Rio 2 (2014): Dir: Carlos Saldanha / Voices: Jessie Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Jemaine Clement, Kristin Chenoweth, Bruno Mars: As with the wretched Crocodile Dundee 2, this animated sequel reverses the events of the first film. This time it is discovered that Blu and Jewel are not the only blue macaws in the world as more have been discovered in the Amazon. Blu and Jewel live in a bird sanctuary under protection but Jewel desires to return to her roots. Blu is reluctant but at the urge of his three ambitious hatchlings and other feathered friends he relents. Once there Jewel is reunited with her family and this is where familiar formula elements rain in. Her uptight father will, of course, not accept Blu, leaving him to have to prove himself. And let us not forget that male suitor who is so much better than Blu at pretty much everything. They are also being pursued by cockatoo Nigel out for revenge on Blu after the events of the first film. He is joined by an affectionate poison dart frog named Gabi and an anteater with a tongue for many talents. Despite dim plotting and formula story telling the climax works with the Amazon clashing with human greed. Jessie Eisenberg voices Blu who is adjusting to non-city life. Anne Hathaway voices Jewel who seeks home. Jemaine Clement and Kristin Chenoweth provide much hilarity voicing Nigel and Gabi. Bruno Mars voices the potential suitor to Jewel whom is slicker than Blu and seems to be better at everything. Unfortunately the gorgeous Amazon presented cannot make up for a drab screenplay that ultimately goes to the birds. Score: 5 ½ / 10
151 Reviews
Some high quality scenes make not a good movie.
Schwanitz-Georg6 April 2014
Warning: Spoilers
I am not the kind of person to write reviews on my own, but this one you will read is made not only by me, but also by my 7 year old daughter, who watched this movie with me.
The movie started good. The 3D is good, the dancing animals and the introduction of Blue's family were creating big smiles on the face of my daughter. If the movie would have continued the same way we would rank it with 7 or 8 stars.
After a while I noticed the movie lost its speed, its flavor and most of the charm. Without 3D it would have been worse but with it it was still okay for me.
The reason why we rank it with only 5 stars is the following. After 60 min. my daughter started to become anxious. I asked her why she seems so nervous and she told me that she is bored. And in my surprise I noticed i am too and the kids around us. There was no laughter and no giggling. This should not happen in a movie with an average rating of 7 and my daughter and the other kids fitting into the target group.
The end of the movie was okay and my daughter watched it again with attention. But that I had to ask my daughter, if she wants to leave during the movie, lets us stay with 5 out of 10 points.
Watch it at home on DVD, but do not spend 20 (Germany) for an average movie.
For comparison to RIO No1: The reason we went into this movie in the first place, was that we own the BlueRay of Rio. We watched it together several times and we were looking forward to watch the second part.
The movie started good. The 3D is good, the dancing animals and the introduction of Blue's family were creating big smiles on the face of my daughter. If the movie would have continued the same way we would rank it with 7 or 8 stars.
After a while I noticed the movie lost its speed, its flavor and most of the charm. Without 3D it would have been worse but with it it was still okay for me.
The reason why we rank it with only 5 stars is the following. After 60 min. my daughter started to become anxious. I asked her why she seems so nervous and she told me that she is bored. And in my surprise I noticed i am too and the kids around us. There was no laughter and no giggling. This should not happen in a movie with an average rating of 7 and my daughter and the other kids fitting into the target group.
The end of the movie was okay and my daughter watched it again with attention. But that I had to ask my daughter, if she wants to leave during the movie, lets us stay with 5 out of 10 points.
Watch it at home on DVD, but do not spend 20 (Germany) for an average movie.
For comparison to RIO No1: The reason we went into this movie in the first place, was that we own the BlueRay of Rio. We watched it together several times and we were looking forward to watch the second part.
An enjoyable sequel
TheLittleSongbird19 April 2014
As someone who loved the first film, while the advertising was not the best it didn't put me off seeing Rio 2. And it was very enjoyable, not as good as the original but it is an example of animated sequels that do work. The story and the pacing are uneven here, with the film getting off to a slightly slow start and feeling rushed in other places, though you do have to admire the energy there is. There are plenty of fun parts with the second half far more compelling than the first and the film rarely has a dull moment, but structurally it is on the thin side and content-wise it feels overstuffed. However, if you want lots of colour, catchy music, fun and good characters and voice acting, Rio 2 very like its predecessor doesn't disappoint. The animation is amazing with lots of vibrant detail especially in the backgrounds and nothing looks hurried or static. The colours are even more brighter and colourful than the first film too. The music has that Brazilian flavour and the songs are incredibly catchy. Don't Go Away is a very touching song, but the highlights are the pizazz-personified Poisonous Love and the hilarious rap version of I Will Survive(thought I'd never say this, can't stand rap on the most part). While the film does feel overstuffed, the content is actually really good, dialogue-wise it's smartly written and has a fair amount of heart while the gags provide plenty of laughs with sharp timing, the best being the soccer match, the jungle auditions and any scene(the Romeo and Juliet part in particular) with Gabi and Nigel. The characters are still engaging, Blu and Jewel are likable lead characters though they had more to do in the first one and Nigel has that menacing streak but is a riot. There are some great new characters as well, with Gabi as good a character as and in some cases even better the original ones. The voice acting adds to that, Jemaine Clement and Kristen Chenoweth are both phenomenal helped by that they have the film's best moments, though Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Andy Garcia and everybody else acquit themselves more than fine too. To conclude, a good sequel to a great original, enjoyed it a lot and when it comes to animated sequels there is definitely much worse(ie. Secret of NIMH 2). 7/10 Bethany Cox
OK but Rio was far better.
adityakumarprasad14 April 2014
Warning: Spoilers
As I said, Rio was much better, exciting and thrilling.
After the 1st movie Blu and jewel have settled in Rio and have 3 kids. On TV they see blu's earlier owner and protector trying to find more macaw's in the Amazon. Jewel suggests that all of them should go to the Amazon forrest to help their human friends - Linda and her husband.
They leave for Amazon and thrill beings. In the meanwhile the villein from the first movie - Nigel the cockatoo tries to take revenge for making him a bird which cannot fly. Along with that mission his friends join - the frog who is perpetually in love with Nigel and the ant eater who is interested in only eating ants and nothing else. Later his tongue is used for way too many interesting activities.
Gabi, the frog, is the most funny of all. Her love for Nigel is out of this world and her dialogues, her song, her accent is way too funny. Bulldog is cute. Nigel's audition is incredible. Blu's induction program and training for getting accustomed to jungle life is funny too.
Over all the movie has the expected share of charm, colors, songs, dance sequences, thrill and cuteness. But that's the problem, these things were expected and hence the movie was at par. Nothing extraordinary or above average.
I would say, you wait for it to appear on TV and then watch it. Rio series is made my the same folks as Ice Age. Rio 2 may not be big hit. I liked it as a one time watch. It's in 3D, just fyi.
After the 1st movie Blu and jewel have settled in Rio and have 3 kids. On TV they see blu's earlier owner and protector trying to find more macaw's in the Amazon. Jewel suggests that all of them should go to the Amazon forrest to help their human friends - Linda and her husband.
They leave for Amazon and thrill beings. In the meanwhile the villein from the first movie - Nigel the cockatoo tries to take revenge for making him a bird which cannot fly. Along with that mission his friends join - the frog who is perpetually in love with Nigel and the ant eater who is interested in only eating ants and nothing else. Later his tongue is used for way too many interesting activities.
