You know it’s important when it happens in the rain. Picture: Madman Films

The original As It Is In Heaven was something of a miracle in itself. From good word-of-mouth, the little Swedish film that could ran for 103 weeks in one Australian cinema when it first came out locally 10 years ago.

The original, starring Michael Nyqvist as Daniel Dareus as a famous composer who moved back to his childhood hometown for health reasons, was an uplifting but grounded tale about how music and community can change people’s lives.

Even though it’s been a decade since the final credits rolled on the original, the sequel, As It Is In Heaven 2: Heaven On Earth, picks up only a few months later. Lena (Frida Hallgren), the now-deceased Daniel’s lover, is pregnant with his child and gives birth at home in the middle of a snowstorm.

She’s still somewhat of a town pariah in this tiny northern Swedish village, with small-minded folk blasting her for her “wild” ways and accusing her of getting pregnant with Daniel’s child purely because he’s famous.

Ragtag crew of amateurs. Picture: Madman FilmsSource:Supplied

Lena is implored by the alcoholic village pastor Stig (Niklas Falk) to be the church’s musical director, hoping her popularity as a singer in the choir and the band will draw a crowd, boosting his practically non-existent flock.

She’s reluctant at first and only really takes the gig after a nasty former boyfriend tells her she isn’t capable of handling the music for an upcoming TV special on the church’s anniversary.

It’s a common refrain in the movie, judgmental forces trying to take down Lena and her attempt to stage Handel’s “Messiah” with everyday folk from the village. Stig, Lena’s benefactor is some ways, is just hanging on with his church bosses threatening to strip him of his position for daring to try something new and different.

Fighting back. Pic: Madman Films.Source:Supplied

Lena may be strong-headed, bossy and exuberant but is easily dented by the scorn of the old conservative forces of the town and the church. One character, who’s literally renovating the church, makes the not so subtle parallel between the building and the institution: “Its foundation is old and rotten”.

While many of the same characters from the first film make a return for the sequel, much like the sound in those early “Messiah” rehearsals, it feels flat. The story lacks emotional punch and you never end up investing in the stakes. It also suffers from pacing issues where the middle drags out while the last act is rushed to only a semi-satisfying conclusion.

This sequel doesn’t have the same heart and soul as its predecessor, failing to capture the feel-good spirit that made the first movie such a sleeper hit.

Rating: 2.5/5

As It Is In Heaven 2: Heaven on Earth is in cinemas from Thursday, August 4.

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