Camp Rock 3 follows the footsteps of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series as another millennial DCOM franchise revived for a new generation. The Jonas Brothers are back as Connect 3, and no, this is not about them. However, they set everything in motion for the rising stars.
Connect 3 has been disconnected from their opening act for a major reunion tour. Instead of canceling, they take the opportunity to create a competition to find the next big thing at the place that feels like home. That is how the story goes. As campers race for the opportunity of a lifetime, relationships are tested, bonds form, hearts fly, and revelations see the light of day.
Doors open for Sage(Liamani Segura), Desi(Hudson Stone), Rosie(Lumi Pollack), Fletch(Malachi Burton), and Cliff (Casey Trotter) to show Connect 3 what they’re made of. Directed by Veronica Rodriguez and written by Eddie Faye, Camp Rock 3 is a fresh coming-of-age tale that respects its young audience and those who grew up with the first Camp Rock film. The creatives seem uninterested in matching this movie’s tone to recent DCOM musicals, opting instead for a slightly more grounded, relatable take. While this approach establishes Camp Rock 3’s authenticity, the premise is restricted by the movie’s runtime.
Music’s In Their Soul
Talent is ripe, and there is a world of storytelling potential worth exploring. Camp Rock 3 does not feel like a sequel as much as it feels like a pilot episode for a TV series spinoff. There is more to the plot beyond musically talented youths fighting for their dreams. Most of them have interesting backstories with room for exploration, especially Sage and her little brother Desi. Faye’s clever writing allows teens, fans, and casual viewers to connect with the characters on a deeper level, making the original music more enriching.
Ironically, “Come on Over,” by Connect 3, is the opening act for the young prodigies on the verge of stardom. These campers are the main event. Sage leads basically everyone in “One Beat Away,” a melodious anthem for the wide-eyed dreamers. Before we get to more original compositions, the kids sing their renditions of “Play My Music” and “Start The Party” as requirements for Connect 3’s competition. The former is the weakest piece of the soundtrack, but it serves an instrumental purpose story-wise, establishing their individual strengths and weaknesses.
Camp Rock’s kids are unique. Excluding three influencer antagonists who share one brain, no one is alike. They all have distinct genre styles as outward expressions of their identities and how they live in the moment. It is a shame that this continuation is a 90-minute film rather than a series, because Sage and her peers are already more interesting characters than the alumni. Yet, we have barely scratched the surface of who they are, or where they came from.
Camp Rock 3’s Rising Stars
Aside from producing, the best thing the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato did for this movie is step back so that new stars can share the spotlight. Liamani, Hudson, Lumi, Malachi, and Casey are the right leads for this story, as Sage, Desi, Rosie, Fletch, and Cliff.
Hailing from High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and Descendants: Wicked Wonderland, Liamani takes command as Sage. For all intended purposes, she is the “Mitchie Torres” of this era with new flaws and the same goals. Sage is gifted and confident in her abilities, but not perfect. She arrives at Camp Rock, carrying heavy baggage with her brother Desi. There is already a rift between these siblings when we first see them together. Liamani conveys the toll it takes on her through her eyes and scenes with Hudson, without letting it consume her. As her music or HSMTMTS fans can expect, her impeccable screen presence and vocal talents amplify her character’s energy in a wave that resonates throughout ensemble pieces.
Hudson gives her the perfect foil as Desi. He has his sister’s talent, drive to win, and sorrow. While neither of them admits it initially, they clearly love and miss each other. One thing he has that Sage does not is a rock star attitude tailored for him alone. Their turbulent relationship is a poignant look at an interpersonal relationship in urgent need of reconciliation. Surprisingly, he is not the resident “brooding bad boy.” That title belongs to Malachi’s Fletch, a lone wolf who gives a first impression of a mini Shane Grey/Joe Jonas. Mystery follows him and his acoustic guitar until a tragic truth reveals itself in an eyebrow-raising twist. Although Malachi has great chemistry with the Liamani and the rest of the cast, Fletch feels less like a character and more like a plot device.
Lumi and Casey represent two sides of the same coin in Rosie and Cliff. Rosie is a classically trained Type A personality with a cello as an extension of her body. Then there is Cliff, a pack of firecrackers with drumsticks that can not be contained. They complete the core five as two individuals who are more than meets the eye. Neither of them is defined by what others think. Supporting characters Connie (Maria Canals-Barrera), Lark (Sherry Cola), and Callie (Brooklynn Pritts) complement our leads, providing mentorship and friendship with style. Meanwhile, “villains” Madison (Ava Jean) and her cronies provide more comedy than conflict.
Camp Rock 3 Deserves More
Camp Rock 3 is a fun, intelligently written invitation to a Disney Channel universe, alternate from the network’s more colorful musical dimensions. Jonases, Lovato, Rodriguez, and Faye revive the Camp Rock IP, planting it back in its roots. After the disappointing tonal shift and identity crisis of the second film, the third time is the charm. The music comes second to the young talent, making it carry more weight. Granted, there are three songs as homages to the original film, but they do not stop Camp Rock 3 from standing on its own.
The movie is not perfect. As captivating as the plot and characters are, pacing becomes an issue when it is obvious that there is not enough room to explore the story’s full potential in ninety minutes. Without going into spoiler territory, some conflicts are cut short because of this. There are surprising amounts of exposition and worldbuilding sprinkled throughout the film that warrant a follow-up.
I do not doubt that Millennials, Generation Z, and fans will enjoy Camp Rock 3. That being said, they will be left wanting more because this should have been a series.