Gabi, the frog, is the most funny of all. Her love for Nigel is out of this world and her dialogues, her song, her accent is way too funny. Bulldog is cute. Nigel's audition is incredible. Blu's induction program and training for getting accustomed to jungle life is funny too.
Over all the movie has the expected share of charm, colors, songs, dance sequences, thrill and cuteness. But that's the problem, these things were expected and hence the movie was at par. Nothing extraordinary or above average.
I would say, you wait for it to appear on TV and then watch it. Rio series is made my the same folks as Ice Age. Rio 2 may not be big hit. I liked it as a one time watch. It's in 3D, just fyi.
The birds strike again! 6/10
leonblackwood30 August 2014
Review: I did prefer the original Rio because of the catchy tunes, but that's not to say that this is a bad movie. The storyline was quite good and the animation looked brilliant. The vibrant colours and the attention to detail was spot on but the jokes weren't as funny as the original. I liked some scenes like the auditions and some of the songs and the new characters were a great addition to the cast. The main problem that I found with the film was that it seemed like there was a lot going on at once. You've got the humans taking down the forest and the main character, Blue, trying to convince his wife that there old life was better than life in the Amazon. Then you've got a human couple who are trying to explore the Amazon and get caught up with thugs who don't want there operation interrupted. Anyway, when you put all of these elements together, it does make a good movie that must have taken a lot of work from the creators, but for some unknown reason, the simpler original was more enjoyable.
Round-Up: This movie really does have some top names used as the voices of the characters. From Jesse Eissenberg, who seems to be in form at the moment, to Anne Hathaway and Andy Garcia who voices Eduardo, all the characters really do work together. Even Jamie Foxx, Bruno Mars, Tracy Morgan and Will.I.Am bring some urban flavour to the movie which really works as the comedy element. Anyway, on a whole, it's a great watch for the kids and there is some jokes for the adults which makes it fun for the whole family. Judging by the box office takings, I'm sure that were going to see a 3rd instalment of the birds on there adventures.
Budget: $103million Worldwide Gross: $496million (WOW!)
I recommend this movie to people who were fans of the first Rio and who are into there animation movies about birds saving the Amazon. 6/10
Round-Up: This movie really does have some top names used as the voices of the characters. From Jesse Eissenberg, who seems to be in form at the moment, to Anne Hathaway and Andy Garcia who voices Eduardo, all the characters really do work together. Even Jamie Foxx, Bruno Mars, Tracy Morgan and Will.I.Am bring some urban flavour to the movie which really works as the comedy element. Anyway, on a whole, it's a great watch for the kids and there is some jokes for the adults which makes it fun for the whole family. Judging by the box office takings, I'm sure that were going to see a 3rd instalment of the birds on there adventures.
Budget: $103million Worldwide Gross: $496million (WOW!)
I recommend this movie to people who were fans of the first Rio and who are into there animation movies about birds saving the Amazon. 6/10
Even if Rio 2 seems preachy, it is still a gorgeously rendered animation that celebrates song and dance through a kaleidoscopic burst of colors.
LloydBayer10 April 2014
As a sequel to the 2011 original, Rio 2 continues in the tradition of its older sibling with screwball humor and madcap mischief. While maintaining a pedigree for celebrating song and dance through a kaleidoscopic burst of colors, Rio 2 is gorgeously rendered but offset by a clichéd script that is also laced with classroom lecture.
This sequel begins in Rio de Janeiro where our feathered friends Blu and Jewel (Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway) discover that they are not the last of their species after all. Along with their three kids, they leave Rio and fly to the Amazonian rain forest where an entire flock of blue macaws was reportedly spotted. As it turns out, the flock exists and is headed by Jewel's long lost father Eduardo (Andy Garcia) and guarded by her old flame Roberto (Bruno Mars). Now reduced to a stuttering parrot, Blu must man-up to his overzealous father-in-law (think Robert De Niro in Meet the Parents) while thwarting Roberto's attempts (think Owen Wilson in Meet the Parents) at charming Jewel. Meanwhile, Blu's nemesis Nigel (Jemaine Clement) has resurfaced and is all out for revenge.
Come school days and kids will have plenty of reason to mimic their favorite characters. From human characters voiced by Rodrigo Santoro and Leslie Mann, to Blu's crooning friends Nico (Jamie Foxx), Pedro (Will.i.am), everyone is back for a second round of slapstick shenanigans. And joining the old cast are some feisty new voice talents including Kristin Chenoweth as Gabi, a poisonous dart-frog so obsessed with Nigel, you could even think of her as his psycho girlfriend. Haunted by a disastrous turn of events in the first movie, Nigel himself is loonier than before with a thespian swagger that pokes fun at none other than the Bard of Avon. Speaking of which, lookout for a hilarious scene aimed at adults where Nigel and Gabi find themselves dramatizing one of Shakespeare's greatest plays. While many such segments are genuinely funny, the story strays at times with subplots from deforestation to male bonding, before stepping into a puddle of teary-eyed melodrama. Kids laughed and adults clapped, but there were periods of silence too, and I am not referring to those brief scenes where death was implied.
Emerging as a game changer in animated films, Blue Sky Studios, a subsidiary of 20th Century Fox, struck gold with its very first feature production – Ice Age (2002). It's been tunneling through a gold mine ever since. While Rio 2 might seem like a cash cow for some viewers, it is still a delightful animation with foot-tapping music to get your groove on. And like a Gloria Gaynor hit song performed by Clement's Nigel, there is every reason to believe this sequel will survive.
This sequel begins in Rio de Janeiro where our feathered friends Blu and Jewel (Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway) discover that they are not the last of their species after all. Along with their three kids, they leave Rio and fly to the Amazonian rain forest where an entire flock of blue macaws was reportedly spotted. As it turns out, the flock exists and is headed by Jewel's long lost father Eduardo (Andy Garcia) and guarded by her old flame Roberto (Bruno Mars). Now reduced to a stuttering parrot, Blu must man-up to his overzealous father-in-law (think Robert De Niro in Meet the Parents) while thwarting Roberto's attempts (think Owen Wilson in Meet the Parents) at charming Jewel. Meanwhile, Blu's nemesis Nigel (Jemaine Clement) has resurfaced and is all out for revenge.
Come school days and kids will have plenty of reason to mimic their favorite characters. From human characters voiced by Rodrigo Santoro and Leslie Mann, to Blu's crooning friends Nico (Jamie Foxx), Pedro (Will.i.am), everyone is back for a second round of slapstick shenanigans. And joining the old cast are some feisty new voice talents including Kristin Chenoweth as Gabi, a poisonous dart-frog so obsessed with Nigel, you could even think of her as his psycho girlfriend. Haunted by a disastrous turn of events in the first movie, Nigel himself is loonier than before with a thespian swagger that pokes fun at none other than the Bard of Avon. Speaking of which, lookout for a hilarious scene aimed at adults where Nigel and Gabi find themselves dramatizing one of Shakespeare's greatest plays. While many such segments are genuinely funny, the story strays at times with subplots from deforestation to male bonding, before stepping into a puddle of teary-eyed melodrama. Kids laughed and adults clapped, but there were periods of silence too, and I am not referring to those brief scenes where death was implied.
Emerging as a game changer in animated films, Blue Sky Studios, a subsidiary of 20th Century Fox, struck gold with its very first feature production – Ice Age (2002). It's been tunneling through a gold mine ever since. While Rio 2 might seem like a cash cow for some viewers, it is still a delightful animation with foot-tapping music to get your groove on. And like a Gloria Gaynor hit song performed by Clement's Nigel, there is every reason to believe this sequel will survive.
