Camp Rock 3 tugs at heartstrings as it ushers in the franchise’s brand-new era and plays the music of a new generation’s summer soundtrack. This movie, written by Eydie Faye and directed by Veronica Rodriguez, is equally endearing and entertaining. As leads in this new ensemble, Liamani Segura and Malachi Barton remind everyone why they are two of Disney’s biggest rising stars.
Camp Rock 3 feels the 16 years that have passed for the original characters (and fans). It also shows that the titular setting has thrived since the tumultuous time with Camp Star in Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam. So much so, Camp Rock 3 includes a cameo from Milo Manheim as the former Camp Rocker, Calvin Rhodes. There wasn’t a vote for him to appear, but seeing him felt almost like Miley Cyrus appearing in High School Musical 2. Bring on more casual cast crossovers!
This movie isn’t a reboot. It embraces the history with tongue-in-cheek humor — deeming Camp Rock “a historical landmark” and the thick layer of dust on Mitchie’s songbook. Camp Rock 3 builds on that to produce a threequel. After all, the Camp Rock movies have always been some of the most successful Disney Channel Original Movies that never became a trilogy – until now.
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Welcome (Back) to Camp Rock
As weird as it sounds, there’s anticipation about returning to the titular camp itself. Nearly 20 years ago, Camp Rock – the movie and the place – left such an impression on a generation. Camp Rock 3 confirms that said impact has extended into the franchise’s universe in some surprising ways.
The previous movies aren’t mockumentaries. Nonetheless, cultural touchstones from both – “W(hat)E(ver)M(ajor)L(oser),” the Camp Rock stomp, and other quotes & songs from the original characters – are now common knowledge or even traditions for campers. That fact becomes more disorienting in the presence of returning characters, like Maria Canals-Barrera’s Connie Torres.
Her promotion to Camp Director is well-deserved and an inspired way to make Connie a part of it all after Mitchie’s time there. Her investment, kindness, and overall perspective are exactly what the new rockers, especially Sage and Fletch, need. On the other hand, Camp Rock 3 makes it easy to grow to love experiencing the camp through Lark’s eyes. Sherry Cola – a total joy to watch from start to finish – has such a handle on the movie’s comedic beat.
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Meeting the New Generation of Rockers
Lark is one of the many, many new characters, which is where Camp Rock 3 runs into a similar problem that Descendants: Wicked Wonderland had. There are too many characters and not enough time to explore them. Madison, who draws a natural comparison to Meaghan Martin’s Tess, mainly works as a plot device.
Brooklynn Pitts does so much with what Camp Rock 3 gives Callie, which isn’t enough. The scene between Sage and Callie is reason enough for more, and it’s disappointing that the movie doesn’t follow through with Callie and Desi’s dance lessons. The lack of the latter makes the jump to her inclusion in Desi’s Final Jam number less rewarding for their dynamic. There’s so much potential there!
Alternatively, the Final 5 really start to come into their own with Lark’s tour bus challenge. Thankfully, the movie spends significant time in those scenes – every pairing and the group as a whole comes out of them stronger. It helps that the smartest thing Camp Rock 3 does is remove phones from the equation.
Not only does the lack of technology aid the story, but it makes this movie feel more like that 2010s summer camp from before. Mostly, the phones’ absence creates opportunities for the characters to communicate. It also adds to the mystery and then the revelation about Fletch. The rumors around him seem to rival – in a PG sense – Patrick Verona’s in 10 Things I Hate About You.
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It’s (Not Really) All About the Music
Barton and Segura have great chemistry as Fletch and Sage. Their scene on the bus is sweet, vulnerable, and pivotal for their characters and the movie. It’s disappointing that they don’t have a duet in Camp Rock 3, but it is nice that Sage and Desi do with “Rhythm’s Only Right.” It charmingly resolves their preexisting drama. The only thing that would have made it better is if the movie had lived in their tension about the band breakup rather than overexplaining it.
