Honestly, sequels usually suck. We all know the drill: the studio sees a massive box office return, panics because they don't have a follow-up, and then rushes out a hollow imitation that forgets what made the first one special. But then there’s the Mamma Mia Here We Go Again movie. It’s the rare exception. It's bigger, it’s weirder, and it’s surprisingly heartbreaking.
Ten years after the first film turned a Greek island into an ABBA-fueled fever dream, director Ol Parker took the reins from Phyllida Lloyd. People were skeptical. How do you do a sequel when you’ve already used all the "big" hits like "Dancing Queen" and "The Winner Takes It All"? You dig deeper into the B-sides. You bring in Cher. You lean into the melancholy of time passing.
It worked.
The Bold Move: Killing Off Donna Sheridan
Let’s talk about the elephant on the island. The movie starts, and Donna—played by the literal legend Meryl Streep—is dead. It’s a gut punch. You go into a jukebox musical expecting pure sunshine, and within five minutes, you’re dealing with grief.
Sophie, played by Amanda Seyfried, is trying to honor her mother’s legacy by reopening the hotel. She’s stressed. She’s lonely. It’s a heavy start for a film that features a man dancing with a baguette later on. This narrative choice was risky, but it gave the story a spine that the first movie lacked. The first one was a farce; this one is a legacy piece.
Streep does show up, of course. She appears in the final act for "My Love, My Life," and if you didn't cry during that scene in the chapel, you might be a robot. The chemistry between Seyfried and Streep, even in a metaphorical/ghostly sense, anchors the entire franchise. It reminds us that the Mamma Mia Here We Go Again movie isn't just about catchy tunes; it’s about the cycle of mothers and daughters.
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Lily James and the Weight of Pre-Sequels
Finding a young Meryl Streep is an impossible task. If you get it wrong, the whole movie collapses. Lily James didn't just get it right—she arguably carried the entire film on her back.
She captures Donna's chaotic, infectious energy without ever feeling like a cheap impression. We follow her through 1979 Europe. We see her meet the three dads: Harry, Bill, and Sam. The structure is part sequel, part prequel. Some fans call it a "pre-sequel." It’s a bit like The Godfather Part II, just with more spandex and fewer horse heads.
The casting of the young dads was equally spot-on.
- Jeremy Irvine (Young Sam) had the brooding architect energy down.
- Josh Dylan (Young Bill) was the charming sailor everyone fell for.
- Hugh Skinner (Young Harry) gave us the "Waterloo" sequence in a Parisian restaurant that remains a highlight of the film's camp factor.
Watching these three interact in the past while their older counterparts—Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgård, and Colin Firth—reunite in the present creates this beautiful, dizzying sense of nostalgia. It’s about how the choices we make at 22 ripple out until we're 60.
The Music: Beyond the Greatest Hits
By the time the Mamma Mia Here We Go Again movie went into production, the "obvious" ABBA songs were mostly gone. Sure, they reprised "Dancing Queen" and "Super Trouper," but the real magic happened in the deep cuts.
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"Andante, Andante" became a sultry torch song. "Angel Eyes" turned into a comedic trio between Sophie, Tanya (Christine Baranski), and Rosie (Julie Walters). Baranski and Walters are, as always, the MVP’s of comedic timing. They represent the kind of friendship we all hope to have when we're older—the kind that involves drinking wine on a boat and mocking your exes.
Then there is Cher.
When Ruby Sheridan—Sophie’s grandmother—steps off that helicopter, the movie shifts gears. She’s playing Meryl Streep’s mother, despite only being three years older than her in real life. It’s ridiculous. It makes no sense. And yet, when she starts singing "Fernando" to Andy Garcia under a shower of fireworks, you completely forget to care about logic. That is the power of this film. It demands that you surrender to the spectacle.
Why the Critics Changed Their Minds
The first Mamma Mia! was famously panned by many critics who found it messy and poorly sung (looking at you, Pierce). But the Mamma Mia Here We Go Again movie earned a much warmer reception. It currently sits at 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, significantly higher than the original’s 55%.
Why? Because it’s a better-made film. The cinematography is crisper. The transitions between 1979 and the present day are fluid and clever. Ol Parker understood that the audience wanted the "vibe" of the Greek islands, but they also wanted a story that felt earned.
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The film deals with abandonment, the fear of failing your parents, and the sheer terror of becoming a parent yourself. It’s surprisingly grounded for a movie where people randomly break into song in a fruit market.
Production Facts and Trivia
- The movie wasn't actually filmed in Greece. Most of it was shot on the island of Vis in Croatia.
- Meryl Streep filmed all her scenes in one week.
- The "Waterloo" sequence took months of choreography to get the restaurant timing perfect.
- ABBA's own Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus were heavily involved in the music production and even have cameos.
Addressing the Plot Holes
Look, if you’re looking for a perfectly consistent timeline, you’re in the wrong place. The Mamma Mia Here We Go Again movie plays fast and loose with the continuity established in the first film. In the 2008 movie, Donna’s mother was dead. In 2018, she’s Cher. In the first film, Donna's diary says her mother kicked her out. In the sequel, it’s a bit more nuanced.
Does it matter? Not really. The emotional truth stays the same. The movie operates on "musical logic," where the feeling of a scene is more important than the calendar date. If you can accept that three men can show up on an island and all be okay with sharing fatherhood, you can accept that Cher is immortal and arrived via helicopter.
The Cultural Impact of the Kalokairi Aesthetic
Post-2018, we saw a massive surge in "Euro-summer" fashion. Linen shirts, platform boots, messy blonde waves, and Mediterranean decor. The movie basically birthed a lifestyle trend that dominates Pinterest to this day. It’s about more than just a film; it’s an aspirational mood. It represents a life lived loudly, with no regrets and a lot of denim.
People watch this movie when they’re sad. They watch it when they’re happy. It’s become a comfort watch on par with The Princess Bride or Steel Magnolias. It offers an escape to a world where the sun always shines, your friends are always there, and even your mistakes turn into a catchy chorus.
Final Practical Takeaways
If you’re planning a rewatch or diving in for the first time, keep these things in mind to get the most out of the experience:
- Watch for the cameos. Look closely during the "Waterloo" and "Super Trouper" numbers; the ABBA boys are hiding in plain sight.
- Listen to the soundtrack first. The arrangements in the sequel are technically superior to the first film. The orchestrations are fuller and more theatrical.
- Don't skip the credits. The "Super Trouper" finale is a massive, glitter-filled curtain call where the past and present casts finally perform together. It’s the ultimate serotonin boost.
- Check out the "Visit Vis" guides. If you want the real-life Kalokairi experience, Croatia is the destination, not Skopelos (where the first one was filmed).
The Mamma Mia Here We Go Again movie is a masterclass in how to honor a legacy while moving it forward. It’s joyful, it’s heartbreaking, and it’s unapologetically fabulous. It reminds us that life is short, so you might as well sing about it.