Stunning Animation, Unnecessary extension to the original
pawanpunjabithewriter10 October 2021
Rio I was good enough to be entertaining and loved. It was fun. However, there wasn't much of a necessity to a sequel unless it matches its level and authencity. They are already happy, one, satisfied. There isn't a huge plot to look for. There isn't much space for comedy or even the twists and turns. It was so unoriginal I couldn't even connect them back to the ones they already were. The visuals make us awestruck and are very creative. However, only visuals can't make a movie complete. I didnt enjoy it. Heisenberg was good when his csreer stafted, hasn't been as effective in theast few years. However, He's still young and already a big name.
Entertaining
Sahl_9529 March 2014
While it wasn't the best movie or even the best animation I have seen this year, this movie is definitely entertaining.
The movie begins with Blu, Jewel and their three kids having fun in their home in Rio, while Blu's former owner, Linda, and her husband, Tulio, are in the amazon. While in the Amazon, they discover a flock of blue macaws. Seeing this on the news, Jewel is desperate to visit and the story begins as Blu, his family and his friends from the last movie accompany him to the Amazon.
The story is decent. There are quite a few songs and plenty of comedic moments as well. While Blu is trying to fit in the tribe, there are a couple of dangerous foes around, Nigel and an illegal tree logger (one of which had plenty of moments which kind of reminded me of Avatar). There are plenty of great moments in the amazon when Blu is trying to fit in, which leads to one of my favourite moments, which was when they revealed the Pit of Doom. Also, it was fun to see Nigel (the white cockatoo) back, along with some new characters. The voice-work and music were quite good as well.
This movie is entertaining, the story and ending are nice as well. Although I have rated it the same as Rio, I think this was a little better. Found it to be quite funny and more action packed as well. A fun family movie.
The movie begins with Blu, Jewel and their three kids having fun in their home in Rio, while Blu's former owner, Linda, and her husband, Tulio, are in the amazon. While in the Amazon, they discover a flock of blue macaws. Seeing this on the news, Jewel is desperate to visit and the story begins as Blu, his family and his friends from the last movie accompany him to the Amazon.
The story is decent. There are quite a few songs and plenty of comedic moments as well. While Blu is trying to fit in the tribe, there are a couple of dangerous foes around, Nigel and an illegal tree logger (one of which had plenty of moments which kind of reminded me of Avatar). There are plenty of great moments in the amazon when Blu is trying to fit in, which leads to one of my favourite moments, which was when they revealed the Pit of Doom. Also, it was fun to see Nigel (the white cockatoo) back, along with some new characters. The voice-work and music were quite good as well.
This movie is entertaining, the story and ending are nice as well. Although I have rated it the same as Rio, I think this was a little better. Found it to be quite funny and more action packed as well. A fun family movie.
Meet the Parents with birds
vistheindian13 April 2014
Quickie Review:
Like the title of this review says, Rio 2 is basically an animated version of Meet the Parents (2000). Blu (Jesse Eisenberg) and Jewel (Anne Hathaway) with a family of three kids, venture into the Amazon to find a flock of their own kind. Blu faces his father-in-law for the first time and must now prove his worth to him and the flock. Hollywood is filled with movies that repeat a general formula or idea. Even with a predictable story, Rio 2 does enough to keep your attention with beautiful animation and some memorable characters. Kids especially will have a lot of fun, but the adults are not left behind.
Full Review:
Rio 2 starts with Blu and Jewel living in the Blue Macaw reserve with their three kids. Blu and the kids feel completely at home living side by side with the humans, while Jewel longs to live out in the wild with her family. They soon find out that they are not the last of their kind, and there might be a whole flock in the Amazon. This provides the perfect opportunity for the family to reconnect with their roots. Once they arrive and find the flock, Jewel is reunited with her long lost father Eduardo (Andy Garcia). Blu must now prove to Eduardo that he is worthy of his respect and blessing, while preventing Roberto (Bruno Mars) from reigniting an old flame with Jewel. In the meantime, Nigel (Jemaine Clement) along with his new obsessed companion frog Gabi (Kristin Chenoweth), seeks revenge following the events of the previous movie.
The plot in itself is nothing special or unique. Here's a quick challenge for you: just by reading the synopsis, think what the beginning, the middle, the climax, and the end of this movie is going to be Done? Well then, I don't know exactly who you are but I'm 99% sure you got it right. So yes the movie is predictable, and does fall into the trap of the many father-in-law subplot clichés. Still the movie is charming enough to not put you to sleep. It is clear that the movie is mostly targeted for the kids but there is still some humor for us adults, or the parents, or the baby sitter to enjoy.
Most of the cast have returned from the original, and they all play their parts well. However the stand outs for me has to be Nigel and newcomer Gabi. Every time they are on screen they put a smile on my face. Nigel is this over the top diva, who wants all the attention on himself because he truly believes he deserves it (well, I won't argue against it!). Gabi on the other hand is a poisonous frog that is deeply and helplessly in love with Nigel (think the popular "overly obsessed girlfriend" meme). She is also probably one of the cutest animated characters yet. These two play many of the scenes that the adults will enjoy as they dramatize popular songs and hilariously re-enact Shakespearean scenes from Romeo and Juliet, and Hamlet.
In essence this movie serves the purpose of being entertaining. Rio 2 is a beautifully made animated movie with a satisfactory plot. There is nothing wrong with Rio 2, but there's not much great about it either. Kids will love this movie, and adults will not feel like they wasted their time.
Like the title of this review says, Rio 2 is basically an animated version of Meet the Parents (2000). Blu (Jesse Eisenberg) and Jewel (Anne Hathaway) with a family of three kids, venture into the Amazon to find a flock of their own kind. Blu faces his father-in-law for the first time and must now prove his worth to him and the flock. Hollywood is filled with movies that repeat a general formula or idea. Even with a predictable story, Rio 2 does enough to keep your attention with beautiful animation and some memorable characters. Kids especially will have a lot of fun, but the adults are not left behind.
Full Review:
Rio 2 starts with Blu and Jewel living in the Blue Macaw reserve with their three kids. Blu and the kids feel completely at home living side by side with the humans, while Jewel longs to live out in the wild with her family. They soon find out that they are not the last of their kind, and there might be a whole flock in the Amazon. This provides the perfect opportunity for the family to reconnect with their roots. Once they arrive and find the flock, Jewel is reunited with her long lost father Eduardo (Andy Garcia). Blu must now prove to Eduardo that he is worthy of his respect and blessing, while preventing Roberto (Bruno Mars) from reigniting an old flame with Jewel. In the meantime, Nigel (Jemaine Clement) along with his new obsessed companion frog Gabi (Kristin Chenoweth), seeks revenge following the events of the previous movie.
The plot in itself is nothing special or unique. Here's a quick challenge for you: just by reading the synopsis, think what the beginning, the middle, the climax, and the end of this movie is going to be Done? Well then, I don't know exactly who you are but I'm 99% sure you got it right. So yes the movie is predictable, and does fall into the trap of the many father-in-law subplot clichés. Still the movie is charming enough to not put you to sleep. It is clear that the movie is mostly targeted for the kids but there is still some humor for us adults, or the parents, or the baby sitter to enjoy.
Most of the cast have returned from the original, and they all play their parts well. However the stand outs for me has to be Nigel and newcomer Gabi. Every time they are on screen they put a smile on my face. Nigel is this over the top diva, who wants all the attention on himself because he truly believes he deserves it (well, I won't argue against it!). Gabi on the other hand is a poisonous frog that is deeply and helplessly in love with Nigel (think the popular "overly obsessed girlfriend" meme). She is also probably one of the cutest animated characters yet. These two play many of the scenes that the adults will enjoy as they dramatize popular songs and hilariously re-enact Shakespearean scenes from Romeo and Juliet, and Hamlet.
