Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam [DVD] - Paul Hoen

A summer spent at music camp is all about fun friends and making music together and Mitchie (Demi Lovato) can't wait to return to Camp Rock to see her friends (Alyson Stoner Meaghan Martin) and spend some quality time with Shane (Joe Jonas). Unfortunately greed rivalry and the relentless pursuit of perfection threaten to sour the whole Camp Rock experience when the new Camp Star across the water lures many of the Camp Rock campers and counselors away. The new enterprise promises industry exposure and higher pay and then challenges Camp Rock to a high-stakes final jam challenge that threatens to put the camp out of business. Mitchie rises to the challenge and takes on a huge leadership role finding replacement counselors and working to create a winning show for the final jam but the pressure to win affects everyone's camp experience making it less about fun and the enjoyment of music and more about winning the competition. It also leaves Mitchie and Shane with virtually no time to spend together. Camp Rock 2 has an abundance of good memorable songs presented with lots of energetic choreography. The characters are generally more likable and believable than they were in the original Camp Rock but the plot could be more engaging: while viewers will certainly root for Mitchie and the camp to succeed neither Mitchie nor this film's new characters (Chloe Bridges Matthew 'Mdot' Finley) inspire a particularly overwhelming emotional investment. Nonetheless tweens and teens will love Camp Rock 2 --they'll watch it repeatedly memorize the words with the help of the rock-along special feature and probably learn a few new dance moves. (Ages 7 and older) --Tami Horiuchi