“All creatures big and small.” 

Buster Moon, the fictional koala and director of Moon Theater, introduces each and every one of his shows with these five words. They could not be more fitting to describe the movie “Sing 2,” as it is truly a movie for everyone. From the detailed animations to the melodic songs, this movie is a must-see.

Although his theater is thriving, Moon dreams of bigger and better opportunities. As a result, the koala and his actors leave their small town and take a journey to Red Shore City to put on a bigger and grander show. However, they face many obstacles along the way.

While this movie was very engaging, the plot felt a bit forced. The characters were already extremely successful at the beginning of the movie, so their journey to another city seemed like a plot device designed purely to force hardship upon them. The characters’ aspirations to go beyond their small town were never mentioned in the original “Sing,” movie and felt out of place in keeping with that story.

However, the character development compensated for the poorly designed plot. The Moon Theater actors Johnny the gorilla, Mina the elephant, Ash the porcupine and pigs Rosita and Gunter each struggle when forced into an unfamiliar situation. For example, when Johnny is placed into an advanced dance class with no experience in dancing, he struggles to find the confidence to stand up to his dance instructor’s harsh criticism.

One thing that really carried the movie was the animations. While watching “Sing 2,” viewers are transported into a colorful and magical universe. The buildings and designs were so imaginative that they defied reality, but were so perfectly animated that they simultaneously felt real. The bright colors provided an air of happiness even during the most stressful parts of the plot.

The music also played a big role in adding life to the movie. The popular song choices brought a feeling of nostalgia to everyone in the audience. From “This Girl is on Fire” by Alicia Keys covered by Halsey to “A Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay covered by Teron Egerton, there was a song for everyone to sing along to.

With such a star-studded cast such as Reese Witherspoon and Bono, the music goes beyond just the song choice. The voices of each character were highlighted in a way that isn’t typically expected in a children’s movie. The sad and slow songs in “Sing 2,” such as “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by U2 were sung by actors with voices perfectly suited for the tone of the song. This brought an extra layer of emotion to the singing that allowed the audience to become further transported into the story.

“Sing 2” is a fun and sweet movie that conveys many personal struggles one can relate to. Although the plot wasn’t perfect, the crazy, colorful atmosphere made up for it. “Sing 2” was exciting, emotional and overall had a lot more depth than most children’s movies provide.