In essence this movie serves the purpose of being entertaining. Rio 2 is a beautifully made animated movie with a satisfactory plot. There is nothing wrong with Rio 2, but there's not much great about it either. Kids will love this movie, and adults will not feel like they wasted their time.
A good animation is made weak by clichéd writing.
braddugg4 May 2014
A good animation is made weak by clichéd writing.
Lot of work and thought and detailing goes into an animated film. But if the writing is weak it cannot be pulled off easily. RIO 2 precisely suffers from that. The scenes are too clichéd for my comfort and the plot is very age-old. The bird formations, their beautiful feats have been all been seen in RIO and there is nothing new to offer on that front too in RIO 2. I felt like the basic format of the earlier film RIO was taken and just few modifications were done in writing. So it has that been there, seen that feel that does not add up any value.
The voice over is good and it seems like Jesse Eisenberg did make effort to feel like the bird Blu. Although the chemistry between the two birds, Blu and Jewel does not show up adequately, individually voice over of each was good. It's Anne Hathway for the female protagonist, Jewel.
The other aspects were fine, considering this is a commercial animated film. A word about music, which was good in RIO, comes weak and though are many songs, not even one was memorable, as I left the theater. So the music did not make any impression either.
If people like average stuff or have not seen RIO, perhaps will like it as they may find some new things here. For me, I did not like it and felt like a big bore. An average rating of 2/5 for this. It's not bad, it's purely mediocre.
Lot of work and thought and detailing goes into an animated film. But if the writing is weak it cannot be pulled off easily. RIO 2 precisely suffers from that. The scenes are too clichéd for my comfort and the plot is very age-old. The bird formations, their beautiful feats have been all been seen in RIO and there is nothing new to offer on that front too in RIO 2. I felt like the basic format of the earlier film RIO was taken and just few modifications were done in writing. So it has that been there, seen that feel that does not add up any value.
The voice over is good and it seems like Jesse Eisenberg did make effort to feel like the bird Blu. Although the chemistry between the two birds, Blu and Jewel does not show up adequately, individually voice over of each was good. It's Anne Hathway for the female protagonist, Jewel.
The other aspects were fine, considering this is a commercial animated film. A word about music, which was good in RIO, comes weak and though are many songs, not even one was memorable, as I left the theater. So the music did not make any impression either.
If people like average stuff or have not seen RIO, perhaps will like it as they may find some new things here. For me, I did not like it and felt like a big bore. An average rating of 2/5 for this. It's not bad, it's purely mediocre.
Good family film, and worthy follow up to the original. Just be sure you watch with the right expectations.
jcstealth2476 July 2014
Story: The story here suffers from too many subplots, and a lack of focus. It also doesn't help that all the subplots here are generic. This would would kill a film......if it was made by someone like Pixar or Studio Ghibli. But since this film's plot isn't the main focus, or why audiences watched the 1st Rio, then the bad story doesn't really hurt this film as much as it could've been. But it's still a bad story nonetheless. 4/10
Animation: It's beautiful, gorgeous, colorful, and worth watching on Blu-ray or Blu-ray 3D. 10/10
Characters And Comedy: All characters here follow standard archetypes we all know of, but Nigel and Gabi serve as the most original and most entertaining. Comedy is solid with some funny moments in the film. 6/10
Sound: Good score and amazing soundtrack. Love the songs here more than Frozen, but none really hit the heights of Hot Wings from the 1st. Although some of the songs do come close. 9/10
Acting And Casting: All actors/actresses do a good job voicing their roles, especially with Jesse E. as the voice of Blu. I'm also surprised Bruno Mars didn't suck. 7/10
Verdict: Don't watch this film for the story. Watch it like you would a Madagascar film and just sit back, relax, and enjoy an entertaining family film with some beautiful animation, good comedy, and amazing songs.
Extra: +1 for being a sequel I enjoyed.
Rating: 8/10
For a more in-depth review (stupid 1000 word limit), check out my Metacritic review: http://www.metacritic.com/user/DemonicSoul?myscore- filter=Movie
Animation: It's beautiful, gorgeous, colorful, and worth watching on Blu-ray or Blu-ray 3D. 10/10
Characters And Comedy: All characters here follow standard archetypes we all know of, but Nigel and Gabi serve as the most original and most entertaining. Comedy is solid with some funny moments in the film. 6/10
Sound: Good score and amazing soundtrack. Love the songs here more than Frozen, but none really hit the heights of Hot Wings from the 1st. Although some of the songs do come close. 9/10
Acting And Casting: All actors/actresses do a good job voicing their roles, especially with Jesse E. as the voice of Blu. I'm also surprised Bruno Mars didn't suck. 7/10
Verdict: Don't watch this film for the story. Watch it like you would a Madagascar film and just sit back, relax, and enjoy an entertaining family film with some beautiful animation, good comedy, and amazing songs.
Extra: +1 for being a sequel I enjoyed.
Rating: 8/10
For a more in-depth review (stupid 1000 word limit), check out my Metacritic review: http://www.metacritic.com/user/DemonicSoul?myscore- filter=Movie
"Happy wife - happy life"
Bored_Dragon14 March 2021
Like "Avatar", only instead of blue humanoids, we have blue parrots. It may be visually fascinating in 3D, but at home, on the computer, it did not leave a special impression. If you liked the first one, you will like this one too. If not, skip it.
6/10
6/10
Ticking the spoiler box is overrated
matty_mushroom198321 November 2015
Warning: Spoilers
One star for my daughter enjoying it. One star because I laughed at something. One star because I didn't fall asleep.
I only ticked the spoiler box so I wouldn't be blacklisted, but really if you can't watch this movie an predict everything that will happen from start to finish, it must be the first movies you've ever watched.
Allow me to list the clichés...
Happy family fly away from the city and into the wild. Happens upon secret blue macaw sanctuary. Jewel reunited with long lost family. Jewel's father is leader of utopian society. Jewel's dad hates Blu. Far superior male bird is friends with jewel, named Roberto. Blu feels threatened. Roberto is superior in looks, physicality and singing. Jewel's dad take Blu through a grueling wilderness training regime and is disappointed.
Yeah I'm sick of that now. But upon the more ridiculous and unnecessary is a talent audition scheme, held by Rico and Pedro. A sporting match which decides territory ownership. The simple fact that none of this sequels plot or story was relevant to any aspect of the original film.
There was absolutely no reason for this movie to be made. Well except one; a capital letter S with a vertical line through it. At least Shrek 4 avoided as many clichés as it could, but Dreamworks have gone the way of Disney with Rio 2 by treating a movie like a business.
I only ticked the spoiler box so I wouldn't be blacklisted, but really if you can't watch this movie an predict everything that will happen from start to finish, it must be the first movies you've ever watched.
Allow me to list the clichés...
Happy family fly away from the city and into the wild. Happens upon secret blue macaw sanctuary. Jewel reunited with long lost family. Jewel's father is leader of utopian society. Jewel's dad hates Blu. Far superior male bird is friends with jewel, named Roberto. Blu feels threatened. Roberto is superior in looks, physicality and singing. Jewel's dad take Blu through a grueling wilderness training regime and is disappointed.
