AllMovie

Bring It On was a surprisingly entertaining teen comedy that boosted the already rising career of Kirsten Dunst. The film's bright, cartoonish treatment of its subject matter evoked Clueless and earned praise for its director, Peyton Reed. Although it offers high energy and a young, appealing cast, Bring It On Again, a straight-to-video sequel related only in its title and its focus on cheerleading, is not nearly as sharply written or well-cast. In the lead role, Anne Judson-Yager looks a lot like Reese Witherspoon, but doesn't have Kirsten Dunst's unique ability to be simultaneously ridiculous and charming. The first film set up an intriguing conflict that had genuine cultural significance, while maintaining high entertainment value. While it played as farce, the challenges the characters faced involved race, class, and moral values. The conflicts in Bring It On Again involve, for the most part, cheerleading. There's never any real sense that something important is at stake. The first film had it both ways. It featured well-choreographed cheerleading sequences and broad comedy (as does the sequel), but it also had the sharp dialogue and strong performances to win over skeptics. There's little reason to think that anyone who doesn't find excitement in competitive collegiate cheerleading will see the appeal of Bring It On Again.