This review was made possible by Popped receiving an advanced screener of Camp Rock 3.
After almost 16 years away, the doors to Camp Rock are finally open again. When Connect 3 lose their opening act for their upcoming reunion tour, Shane, Nate and Jason return to Camp Rock in the hope of finding the next big thing. What follows is a new competition between the campers, with friendships, rivalries and romances developing as they fight for the chance to join the band on tour. At the centre of it all is Sage, played by Liamani Segura, who quickly finds herself surrounded by a new group of musicians who could end up changing her summer completely.
The Return of One of “The Big Three”
Ask anyone to name “The Big Three” Disney Channel Original Movie franchises, and nine times out of ten you’ll get the same answer: High School Musical, Descendants and Camp Rock.
All three have managed to retain a place in the musical zeitgeist long after their original runs, which makes it somewhat surprising that it has taken 15 years for Disney to properly revisit Camp Rock – if you ignore the incredible third season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, which adopted the camp setting and pinched a few songs for its soundtrack.
Descendants has already entered its next generation, albeit with mixed results, and it feels increasingly inevitable that High School Musical will eventually receive the same treatment again with a new, fourth film (with or without the OG cast). Now, Camp Rock 3 arrives to pass the microphone to a new group of campers while bringing Connect 3 back to the place where it all began.
The returning generation is handled with a surprising amount of restraint. Connect 3 are back ahead of their aptly named “Reconnected” tour, and while Joe, Nick and Kevin Jonas have relatively small roles, they are far more present throughout Camp Rock 3 than I expected them to be.
Early on, we even get a small taste of a new song, “Come On Over”, a rather poetic way of bringing the trio back to the place where their story began. The brothers slip comfortably back into Shane, Nate and Jason. There are signs that the years have changed them, but the film doesn’t spend too much time catching us up on everything that has happened since Camp Rock 2. Instead, the most interesting development is that Connect 3 themselves aren’t completely in sync. There are communication problems, and an underlying tension between the brothers ahead of the tour, with their manager Lark caught somewhere in the middle.
Played by Sherry Cola, Lark becomes Connect 3’s presence at Camp Rock when the brothers cannot be there themselves, moving into camp and taking charge of the competition to find their new opening act. A move which made so much sense when you consider, in real life, that the brothers were on tour during production, so a clever way of keeping the band central to the premise without requiring the Jonas Brothers to actually appear in the film.
Elsewhere, Connie Torres has taken over as Camp Rock’s director, which feels like the most natural possible progression for Mitchie’s mum. Maria Canals-Barrera slips straight back into the role, even getting a knowing “Yep, I’m Mitchie’s mom” acknowledgement. Mitchie herself is spoken about almost like a Camp Rock legend, someone whose life was completely changed by the place, but that’s essentially where her presence ends. What I like about the inclusion of he old characters is that they are there to give the new generation a foundation, not to stop them from building something of their own.
‘Camp Rock 3’ Has Found Its New Stars
If Disney wanted someone to take over from Demi Lovato as the face of Camp Rock, Liamani Segura was a pretty obvious choice. She is a star and has been for quite some time now. Segura is easily a triple threat. She has a great screen presence, can dance and has one of the best singing voices Disney has produced in a long time, and what was great to see is that Camp Rock 3 gives her far more to work with than Descendants: Wicked Wonderland did, and she owns it. I could genuinely see her being one of the faces of Disney for the next few years, not that she already isn’t.
The bigger surprise for me was Malachi Barton as Fletch. Barton gave a fairly forgettable performance in the last Zombies film, so despite all the online buzz around him, I went into Camp Rock 3 with pretty low expectations, and I am pleased to say that he completely surprised me. There is a lot of effort in the performance. Barton sings, plays guitar and gives Fletch an endearing personality that makes him an essential part of the Core 5 rather than just Sage’s obvious love interest, the polar opposite to his role in the Zombies franchise.
He and Segura also have instant chemistry, which helps their relationship develop without needing the film to scream at you that these two obviously like each other. Although by the end of the film, Camp Rock 3 does basically turn into Love Island. There are three different pairings all brooding over one another at points, and even though I like all of them individually, it does start to feel like everyone needs to be matched up with someone.
As Rosie, Lumi Pollack has less to do compared to the other members of Core 5, but there are plenty of things to love about her. She comes as a cellist with somewhat protective parents and is pretty much a total Daddy’s girl, even going so far as to use her cello as her emotional support animal at one point, which is a clever way of setting her apart right away from the rest: the girl who initially doesn’t want to perform but quickly breaks out of her shell.
Probably the most prominent comedic performance in this is Casey Trotter, who plays Cliff. He makes himself look like a complete fool and finds himself in all sorts of funny situations – even gets stuck on a playground climbing frame somehow – while at the same time falling madly in love with Rosie. Although he does not know how to sing, he is an exceptional drummer and beat-boxer, and has a very fidgety sense of nature, normally frowned upon by people around him. At Camp Rock, doing exactly what everyone tells him not to do becomes his reason to be there, a lovely full-circle realisation for his character during one of the film’s most pivotal scenes.
