I saw Mamma Mia on the night it premiered and I was so wowed. I went in wondering if it would be as good as the first, but it was actually better.
1. Mamma Mia 2 tells all of what happened before what happened in the first Mamma Mia.
I'm sure all of us who have seen the first Mamma Mia wanted to know what Donna was like when she was a young hippie and what happened EXACTLY with Donna and those three men. Well, here you go.
2. So many great actors and singers... beautiful voices.
In addition to the actors from the first movie, there's Lily James with her radiant smile and gorgeous singing voice, three hot guys that are supposed to be her lovers, who have amazing voices. There's also Donna's friends as young graduates from Oxford.
3. The costumes.
In the past, everyone is wearing groovy 70s outfits (because it's the 70s). The performing costumes are SO bright, SO colorful, fun, and sparkly. It's like you're at a concert.
4. Cute guys... Hot guys... Everywhere.
All of young Donna's young lovers are goooooooooorgeoousssss. The romantic singing doesn't help. What are the directors doing to us?!
5. Girls can relate to what happens in the movie.
Girls, or anyone for that matter, can relate to the wonder, adventures, love, unexpected surprises, and heartbreak in this movie.
6. The movie flips from the past and present. This helps you understand and gives the movie sentimental value.
Mamma Mia 2 switches from the past and present. You understand Donna better because now you know what happened to her, and you can connect this past with Sophie's present and her now dead mother.
7. The relationship between Donna and Sophie and their relationship with Greece is just too touching.
Sophie begins to understand her dead mother better when she learns the people of her hotel and all the people she loved. The same things happen to her that happened to her mom as a young adult. The baptism scenes of Sophie as a baby and Sophie's daughter interlope, and Greece ties all of this together.
8. Cher is in it.
Cher is in this second Mamma Mia. And she comes at the end, surprises everyone... especially by being Sophie's grandma and Fernando's lover from many, many years ago. Yes, she reunites with her long-lost love just like her dead daughter.
9. They all come together at the end. And yes, I mean the past Donna is standing right next to present (dead) Donna, etc.
When you think the movie is over after Sophie's daughter's baptism, nope. The WHOLE cast and crew come together at the end and sing and dance together. It's just great.
Rotten Tomatoes has even rated this 87%, and has described the movie as being "very ripe".