Review: ‘Pitch Perfect 3’ sends series out on bum note

It turns out “Pitch Perfect” was a one-hit wonder.

Back in 2012, the perky story about a college a cappella group was a charming, fresh, funny hit. It even scored star Anna Kendrick a No. 6 single on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart (for “Cups”).

A lazy sequel followed in 2015, and now comes “Pitch Perfect 3,” which, even as it turns into a spy movie parody and an advertisement for DJ Khaled’s career, can barely eek out a feature length running time. The Bellas have fallen from grace faster than Iggy Azalea.

The story opens with Beca (Anna Kendrick) quitting her job as a producer at a record label. She’s living in New York with her roomies, Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) and Chloe (Brittany Snow), and none of their lives are as fun-filled as they were when they were in college, singing David Guetta songs. (Hey, it’s a tough high to come down from.)

At a Bellas reunion, Aubrey (Anna Camp) says she can hook the group up with a spot on a USO tour. So off they go, and soon they’re performing for troops and squaring off in a battle of the bands-type competition to land an opening spot on a tour by DJ Khaled. (The hip-hop catchphrase spewer is treated here like a musical genius and great fosterer of talent, one of the better jokes in the movie, even though it’s not treated as one.)

Side plots include a couple of love interests for the girls whose characters don’t amount to much more than their haircuts, Fat Amy’s reunion with her dad (John Lithgow brandishing a comical Aussie accent) and the aforementioned spy flick send-up. This swan song is in serious need of some Auto-Tune.

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‘Pitch Perfect 3’

GRADE: D

Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content, language and some action

Running time: 94 minutes