Hudson Stone gives one of the film’s stronger musical performances, and I would probably put him behind Liamani as the second-best singer of the new group. His sibling relationship with Sage is also handled really well. There is tension between them from the beginning after Sage broke up their band, but the film lets that rivalry develop rather than resolving it immediately.
Desi also develops a cute relationship with Callie, played by Brooklynn Pitts, who was probably the biggest supporting character surprise for me. Pitts has barely featured in the film’s promotion, but Callie actually has a fairly large role. She is Sage’s friend and bunkmate, acts as Lark’s number two during the competition and gets a proper chance to show off how good a dancer she is.
Ava Jean plays the film’s resident mean girl and influencer, Maddie, and she is such an obvious acknowledgement of the Tess archetype from the original Camp Rock. She knows she is good, knows everyone else knows she is good and brings her own backup dancers, known as “Maddie’s Baddies”, with her, played by Ella Lucas and Orlando Lucas as Danielle and Daniel, giving Maddie the kind of ridiculous minions that almost make her feel like a Disney Channel version of Regina George.
The problem is that Maddie’s actual antagonistic behaviour gets a bit much. She moves beyond simply being competitive and starts actively trying to sabotage the Core 5, but the film does not really give that side of her a satisfying resolution. It is one of those cases where the character idea is better than some of the execution.
The Music
A Camp Rock film obviously lives and dies by its music, and thankfully Camp Rock 3 has plenty of it. This is probably the most jam-packed soundtrack of the franchise so far. The nature of the film allows for so many more songs than usual, with the campers competing through a series of musical challenges, and most of the songs actually help move the story forward rather than bringing it to a halt.
The first proper new number, “One Beat Away”, is probably my favourite song in the film. The first big song needs to be good, especially when you are trying to introduce an entirely new generation, and this one delivers.
“Tomorrow” is another standout and probably makes my Top 3 of the new songs, especially thanks to the acoustic version we hear earlier in the film. Malachi Barton sounds great and continues to prove why he was such a surprise for me here. Desi’s solo “Get Ready” is also ridiculously catchy, with a repetitive chorus that feels made for TikTok, some great choreography and a nice saxophone element running through the track. It is definitely one I can see myself revisiting.
“Rhythm’s Only Right”, performed by Sage and Desi, feels the most traditional Camp Rock song of the new bunch. It has a really fun beat and uses their sibling relationship well, with lyrics about sharing the same heartbeat and having the same tempo despite how much they fight. It is cheesy, but it is exactly the right kind of cheesy for a film like this, and the pair sound great together.
“Echo” is another highlight, although a lot of that comes from where it appears in the story. By this point, the Core 5 have properly bonded, and seeing them all playing instruments together gives the song a real feeling of unity. It feels very much reminiscent of some of the Lemonade Mouth songs and how that ensemble comes together; the song itself arrives at the exact moment when the group needs to feel like a proper unit, making it one of the better examples of the music and character development working together.
Not every new song lands. Cliff’s song is easily the weakest for me and has a sound that weirdly reminds me of Bruno Mars’ “Bonde Do Brunão”, which does absolutely nothing for me. Rosie’s big song is fine, but the performance itself is lifted by the use of strings and her cello, making it feel completely tied to her character rather than just giving her a generic pop number. Her vocals are also great, even if the song itself is not one I would rush to replay.
Without getting too deep into spoilers, Sage’s Final Jam performance also works better in the film than I think the song does on its own. Before she sings, she uses her moment to highlight what each of the other members of the Core 5 brings to the group, essentially making the case for all of them rather than herself. The performance eventually becomes a collaboration between the five, which works brilliantly as a payoff to how close they have become, even if the song itself is just fine.
The competition format is probably one of the film’s smartest ideas because it gives all of these performances a purpose. Each challenge naturally pushes the story into its next act and gives the campers something new to overcome. I had barely watched any of the promotional material beforehand, outside of an out-of-context clip of the first challenge using “Play My Music”, which reminded me of both the Beauty and the Beast audition in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and “Since U Been Gone” in Pitch Perfect. In context, it works far better than I expected.
The second challenge is probably an even better example of the competition working alongside the story. Callie leads the campers through a dance number while Lark eliminates them one by one, eventually leaving the Core 5 as the remaining contestants. It also becomes an important moment for Sage and Desi, with Sage deliberately bumping into her brother to stop Lark eliminating him when he struggles with the choreography. The film is at its best when its musical numbers are doing several things at once like this.
The Era of Nostalgia Bait and Key-Jangling
I am really torn on the nostalgia in Camp Rock 3. Part of the film’s message is clearly about finding your own voice while still appreciating where you came from, so bringing back old songs and references makes complete sense.
