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Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 demonstrates girl power. This estrogen-filled alternative isn’t as good as the first, but is saved by its lovely young cast.

I want to warn my fellow dudes: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 is an estrogen-filled alternative to The Dark Knight. It’s all about females, for females, produced by females. I have no problem with that, but even the Sex and the City movie couldn’t claim all of that. (I reviewed that too-how do I end up with these “chick flicks”?)  Enjoyable and far more entertaining than I thought it’d be, Sisterhood 2 doesn’t outshine the original but it’s saved by its charming young female stars. Thinly plotted, talky and leisurely paced, it will certainly please the legions of young girls who’ll turn out for it.

Traveling Pants 2, like the first Sisterhood movie, is based on a series of popular young adult novels by Ann Brashares. There are four novels, and the first film was based on the first book and this one is based on the fourth – skimming over the other two books. The four main characters in Sisterhood 2 are: Carmen (America Ferrera), Bridget (Blake Lively), Tibby (Amber Tamblyn) and Lena (Alexis Bledel). The four have a magical pair of jeans they trade off wearing each summer, and after each wears them, wonderful, life-changing events happen in their lives.

Carmen spends her summer doing theatre work in Vermont; Bridget spends time in Turkey digging some rocks; Tibby and Lena both spend time in New York City in summer school and working. All have their share of relational issues as Bridget comes to terms with her Mom’s untimely suicide; Carmen finds security in being herself on stage; Tibby and Lena both have serious issues with the men in their lives.

This junior-league Sex and the City has some funny, sweet moments, though its not as the entertaining or fun as the first Sisterhood.  The best moments of Sisterhood 2 are when all four girls are together, which is minimal given the screenplay’s focus on the separate plots. The likable cast blends together well and carries the film with a warm, friendly chemistry.

Career-wise, it’s amazing how things have changed for Sisterhood 2’s cast. When the first Sisterhood was released in 2005, Tamblyn and Bledel were stars of their hit series, Joan of Arcadia and Gilmore Girls, respectively, and they were that film’s drawing card.  Now the tables have turned and it’s Emmy-winning Ferrera of TV’s Ugly Betty and Gossip Girl’s Lively who are now the more recognizable faces.

Ferrera continues to shine; she gave the best performance in the first Sisterhood and anchors this film with another measured performance. She’s a natural, immensely likable talent whom the camera clearly loves. Lively is also quite good as the only girl of the four without a boyfriend but the one who has far more serious issues than the other three put together.

Undertandably, Tamblyn and especially Bledel have lesser storylines in Sisterhood 2, but the caustic Tamblyn still has the funniest lines and Bledel a ravishing beauty with the most handsome boyfriends. Sisterhood 2’s lovely cast carries the film this time around, as the derivative writing and pacing problems bring the film down. Secondary characters are hardly developed, while other situations (particularly Bledel’s) are handled awkwardly, glossed over or just written badly. Solid character actresses Blythe Danner (yes, she’s Gweneth Paltrow’s mom) and Indian actress Shohreh Aghdashloo shine in underwritten roles that are a part of Lively’s storyline, the most involving of the four plots.

Sisterhood 2 goes on for what seems an eternity in man time, but the target audience of teen girls will swoon, sway and enjoy every minute of it. By the time our young ladies finally all get together in Greece in its last act - unfortunately, no Mamma Mia dancers here swaying to ABBS songs – most of them probably won’t care what happens as long as it ends happily (and it does) amidst the Grecian sights and sounds.

As for those traveling pants – really an old pair of jeans - they seem too much a plot contrivance in Sisterhood 2. Their charm from the first film has clearly worn off and this time around, with the girls older – they’re really better off without them.

This dude enjoyed Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 more than I should admit (mainly because of Ferrera) but if most guys want to keep peace in their relationship (after all, it is about girl power), they probably will too.

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