As for the new songs, the standouts are in the bookends of “One Beat Away” and “Work in Progress.” As for a Final Jam performance, Rosie’s “Play It My Way” has the energy of Lemonade Mouth’s “She’s So Gone.” Lumi Pollack navigates Rosie’s clearly defined arc so beautifully that she earns that breakout performance. As for the band, Camp Rock 3 is always building to that reveal, and it still hit the emotional beats of everyone joining Sage on stage.
This cast is so talented that it’s a letdown that they don’t have more original songs to work with in Camp Rock 3. The movie tends to be more preoccupied with putting a new spin on the franchise’s biggest songs. When it does, they can be a little over-produced, which pulls from the stars’ raw talent. The franchise has always had it. Remember a 15-year-old Demi Lovato singing acapella in Camp Rock or the impact of Camp Rock 2’s “Wouldn’t Change a Thing?”
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Connect 3 Are Reconnecting…Again
After being spoiled with “Play My Music” and “Heart and Soul,” it’s disappointing to only get a snippet of Connect 3’s “Come On Over.” However, that choice works in-story to show how disconnected they are as a group now. There are obvious parallels between Connect 3’s journey and that of the Jonas Brothers, which long-time fans will notice right away. Those tethers create narrative depth as the real-life brothers try to find the fictional brothers’ voices again.
For example, “And I just want us to feel like us, not the version everyone expects” – on paper and in Joe Jonas’s delivery – sounds so much like Shane Gray that it almost takes me aback. Camp Rock 3 feels the character’s trajectory in that grounded line. On the other hand, it’s hilarious to make Jason a dad who’s always losing his baby. That development is somehow more believable than Nate becoming an actor, but that career move parallels Nick Jonas’s life.
Regardless, Joe, Nick, and Kevin Jonas are entirely enjoyable to watch, and Camp Rock 3 misses them when they’re (understandably) off-screen. However, since they need to communicate better, the movie would benefit from one solid scene outside that conference call before they return to Camp Rock. Regardless, it’s much appreciated that Camp Rock 3 follows Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam — not Camp Rock — and confirms that Connect 3 are, in fact, brothers.
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Demi Lovato as Mitchie at the Final Jam
Camp Rock 3 is less upfront about Shane and Mitchie’s relationship status, so it’s all about the details, like Shane hugging Connie at the beginning. After Wizards Beyond Waverly Place revealed that Alex and Mason can’t be together because he died, there’s reasonable trepidation around seeing another fan-favorite Disney Channel couple again. That (momentarily) subsides into genuine joy when Demi Lovato reprises her role as Mitchie Torres at the Final Jam.
Lovato’s fans, myself included, know how big of a deal this is – how healing it is. So, it’s really moving to see her again, even for a small cameo that almost would be sweeter if it were kept a surprise. It’s fantastic that Camp Rock 3 gives Canals-Barrera’s Connie and Lovato’s Mitchie their own mother/daughter scene first. Connie is right when she says that Mitchie will “always be Camp Rock’s star.” Camp Rock 3 knows that – there is no Camp Rock without Lovato’s Mitchie. It’s rewarding to learn that Mitchie has an established, successful career.
The dialogue also insinuates that Mitchie and Shane aren’t together anymore. Even so, there’s a real fondness between them – Shane lights up just hearing Mitchie’s voice again. Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas still have such great chemistry as Mitchie and Shane that their shared looks fill in the blanks in their lines.
There’s a lot to be said about Shane returning to Mitchie’s side with the intention of a future. Mitchie replying, “You’re on,” to Shane asking, “So same time next year?” is truly thrilling for them and this franchise. Then again, so is Lovato bringing back “She’s really good!” and Mitchie helping Connect 3 make the right choice. There’s so much to love in those final minutes, including Sage and Mitchie having a moment. Ending with a version of “We Rock” that brings both generations together is the perfect beat for Camp Rock 3 to go out on.
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