“Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again”: A Whirlwind of Colors, Music, and Happiness

Starting with a faraway view of the fictional island Kalokairi, the camera shows arid island greens surrounded by a sapphire blue ocean before panning to the starkly white hotel. The vibrant manner with which “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” begins continues throughout the entire movie. Viewers who have been missing the scenes of the original “Mamma Mia!” (2008) are suddenly transported to that energetic and iconic world once more.

My first time watching “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again,” I was so transfixed by the colors and costumes in the film, I didn't even focus on the acting or the plot. Similarly to the first “Mamma Mia!,” the camera is used to draw the viewer in with the cast and follows the cast around in an almost flowing manner. In one scene, the camera twirls along with a young Donna (Lily James), the American owner of a Greek hotel, with her long orange dress flowing around her ankles, matching the trees bountiful with oranges surrounding her.

Not only do the cameras capture the constant movement of the film, but the beautiful set creates a look that carries on from “Mamma Mia!” and keeps viewers entranced. The set mainly consists of rugged mountains, dusty towns, and Greek-style houses, similar to the setting of the first film. However, viewers also get a taste of different sets, such as places in Oxford and Paris. These new sets have a slightly bohemian vibe, with quaint hotels and an apartment covered in funky blankets.

This style transfers into the costumes, which are a mix of ‘70s flair and modern minimalism. Though the minimalist overalls-and-T-shirt style of the first film carries over to this film, viewers are also hit with bright colors and plenty of bell-bottom jeans. The costume designers use vibrant striped jumpsuits, chunky jewelry, and funky hats to fully tie together and incorporate the new plot that is brought up in this film.

The story of “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” is told through a mixture of flashbacks to a young Donna (Lily James) in the ‘70s, which show the backstory of her hotel, as well as the modern story of Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), the daughter of Donna (Meryl Streep) who struggles in her pursuit to make her mother’s hotel a success. Though the hotel links the two characters together, the two different storylines seem worlds apart. However, the film successfully ties together the costumes and the sets, so the movie doesn’t seem like two completely different films; the connections are apparent. In one scene set in the modern day, Sophie sings “I’ve Been Waiting For You” (a song Donna used to sing occasionally), while wearing a retro jumpsuit reminiscent of what young Donna wears in the opening scene. While Sophie’s jumpsuit is much more muted and slightly more modern than Donna’s brightly colored, striped, and unapologetically ‘70s jumpsuit, Sophie’s jumpsuit is still of the same style and allows us to reminisce about the vision of her mother.

Despite being absolutely lively and captivating, the set and costumes are nothing compared to the soundtrack of this musical movie. The songs of ABBA, the same ‘70s Swedish pop group who created the songs for “Mamma Mia!,” once again make up the soundtrack of “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.” Though most of the songs are the same catchy, beautifully sung tunes from the original film, there are a few new additions that fit in well to the poppy showtune style of the movie, such as “Angel Eyes.” New cast member Lily James has a particularly beautiful voice—one that trumps that of Meryl Streep, who plays the older Donna, any day.

The songs continue the trend of a fun-filled and problem-free life. Even songs that are used in somber scenes, such as “One Of Us,” are still catchy and unable to put anyone in a bad mood, regardless of the context. Songs like “Waterloo” and “When I Kissed The Teacher” add to the absurdity of the movie with lyrics that seem like they could never fit into the film, yet somehow do. What make songs like these even more amazing are the dance numbers that come along with them: overexaggerated twirls and synchronized routines that make one wish life itself was a musical.

The only downfall of “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” is the plot. It lacks substance, and the problems that do come up—such as dealing with the death of an important character—are looked at in a comedic way, with characters joking about reactions to the death. When describing the film to a friend, I realized that what had stuck with me was the vibrancy and the songs—not the actual storyline. All issues were resolved quickly, and by the time a musical number was over, everyone was happy once again. While this is a musical movie and more emphasis is understandably put on the film’s songs rather than a serious plot, the film’s storyline might have been more memorable had the characters struggled for a bit longer and their issues been built up more.

Despite this, the film was clearly enhanced by the the presence of Lily James. James has a magnetic onscreen personality. Though her quirkiness and carefree ways occasionally felt forced, her acting is consistent with the rest of the film. Lily James is successful as young Donna the same way that Meryl Streep was as Donna in the original film: her charisma and ability to draw you in makes an otherwise unbelievable character enticing. Her portrayal of young Donna manages to draw you in and make you feel as if you’ve entered a world where the sole issue is a goat chasing you during your morning session of orange picking.

“Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” is the definition of a feel-good movie. Following young Donna’s tales of love and adventure on a beautiful new island, one views a life full of songs, heartbreak that’s easily solved, and cool ‘70s outfits. And transported back to the life of Sophie, we are reminded of the importance of friendship when family can’t be there for you and the continuation of your dreams, no matter the obstacles that arise. If you’re in need of one last taste of summer and can’t make it to a remote Greek island, “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” is bound to transport you from the dreariness of school starting and will allow you to forget your stresses for at least two hours.