Yeah I'm sick of that now. But upon the more ridiculous and unnecessary is a talent audition scheme, held by Rico and Pedro. A sporting match which decides territory ownership. The simple fact that none of this sequels plot or story was relevant to any aspect of the original film.
There was absolutely no reason for this movie to be made. Well except one; a capital letter S with a vertical line through it. At least Shrek 4 avoided as many clichés as it could, but Dreamworks have gone the way of Disney with Rio 2 by treating a movie like a business.
People, Not Situations
tedg16 July 2015
Getting back into thinking about how narratives get put together, I am reminded of how many radically different strategies there are in approaching a film.
If you talk to the (old) Pixar guys, what you'll hear is a focus on story, a cinematic notion of story, above all else. The story comes first; characters emerge whether they are promising franchise characters or not. It is all about making the flow engaging and creating a lasting experience.
As I go through my list of valued filmmakers, I can pull out a number of different approaches: Ruiz looks for the dissonance between narrative layers and removes the middle. Cronenberg finds a disturbing edge, creates a situation, then builds things to present it. Spielberg makes comics that are refined in story boards then mechanically reproduced in film. I'll have to think about the varieties.
Then we have this guy, Saldanha, who has sold a lot of tickets to happy viewers.
The strategy here seems to be to create characters above all else. Make characters. Find some kind of simple enclosing story, it doesn't matter what. Have all the characters create their own local, small static narrative. Then just embellish and display those.
I suppose this approach has been refined over on the half hour TeeVee comedy side where story is just an excuse to have character spaces interact. I am always surprised when I see this work, and it plainly does here, though none of the characters are compelling in the ordinary way.
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. In other films, I see stories getting ever more compelling in surprising ways and exhibiting self-awareness with increasing sophistication.
These are fun movies, not art films I'm talking about. So it makes sense to have films like Ice Age and Rio for minds that don't work that way, that have shorter narrative attention spans and undeveloped narrative sense.
While this is designed for international audiences, and made by a Brazilian and set in Brazil. But most of the voices and nearly all the songs are hip hop urban style that is uniquely American.
If you talk to the (old) Pixar guys, what you'll hear is a focus on story, a cinematic notion of story, above all else. The story comes first; characters emerge whether they are promising franchise characters or not. It is all about making the flow engaging and creating a lasting experience.
As I go through my list of valued filmmakers, I can pull out a number of different approaches: Ruiz looks for the dissonance between narrative layers and removes the middle. Cronenberg finds a disturbing edge, creates a situation, then builds things to present it. Spielberg makes comics that are refined in story boards then mechanically reproduced in film. I'll have to think about the varieties.
Then we have this guy, Saldanha, who has sold a lot of tickets to happy viewers.
The strategy here seems to be to create characters above all else. Make characters. Find some kind of simple enclosing story, it doesn't matter what. Have all the characters create their own local, small static narrative. Then just embellish and display those.
I suppose this approach has been refined over on the half hour TeeVee comedy side where story is just an excuse to have character spaces interact. I am always surprised when I see this work, and it plainly does here, though none of the characters are compelling in the ordinary way.
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. In other films, I see stories getting ever more compelling in surprising ways and exhibiting self-awareness with increasing sophistication.
These are fun movies, not art films I'm talking about. So it makes sense to have films like Ice Age and Rio for minds that don't work that way, that have shorter narrative attention spans and undeveloped narrative sense.
While this is designed for international audiences, and made by a Brazilian and set in Brazil. But most of the voices and nearly all the songs are hip hop urban style that is uniquely American.
Enjoyable if a bit over-stuffed
neil-47625 April 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Neurotic parrot Blu goes with wife Jewel and their kids to meet her family in the jungle. Illegal deforestation is also going on in the vicinity. Oo-er.
This CGI kids' film with an environmental message is a sequel to an original I didn't see: this did not prove to be a problem. It is quite good fun, albeit I thought it was rather overstuffed with different groups who were at odds with each other - Blu, the blue macaw tribe (led by Jewel's father), the environmentalists, the illegal tree fellers, the red macaw tribe, Nigel who hates Blu, and there are even divisions within Blu's family group by the time we approach the final sequences. The central story is fish-out-of-water city dweller failing to impress father-in-law. It is a story which has been told a thousand times, but probably not to the target audience for this film.
It is enjoyable and well made (the jungle settings are particularly nicely done) with some fun, though unmemorable, songs which are well staged. I had a soft spot for poisonous tree frog Gabi, besotted with cockatoo Nigel, a pleasingly surreal touch.
This CGI kids' film with an environmental message is a sequel to an original I didn't see: this did not prove to be a problem. It is quite good fun, albeit I thought it was rather overstuffed with different groups who were at odds with each other - Blu, the blue macaw tribe (led by Jewel's father), the environmentalists, the illegal tree fellers, the red macaw tribe, Nigel who hates Blu, and there are even divisions within Blu's family group by the time we approach the final sequences. The central story is fish-out-of-water city dweller failing to impress father-in-law. It is a story which has been told a thousand times, but probably not to the target audience for this film.
It is enjoyable and well made (the jungle settings are particularly nicely done) with some fun, though unmemorable, songs which are well staged. I had a soft spot for poisonous tree frog Gabi, besotted with cockatoo Nigel, a pleasingly surreal touch.
Beautiful Animation Yet Again Weak script....overall a good time pass flick (especially in 3D)
Sahireviewzzz12 April 2014
I have no expectations when walking into theater to watch this flick.I saw original it has a different,colorful animation and some funny moments but it is not a great flick so i just expected some fun and good colorful animation.and this film served me just what i thought.colorful birds and backgrounds,excellent dances,cool music.but if you go deep there is nothing great about plot.routine and predictable.however voice acting once again saved us.and there are some fun moments which will provide some laughs. 3D-i really loved this film in 3D. beaks come out of the screen,birds dancing in front of you,especially climax has some great 3D effects.
finally if you have no expectations and if you can neglect plot you can enjoy the film with your kids.
finally if you have no expectations and if you can neglect plot you can enjoy the film with your kids.
Rio in the Amazon
lhrlinha30 March 2014
Warning: Spoilers
In this sequence to the enjoyable Rio, Blu and his new family go to the Amazon to see if there is any truth to the rumor says they are not the only blue macaws in the planet.
Seeing this movie as a Brazilian makes me feel a little conflicted. First there is a sense of pride of having my country shown in such a beautiful light, and in another it seems that the stereotypes are strong as ever. We don't only thing about Carnaval and Soccer. But that must be how the Chinese feel when they can all fight Kung Fu in movies.
Anyway, this is an entertaining film. It has a splendid animation, which is brought to life by the colorful dances and exciting songs practically all samba, we do have other music styles you know), and has some very funny moments, just like the first Rio.
However, I have to say the story is the weakest link. It does what every simple animated movie story does, without any surprises. You already know how it will end while you are watching, and since it is not a very interesting ending, I found myself hoping it would somehow find a way to twist my expectations and end in a more mature way. It doesn't.
The movie does explain in a quick and simple way why there are more blue macaws in the world and other things established in the first movie that were changed for this one, I'll give it that. But between an attempt of making a case for the deforestation, making a revenge story that gets forgotten in the middle of the movie, and a love story, it all gets a little too much. Not confusing, just unfocused.
The characters are all there, with some interesting additions, like the poisonous toad in love, an anteater and plenty of other animals of the Brazilian fauna. All these characters,together with the good jokes and beautiful scenery are what carry the movie. If they hadn't lost themselves with this many characters and fully appreciated them (Nigel was pretty intimidating in the first one)everyone would be better off.
