The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008)

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was a rare bird indeed: a movie intended for tween and teen girls, but with the maturity and thoughtfulness to captivate viewers of all ages (and both genders). The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 maintains the charm, overall cleverness, and strong performances, but there's an inevitable dip in the quality of the storylines, plus the slight letdown of no longer being surprised how good this franchise is. Sanaa Hamri takes over the directing reins from Ken Kwapis without missing a beat, getting sunny performances from the four stars, even when their plotlines are gloomy. Another strength that carries over, from a purely optic standpoint, is the film's function as a travelogue -- it returns not only to the Aegean waterfront of Greece, but also ventures to an archeological dig in Turkey. What may be unavoidable in an ensemble sequel is the difficulty of finding just the right plot arc for all the characters. For example, the Turkey expedition is cut short right when Blake Lively's Bridget is forging a nice bond with her mentor/mother figure (Shohreh Aghdashloo). Bridget's journey is to learn more about why her mother committed suicide, but the sudden shift to seek out her grandmother in Alabama feels like indecision regarding what to do with her character. But to the film's credit, it grapples with the idea that people are needed in places they can't always be -- while America Ferrera's Carmen has an awakening about her potential at summer theater, she misses being there when her mother gives birth. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 may be more mature than its predecessor in this respect. It recognizes that high school friends travel toward incompatible destinies, and even a pair of magical pants can only do so much to bridge them. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide