included are somewhat derivative and do not add a lot of value. There is an obligatory “Rock Along” which places the words on screen during the songs karaoke-style so that the viewer can sing along. Also included are the music videos of the songs in “Camp Rock 2″, but sung in other languages from around the world. The meatiest feature is “Getting to Know the New Stars of Camp Star” which is an interview conducted by Alyson Stoner as she asks Matthew ‘Mdot ‘ Finley and Chloe Bridges about their “Camp Rock 2″ experiences.
Recap:
Film – 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Audio – 3.0 out of 5 Stars
Picture – 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Extras – 1.5 out of 5 Stars