The opening use of “Brand New Day” works especially well. It immediately places you back in the world of Camp Rock, and after rewatching the film, I actually think it is one of the better uses of an old song. “Play My Music” also works well within the competition, even if I would still choose the original version to listen to over it every time.
The same can be said for some of the other returning songs. I do not particularly like the new arrangement of “Start the Party”, but I enjoy how it is used within the challenge itself, while “It’s On” is another cover where I prefer the original. The problem is less that these songs are being brought back and more that the film sometimes becomes far too obvious about reminding you that they exist.
I know I am being a complete hypocrite here because Marvel can jangle some nostalgia keys in front of me and I will probably be there for it, but there are moments in Camp Rock 3 where the callbacks just read as cringe. At points it feels like the film is shouting “hey, remember this line?” or “hey, remember this bit?” rather than letting the references happen naturally.
The worst example is a scene which includes the use of “It’s On”. Someone literally says “Oh, now it’s on”, as the song starts playing. It is so painfully obvious that you can almost feel the script being written backwards from the callback. There’s another iconic Shane line from the first film which is repeated, another one that made me roll my eyes, even if I know plenty of fans will probably love it. I don’t actually think there is too much nostalgia bait in the film, but the quality of the callbacks is very 50/50.
There is also something nice about how much the older music made me want to revisit the first two films and their soundtracks. Hopefully younger audiences coming into Camp Rock 3 for Liamani Segura, Malachi Barton, or the rest of the new cast do exactly the same thing. If this film can introduce a new generation to the music that made people love Camp Rock in the first place, then a lot of that nostalgia has served its purpose.
A Few Rough Edges
The biggest technical problem with Camp Rock 3 is easily the editing, which is genuinely strange in places. There are a few scenes where it appears to have been cut at slightly the wrong time, meaning you briefly see a character movement or collision happen twice. It happens enough that I started noticing it whenever it appeared, and whether it was intentional or not, I found it really distracting.
It is particularly frustrating because the cinematography itself is mostly really good. The camera moves well around the choreography, and most of the musical sequences are staged clearly, with some really nice framing throughout. There has clearly been thought put into how these performances should look, which makes the occasional awkward edit stand out even more.
The script will probably be another sticking point for some older viewers, but I honestly don’t have a problem with most of it. Yes, it is childish at times, and yes, there is plenty of very Gen Z dialogue, but this is a Disney Channel Original Movie aimed at kids and teenagers in the big 26. Most of the humour and character interactions work perfectly fine, but lines designed purely to set up old songs or references are where the writing becomes much harder to defend. Again, “Oh, now it’s on” might haunt me for a while.
The Future of ‘Camp Rock’
Perhaps the biggest compliment I can give Camp Rock 3 is that I already want another one. Not another nostalgia revival in ten years when everyone is older, but an actual Camp Rock 4 with this cast. The Core 5 have enough chemistry and personality that there are already plenty of directions Disney could take them in next.
Whatever happens, though, I would still bring them back to Camp Rock. The franchise would lose something important if the camp itself disappeared, and another summer there feels like the most natural setting for a fourth film. What I would not do is repeat the competition format, because it has done its job perfectly here and deserves to remain something specific to this story.
I would also happily see more legacy characters return, as long as they do not take over. Lark should absolutely come back, while Mitchie deserves a much bigger role next time around. Throw in one or two other characters from the previous films as well if there is a natural reason for them to be there, but keep the Core 5 at the centre. Without getting too specific about the ending, the film certainly leaves the door open for another summer, with an extended appearance from one specific cast member…
At this moment in time, I would rather see Disney make a Camp Rock 4 than a Descendants 6. The newer Descendants films have struggled to convince me that the franchise still needs to keep going, while it has taken one film for this new Camp Rock cast to make me want another one. Great cast, good story, strong music. There is more than enough here to justify another summer at camp.
‘Camp Rock 3’ – Final Thoughts
At a time when DCOM nostalgia is at an all-time high, Camp Rock 3 manages to celebrate what came before while successfully introducing a whole new group of characters. It is not perfect, with some painfully obvious nostalgia baiting, a handful of weaker songs and editing that can be genuinely distracting, but there is far more here that works than does not.
The competition gives the film a really solid structure, the music helps move the story forward and the returning cast are used without completely taking attention away from the people who actually need to carry this franchise now. Most importantly, the Core 5 work. Liamani Segura continues to prove she is one of Disney’s biggest young stars, Malachi Barton is a genuine surprise and the wider ensemble has enough chemistry to make this feel like the start of something rather than a one-off revival.
Camp Rock 3 might spend a little too much time holding onto the past, but it gives its new generation enough room to prove that the future of Camp Rock is in pretty safe hands.
Camp Rock 3 releases on Disney+ on August 14. Check out the trailer below:
