Sandy Kenyon reviews 'Pitch Perfect 2'

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The bellas are back in theaters this weekend, with the a cappella divas of "Pitch Perfect" returning to the big screen for another round of fierce music competition.

But the new movie is a big disappointment, and anyone willing to give the sequel the benefit of the doubt would be making a mistake.

The second pitch is far from perfect, in fact, it's not even very good. Mediocre is more like it, and that's all the more disappointing because the opening gets a lot of laughs.

The Bellas are suspended from school, replaced by a grim bunch of European champions. But the girls are still allowed to add one new member and compete in the a cappella world championships.

If this tale of female empowerment is supposed to resonate, then what's with all the lame jokes?

The original film was rich in sugar, with just enough spice to make everything nice. But this time, the recipe didn't come out so well, and part of the blame lies with Elizabeth Banks, who co-stars as one of the commentators.

But this time, she also stepped behind the cameras to direct.

Still, laughter abounded while the audience watched "Pitch Perfect 2," so fans of the first film are apparently willing to be more forgiving. And the music does remain the best part of this lame sequel.