In the end, it will entertain kids and adults (like me) who are fond of these kinds of movies. And it will not be a problem accompanying the little ones, if you don't mind some Brazilian propaganda in the middle.
Seeing this movie as a Brazilian makes me feel a little conflicted. First there is a sense of pride of having my country shown in such a beautiful light, and in another it seems that the stereotypes are strong as ever. We don't only thing about Carnaval and Soccer. But that must be how the Chinese feel when they can all fight Kung Fu in movies.
Anyway, this is an entertaining film. It has a splendid animation, which is brought to life by the colorful dances and exciting songs practically all samba, we do have other music styles you know), and has some very funny moments, just like the first Rio.
However, I have to say the story is the weakest link. It does what every simple animated movie story does, without any surprises. You already know how it will end while you are watching, and since it is not a very interesting ending, I found myself hoping it would somehow find a way to twist my expectations and end in a more mature way. It doesn't.
The movie does explain in a quick and simple way why there are more blue macaws in the world and other things established in the first movie that were changed for this one, I'll give it that. But between an attempt of making a case for the deforestation, making a revenge story that gets forgotten in the middle of the movie, and a love story, it all gets a little too much. Not confusing, just unfocused.
The characters are all there, with some interesting additions, like the poisonous toad in love, an anteater and plenty of other animals of the Brazilian fauna. All these characters,together with the good jokes and beautiful scenery are what carry the movie. If they hadn't lost themselves with this many characters and fully appreciated them (Nigel was pretty intimidating in the first one)everyone would be better off.
In the end, it will entertain kids and adults (like me) who are fond of these kinds of movies. And it will not be a problem accompanying the little ones, if you don't mind some Brazilian propaganda in the middle.
Very VERY bad and massive red flags with Jewel
denisselopez-444484 July 2021
Yes the first movie is okay, but like Rio 2, a lot of red flags on Jewel.
From her not mentioning anything about her past life to Blue for whatever reason and not showing everyone how she lived and what tradition they had. But what upsets me the most is how she made Blue excluded through the whole movie. Yes he got help from her father, but they have to listen to him since he wasn't raised in the wild. Everyone ignored Blue. And also made Blue feel guilty for no reason.
From her not mentioning anything about her past life to Blue for whatever reason and not showing everyone how she lived and what tradition they had. But what upsets me the most is how she made Blue excluded through the whole movie. Yes he got help from her father, but they have to listen to him since he wasn't raised in the wild. Everyone ignored Blue. And also made Blue feel guilty for no reason.
Joyous, silly and affecting, this is a very welcome return to Rio.
shawneofthedead10 April 2014
Sequels are tricky propositions - it's hard to find creative freedom and joy in an enterprise clearly geared towards bringing in ever more heaps of cash. For every glorious Toy Story sequel, there's Cars 2 or yet another lacklustre installment in the Ice Age franchise. Fortunately for Blue Sky Studios, Rio 2 is frequently excellent, a sunny, cheerful reprise of a hit movie that finds its own grace notes.
Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg), everyone's favourite domesticated macaw, is happily married to Jewel (Anne Hathaway) after their adventures in the first film. Worried that their three beautiful children are becoming too city-bound, Jewel entreats Blu to take the family to the Amazon to connect with their roots. Once in the jungle, Jewel discovers that she and Blu aren't the only surviving adult blue macaws in the world after all: she reconnects with her family, including her dad Eduardo (Andy Garcia) and childhood friend Roberto (Bruno Mars). Suddenly, Blu is the odd one out, and must desperately try to fit into a wild, raucous world that seems to have no place for him and his civilised ways.
There's almost too much happening in Rio 2: apart from Blu's family troubles, the macaw tribe's haven in the jungle is under threat from a ruthless logging company. Fan favourite Nigel (Jemaine Clement) - the most puffed-up, actorly, diabolical cockatoo you'll ever meet - returns to take revenge upon his nemesis, Blu, with poisonous tree frog Gabi (Kristin Chenoweth) in tow. As per the first film, Rio 2 also packs its soundtrack with joyful, high-energy numbers - which is explained away by Nico (Jamie Foxx) and Pedro (will.i.am) auditioning jungle denizens for a spot in the upcoming Rio Carnival.
What's so impressive about this film is how it manages to make all the disparate elements of its overstuffed plot work. Powered by a loopy, irrepressible charm, Rio 2 dashes from scene to scene, but doesn't forget to pack in moments that range from affecting (Jewel's tender lullaby Don't Go Away) to absurd (Blu's GPS charting the route to Funky Town). The characters in any given sequel are usually the first to get lost in the shuffle, but they each get moments to shine here. Blu's connection with his human companion Linda (Leslie Mann) isn't the focus of this film, but nevertheless makes itself felt in the final act. The relationship between Blu and Jewel is also beautifully heartfelt, dealing with ideas of compromise and growth after the honeymoon is long over.
There's even room for a new breakout character. The shock of delight provided by Nigel in the first film - so gleefully subversive a villain - is largely eroded here, and he comes off more as a determined buffoon than anything else. But he's ably matched by the amorous Gabi, whose hopeless adoration of Nigel is channelled into two of the film's highlights: Poisonous Love, an overblown ballad with several hints of The Phantom Of The Opera; and a wacky, wonderfully rearranged rendition of Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive.
Unwieldy though its plot may be, Rio 2 breezes through it all with cheeky energy and eye-wateringly glorious animation. But what makes Rio 2 as good as - if not better than - its predecessor is director Carlos Saldanha's understanding that losing sight of his characters will only damage the film. And so, amidst the tumult of mid-air football games and swooping aerial dance formations, Saldanha roots everything in the big, loving hearts of Blu and his extended family. The film - and the franchise - are all the better for it.
Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg), everyone's favourite domesticated macaw, is happily married to Jewel (Anne Hathaway) after their adventures in the first film. Worried that their three beautiful children are becoming too city-bound, Jewel entreats Blu to take the family to the Amazon to connect with their roots. Once in the jungle, Jewel discovers that she and Blu aren't the only surviving adult blue macaws in the world after all: she reconnects with her family, including her dad Eduardo (Andy Garcia) and childhood friend Roberto (Bruno Mars). Suddenly, Blu is the odd one out, and must desperately try to fit into a wild, raucous world that seems to have no place for him and his civilised ways.
There's almost too much happening in Rio 2: apart from Blu's family troubles, the macaw tribe's haven in the jungle is under threat from a ruthless logging company. Fan favourite Nigel (Jemaine Clement) - the most puffed-up, actorly, diabolical cockatoo you'll ever meet - returns to take revenge upon his nemesis, Blu, with poisonous tree frog Gabi (Kristin Chenoweth) in tow. As per the first film, Rio 2 also packs its soundtrack with joyful, high-energy numbers - which is explained away by Nico (Jamie Foxx) and Pedro (will.i.am) auditioning jungle denizens for a spot in the upcoming Rio Carnival.
What's so impressive about this film is how it manages to make all the disparate elements of its overstuffed plot work. Powered by a loopy, irrepressible charm, Rio 2 dashes from scene to scene, but doesn't forget to pack in moments that range from affecting (Jewel's tender lullaby Don't Go Away) to absurd (Blu's GPS charting the route to Funky Town). The characters in any given sequel are usually the first to get lost in the shuffle, but they each get moments to shine here. Blu's connection with his human companion Linda (Leslie Mann) isn't the focus of this film, but nevertheless makes itself felt in the final act. The relationship between Blu and Jewel is also beautifully heartfelt, dealing with ideas of compromise and growth after the honeymoon is long over.
