Camp Rock 3 was always going to have a lot to live up to, especially with how nostalgic and memorable the original film was. Unfortunately, while there are a few enjoyable moments throughout, this third instalment never comes close to capturing the same charm, energy or personality that made the first Camp Rock so enjoyable.

The film clearly knows that nostalgia is one of its biggest selling points, but at times it relies on that far too heavily rather than giving the story enough of its own identity. There are moments that are fun for longtime fans, but a lot of the writing and humour feels overly cheesy, even for a Camp Rock film, and some scenes are difficult to take seriously.

The music is also a mixed bag. There are a couple of songs that work well enough in the moment, but none of them feel particularly memorable or have the same impact as tracks from the original. One of the biggest strengths of the first film was how naturally the music fitted into the story, whereas here some of the musical moments feel much more forced.

The performances are perfectly fine for what the film is trying to do, but there is very little that really stands out. The original worked because the cast had such strong chemistry and there was a genuine sense of fun between the characters. Camp Rock 3 struggles to recreate that same feeling, and as a result the emotional moments never land as strongly as they should.

Overall, Camp Rock 3 is a fairly harmless watch and there will definitely be some enjoyment here for fans who grew up with the franchise. However, it feels more like an attempt to recapture the nostalgia of the original rather than something that truly justifies another instalment. It has its fun moments, but the cheesy writing, forgettable music and lack of the original film’s charm ultimately make this a disappointing return to Camp Rock.