Before all the trolls start sharping their teeth to mercilessly dig into my review, let me say that I realise that Mamma Mia is not the most high-brow film out there, but it serves its purpose and it is jolly good fun. That is why I’ll just comment on the plot, characters and overall look & feel of MM2.

To begin with my favourite bit about the movie – Lilly James, who is so lovely, she could charm the pants off a grumpy debt collector. She can sing, she can dance, she can act – she can do it all and she’s just dreamy. And before I fan-girl too much, let me say that despite her obviously mismatching looks to Meryl’s, she completely steals the show and singlehandedly makes the sequel a must-watch. I simply couldn’t imagine anyone else in that role.

Lilly’s effervescent youthfulness and let’s be honest glowing beauty is bursting out of the screen and I’m pretty sure her joyful dancing and her nightingale-like gentle voice can make anyone smile and feel better and happier after they’ve watched this. And maybe a little bit in love with Miss James. Her rendition of When I kissed the teacher is absolutely intoxicating and uncovers a lesser-known ABBA song that hasn’t been covered in the first part, so it feels fresh and new. There are few other new ones, but we still get the classics Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, and Super Trouper.

Young Donna, played by Lilly, most certainly outshines her three suitors – in order of appearance: Harry, Bill, and Sam (Hugh Skinner, Josh Dylan, Jeremy Irvine). I did like both Hugh and Jeremy, who were well cast, but wasn’t hugely keen on Josh as he came off a bit greasy. I expected him to be a sexy Swedish daredevil and he was more like a peroxide sleaze-ball.  There were a few other inconsistencies to do with the order Donna meets them in and of course, most memorably their younger appearances were actually featured in the first part but even though Pierce, Colin, and Stellan have aged quite well there is only so much makeup, wigs and CGI could do. Her Oxford degree seems a bit out of the blue as well, but honestly who cares it’s about the general experience, not the convoluted plot points.

I have to say that I also wasn’t massively impressed by the younger versions of Tanya and Rosie – Jessica Keenan Wynn and Alexa Davies were lacking the vivaciousness of Christine Baranski and the comic talent of Julie Walters, who still got it by the way – 10 years after the first part.

Another notable addition to the cast is, of course, the dazzling start that Cher is. Her part was specially written for her even though it was heavily suggested Donna’s mum had passed away in Mamma Mia one. She’s the most incredibly glamorous, bedazzled, all-singing and dancing grandma, who refuses to age, arriving on a helicopter, you’ve ever seen. Someone might say that’s slightly over the top, but I think when it’s to do with Cher nothing is too much.

I feel that Cher was also brought in to fill the big shoes of Meryl Streep, who’s sadly barely featured in the sequel. The trailer quite possibly spoilt why that is, so I won’t do the same and explain the reasons, but I was definitely hoping to see more of her too.

All in all, expect the same exuberant colourful glitter explosion and a flares overload that the first film was. I’m positive when saying that you’ll catch yourself dancing and singing along to this fabulous musical extravaganza. You might even cry as it gets quite emotional. I know I did.