There's even room for a new breakout character. The shock of delight provided by Nigel in the first film - so gleefully subversive a villain - is largely eroded here, and he comes off more as a determined buffoon than anything else. But he's ably matched by the amorous Gabi, whose hopeless adoration of Nigel is channelled into two of the film's highlights: Poisonous Love, an overblown ballad with several hints of The Phantom Of The Opera; and a wacky, wonderfully rearranged rendition of Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive.
Unwieldy though its plot may be, Rio 2 breezes through it all with cheeky energy and eye-wateringly glorious animation. But what makes Rio 2 as good as - if not better than - its predecessor is director Carlos Saldanha's understanding that losing sight of his characters will only damage the film. And so, amidst the tumult of mid-air football games and swooping aerial dance formations, Saldanha roots everything in the big, loving hearts of Blu and his extended family. The film - and the franchise - are all the better for it.
Series of Fun
billygoat10719 April 2014
The best feat of these Rio movies is how it wholeheartedly shows the landscapes and culture of Brazil. The first twenty or thirty minutes explores the wondrously colorful version of each places. Well, the entire movie really is eye candy, which makes you wish that the whole thing is nothing more than a cinematic tour. People who will come in for the location won't be disappointed because that is exactly what the film is excellent at. Though it's not actually an in-depth exploration, but it's still an inviting ride.
Which is probably why the storyline suddenly hits to telling various ecological messages: one is how we shouldn't take the beauty of the Amazon for granted, and the other is against the logging of the forest. These can form an engaging story, especially after introducing us the wonders of these places, but the plot has caught itself with too many subplots. I mean there is too much conflict to deal with. For example: we see the cockatoo Nigel seeking for revenge to Blu, meanwhile there's Linda and Tulio getting into trouble with the loggers, further on the Macaw flock is unable to accept Blu because of his humanly attitude, and there is even an audition for dancing and drama. There is so much going on, yet any of it hardly offered any momentum to the story. We can see what theme they're trying to say to the audience, but these random stuff being put together randomly makes it kind of complicated.
We couldn't deny that the film overall is still fun. Yes, it has occasional laughs and the flying scenes bring a spectacular scale. There are dance/musical numbers that are well constructed even though most of them feels like they just came out of nowhere. The cast are still a delight. Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway continues to shine in their roles. Jemaine Clement remains to be the most impressive among, even if the character becomes less necessary than before. Strong additions like Andy Garcia and Kristin Chenoweth also benefits to the adventure by giving distinct personalities that haven't been stepped in the film's lively world.
Rio 2 got some grand potential right there, the problem is it's mostly just jumping from one distraction to another. The second half is probably supposed to be a series of fun sequences, but it never grows as a compelling story, no matter how it keeps delivering important sentiments about family and the environment. It's difficult to fault anyone for this since they are at least trying to elevate the material, the film just needs to be straightforward and consistent, kind of like the first movie. On the other hand, it's visually beautiful. I guess the animation and the vocal performances are the good things that remain intact. Just be aware of the extravagance and we're good.
Which is probably why the storyline suddenly hits to telling various ecological messages: one is how we shouldn't take the beauty of the Amazon for granted, and the other is against the logging of the forest. These can form an engaging story, especially after introducing us the wonders of these places, but the plot has caught itself with too many subplots. I mean there is too much conflict to deal with. For example: we see the cockatoo Nigel seeking for revenge to Blu, meanwhile there's Linda and Tulio getting into trouble with the loggers, further on the Macaw flock is unable to accept Blu because of his humanly attitude, and there is even an audition for dancing and drama. There is so much going on, yet any of it hardly offered any momentum to the story. We can see what theme they're trying to say to the audience, but these random stuff being put together randomly makes it kind of complicated.
We couldn't deny that the film overall is still fun. Yes, it has occasional laughs and the flying scenes bring a spectacular scale. There are dance/musical numbers that are well constructed even though most of them feels like they just came out of nowhere. The cast are still a delight. Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway continues to shine in their roles. Jemaine Clement remains to be the most impressive among, even if the character becomes less necessary than before. Strong additions like Andy Garcia and Kristin Chenoweth also benefits to the adventure by giving distinct personalities that haven't been stepped in the film's lively world.
Rio 2 got some grand potential right there, the problem is it's mostly just jumping from one distraction to another. The second half is probably supposed to be a series of fun sequences, but it never grows as a compelling story, no matter how it keeps delivering important sentiments about family and the environment. It's difficult to fault anyone for this since they are at least trying to elevate the material, the film just needs to be straightforward and consistent, kind of like the first movie. On the other hand, it's visually beautiful. I guess the animation and the vocal performances are the good things that remain intact. Just be aware of the extravagance and we're good.
very dull and boring, nice animation but the film was dull
mikey187-818-8996203 July 2014
The first thing I thought when this film ended was how does a kid sit through that whole film and not get bored? There is just way too much talking and doing nothing in the film and not enough action and adventure.
Yes it's colorful and the animation is nice, but the story itself is boring and clichéd.
I liked the intro because I have travelled around south America and it was nice to see a good animation of rio and the good music gave a nice vibe to the introduction but after that it went downhill for me, just way to much birds chattering away in trees and not enough action and adventure.
when you compare this to the likes of toy story, up, shrek, wall-e and even ratatouille, this movie comes far behind in the "pecking" order.
Yes it's colorful and the animation is nice, but the story itself is boring and clichéd.
I liked the intro because I have travelled around south America and it was nice to see a good animation of rio and the good music gave a nice vibe to the introduction but after that it went downhill for me, just way to much birds chattering away in trees and not enough action and adventure.
when you compare this to the likes of toy story, up, shrek, wall-e and even ratatouille, this movie comes far behind in the "pecking" order.
Inherently funny
Alise_shenle23 April 2014
As someone who hasn't watched Rio 1, Rio 2 was not confusing so I was able to understand what is happening in just the first few minutes. This movie features really amazing animation, check out the opening carnival and the bird dance. Secondly, with stellar casts, this is like a Disney musical except it's funnier. Kristin Chenoweth is over the top as a lovelorn stalker. Seems like a role she always plays. Expect lots of Shakespeare soliloquies parodying the classic Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and many more. Thirdly, the amazon rainforest setting really enables us to be introduced to many new characters. From rapping sloths (Ke$ha anyone?) to taichi fighting old ninja turtles, Rio 2 does not rely on low-brow dirty jokes unlike some other movie I could mention (Madagascar? It also is named after a place). This movie is funny, exciting, and slightly touching, the perfect thing to watch with friends, family and partners alike.
LOvealble
georgecoffeynewyorker19 April 2014
Warning: Spoilers
What can I say about the most lovalable film. The film centers, Blu(voiced by Jessie Eisenberg) and his family. Blu is a city bird. And his wife bird is a home bird. BLu and the wife discover that there are other members of their species out "Deep in the Amazon". We were all treated to a lovely musical score at the of the movie. Most impressive might I add. I was most impressed with the musical score as with any film that has musical score in a film. Nigel(the "flightless" bird) who is swearing revenge on Blu for making him "flightless" back in the first sequel. He did a fantastic job on "I Will Survive". There were great comical aspects of the movie. Blu and family and Co, all move to the Amazon. They come across Blu's wife's father Papap. Twas lovely. And Roberto(voiced by Bruno Mars). The Blu Bids or MacCaws(family name) then find themselves being knocked off the map as a local businessman, wants to plan a development for profitable reasons. So it was Birds V Humans, Linda V Humans. Now even thou Linda and her hubbie are humans, she was the one who found Blue from the first sequel. So all in all I found the movie to be Good, not the kind I would see it several times. I will of course get the soundtrack. But that's as far as it will go.
