THE MOVIE

A sequel in the same vein as Grease 2, in that it takes a surprisingly successful original film, duplicates the story with an all-new and virtually unknown cast and director, and bears little resemblance to its precursor, Bring It On Again revisits the cutthroat world of competitive cheerleading. Bypassing a theatrical release and finding its way to audiences in the straight to DVD market, the film moves from the high school setting of the original to the (apparently) more mature world of college, but fails to ignite the screen in the same fashion as Bring It On.

This time around, the protagonist is Whittier (Anne Judson-Yager), a sweet and spirited college freshman. When she makes the Varsity cheerleading squad with her friend Monica (Faune A. Chambers), everything appears to be moving in the right direction. Even Tina (Bree Turner), the snooty head cheerleader, believes that Whittier has the potential to succeed her and lead the squad to future glory, much to the dismay of the jealous Marni (Bethany Joy Lenz). However, it soon becomes apparent that life under Tina’s command is less than enjoyable, with every element of Whittier’s life overrun by Tina. In an act of rebellion, Whittier and Monica decide to start their own amateur squad, rounding up the usual disenfranchised college stereotypes. Hence a showdown ensues, as Whittier and Tina try to prove the talent and supremacy of their respective squads.

Mimicking the stronger scenes of Bring It On, Bring It On Again has an asinine plot that makes no attempt at character development, instead reveling in its superficial nature. Made purely to a formula to replicate the unexpected success of the original, this film lacks the style of director Peyton Reed, and the fledgling cast are unable to conjure up the charisma of Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Bradford and Eliza Dushku. Three To Tango helmer Damon Santostefano seems to be in robot mode, as the film displays no directorial flair, and Claudia Grazioso’s screenplay, based on her own story, is pedestrian and derivative. Further, the cast of unknowns are less than spectacular, with over-acting the prevalent mode of performance. Bitchy, not witty, and mean-spirited rather than humorous, this is an ineffective reprisal of the original, not even worth watching for the acrobatic cheerleading scenes.

THE TRANSFER

Video:

Though presented in widescreen anamorphic 1.85:1, the visual transfer of Bring It On Again is inadequate. Where colours should be bright, they lack sheen, and where blacks should be dark, they fail to approximate the appropriate shadow detail. Further, the image is unsteady, with aliasing a recurrent problem. This is a well-below average visual treatment, mirroring the general substandard quality of the entire DVD package.

Audio:

The audio transfer of Bring It On Again is very poor. Throughout the film, the prominent and overbearing soundtrack continually drowns out the cliched dialogue, which is barely audible. Although presented in a Dolby Digital 5.1 transfer, the use of surround sound makes absolutely no difference to the audio quality, as the balance of sound between speakers is far from precise. As a result, the audio transfer does not meet the expected standard, forcing viewers to suffer through an unpleasant aural experience.

THE EXTRAS

No extras are offered on the Bring It On Again DVD.

SUMMARY

Further proof that sequels of the thinly-veiled remake variety are a precarious genre, Bring It On Again is a conceited, clichéd and tired attempt at continuing the success of its predecessor. With a poor script, non-existent direction, and lacklustre performances, the film itself is extremely tedious, and the DVD does not improve things with its inferior visual and audio transfer, and no extras. Save time, and preserve the memory of the far-superior original, by giving Bring It On Again a miss.