Bad messages hidden behind good ones
ronjonae17 October 2016
The central message of family over tech is good and all, but if you look at the way its brought together, it makes you question the movie's moral code.
Look at the events. first, the movie seems simple, a family trip to visit the mother's relatives, however as the movie goes on it becomes clear that the mother never really intended for this to just be a trip. She clearly wants to stay and raise her children inside her colony and though this isn't an outright bad idea, the sneaky way she goes about it makes be really question her character. As I watched I even started going back to the first movie and realized that given the sequence of events, she could be rethinking her entire marriage.
Not only that but throughout the movie Blue himself really is picked on for a lot of things that simply weren't his fault and is subsequently treated as if they were done deliberately. From the berries to the sports game and seeking approval from Jewel's father. Jewel should know what kind of husband she has and while I fully accept trying to help someone better themselves, It very much seems like she is literally trying to make him into something that is much more like her old boyfriend. Which affects Blue's self-esteem.
Then there are the poachers who could have been left out to tell the truth. Nigel was already here and the poachers seem very after though. I mean when Blue encounters the poachers and just up and decides that he doesn't need humans anymore than I really don't understand anything. Was his blatant love for his owner and society really so fickle that meeting this one group of bad people could change that. Made even more stupid by the fact that he almost immediately does an 180 and goes back to loving humans again, making the first freak out even more confusing.
There are a lot of horrible plot holes and clichés I can also complain about, but I'll just finish with simply stating that the original was great and didn't need a sequel, especially not thi one.
Look at the events. first, the movie seems simple, a family trip to visit the mother's relatives, however as the movie goes on it becomes clear that the mother never really intended for this to just be a trip. She clearly wants to stay and raise her children inside her colony and though this isn't an outright bad idea, the sneaky way she goes about it makes be really question her character. As I watched I even started going back to the first movie and realized that given the sequence of events, she could be rethinking her entire marriage.
Not only that but throughout the movie Blue himself really is picked on for a lot of things that simply weren't his fault and is subsequently treated as if they were done deliberately. From the berries to the sports game and seeking approval from Jewel's father. Jewel should know what kind of husband she has and while I fully accept trying to help someone better themselves, It very much seems like she is literally trying to make him into something that is much more like her old boyfriend. Which affects Blue's self-esteem.
Then there are the poachers who could have been left out to tell the truth. Nigel was already here and the poachers seem very after though. I mean when Blue encounters the poachers and just up and decides that he doesn't need humans anymore than I really don't understand anything. Was his blatant love for his owner and society really so fickle that meeting this one group of bad people could change that. Made even more stupid by the fact that he almost immediately does an 180 and goes back to loving humans again, making the first freak out even more confusing.
There are a lot of horrible plot holes and clichés I can also complain about, but I'll just finish with simply stating that the original was great and didn't need a sequel, especially not thi one.
An entertaining sequel, full of laughs indeed
Seraphion15 April 2014
Warning: Spoilers
So the story picks up after the first movie, Blu and Jewel has already have three kids, yay!.... LOL. And after learning that there is still more of their kind, the family then goes to the Amazon jungle. Somewhere along the way Nigel, the evil cockatoo from the first movie caught sight of them and followed them, trying to get revenge. Blu and his crew finally reach Amazon, almost meeting Linda and Tulio, but they are taken away by the rest of the Blue Macaw hidden flock tribe. There Jewel meet her father.
Nigel also reaches the location and decides to enter as an audition participant. Meanwhile, Tulio and Linda are then chased by illegal loggers. Accidentally while trying to impress Jewel, Blu ignites a "war", of bird soccer, between the Blue and Red Macaw tribe to control the grove they are in. Blu worsen things when he accidentally make an own goal, making the Blue Macaws lose the "war". But soon after, the loggers bulldoze the forest. But Blu convinced the rest of the tribe to fight back, and the rest of the jungle joins the fight against the loggers. Nigel, who have devised a plan to shoot a poisoned dart to Blu, ends up getting shot with that very dart. The jungle triumphs against the illegal loggers and turns out that the frog from whom the slime was taken to coat the dart is not poisonous.
The movie is greatly entertaining, especially released after the dose of action and heroes. The jokes are stupidly super funny. As when the red bird tries to warn Tulio and Linda of the waterfall, and the bird is like "ah whatever". And also the "Find Linda and Tulio" that transforms into "Searching for Dinner in Tokyo"
The first appearance of Bruno Mars character is also stupidly funny, especially with Bruno's nice voice. The Amazon audition part is truly hilarious. In my opinion this part has the longest laughable funny sequence on a movie so far this year.
As the movie is set in Brazil, the five time world soccer champion, it will be incomplete if the movie doesn't incorporate soccer in it. Rio 2 even incorporate almost everything the world knows about Brazil; the nature aspects of piranhas, anacondas, hand-sized tarantulas, colorful birds, and to the fact that there are irresponsible illegal loggers there.
It is a movie aimed as a family entertainment. So, as expected, nobody is depicted to die in it, even the evil Nigel. but the scene of the fat anaconda near the ending is indeed quite creepy, especially for those who can grasp that far.
There is more musical part here than the first installment, and they have more solo parts too. For me it's good on one side, but, if has a little more musical part, the movie will be boring. Particularly because it seems like the movie is designed to be focused more on the animation side rather than the musical side.
From me, a 7 out of 10 score is deserving for this movie, and of course a recommendation to see it.
Nigel also reaches the location and decides to enter as an audition participant. Meanwhile, Tulio and Linda are then chased by illegal loggers. Accidentally while trying to impress Jewel, Blu ignites a "war", of bird soccer, between the Blue and Red Macaw tribe to control the grove they are in. Blu worsen things when he accidentally make an own goal, making the Blue Macaws lose the "war". But soon after, the loggers bulldoze the forest. But Blu convinced the rest of the tribe to fight back, and the rest of the jungle joins the fight against the loggers. Nigel, who have devised a plan to shoot a poisoned dart to Blu, ends up getting shot with that very dart. The jungle triumphs against the illegal loggers and turns out that the frog from whom the slime was taken to coat the dart is not poisonous.
The movie is greatly entertaining, especially released after the dose of action and heroes. The jokes are stupidly super funny. As when the red bird tries to warn Tulio and Linda of the waterfall, and the bird is like "ah whatever". And also the "Find Linda and Tulio" that transforms into "Searching for Dinner in Tokyo"
The first appearance of Bruno Mars character is also stupidly funny, especially with Bruno's nice voice. The Amazon audition part is truly hilarious. In my opinion this part has the longest laughable funny sequence on a movie so far this year.
As the movie is set in Brazil, the five time world soccer champion, it will be incomplete if the movie doesn't incorporate soccer in it. Rio 2 even incorporate almost everything the world knows about Brazil; the nature aspects of piranhas, anacondas, hand-sized tarantulas, colorful birds, and to the fact that there are irresponsible illegal loggers there.
It is a movie aimed as a family entertainment. So, as expected, nobody is depicted to die in it, even the evil Nigel. but the scene of the fat anaconda near the ending is indeed quite creepy, especially for those who can grasp that far.
There is more musical part here than the first installment, and they have more solo parts too. For me it's good on one side, but, if has a little more musical part, the movie will be boring. Particularly because it seems like the movie is designed to be focused more on the animation side rather than the musical side.
From me, a 7 out of 10 score is deserving for this movie, and of course a recommendation to see it.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
