We understand that the producers of Rio 2 need to keep some ideas hidden for now, to put those in a Rio 3, but considering the quality and success of Rio 2, which are far under any expectancy, we have our doubts that those ideas would bring more people in cinemas. Rio 2 is worse than the first movie, which was actually enjoyable. The story is boring, and this is not only my opinion, but also the one of my 6 years old son. Maybe you would enjoy it more, so it is time to review Rio 2, the latest animation movie from Blue Sky.
The Plot
Rio 2 brings the already used and opportunist scheme of ecological anti-corporatism on the screens. The corporation is represented by the recycled character impersonated by a psychotic explorer with the “imaginative” name of Big Boss. The only good part of this character is its voice, interpreted by Miguel Ferrer. He is upset that the huggers Linda and Tulio find a colony of macaw parrots, which were supposed to be extinct. Because of that, he is not allowed to chop the trees around the jungle. Is this the main story? It might be, but the main character is supposed to be Blu, the geek parrot that learned to fly in the first Rio, charming the lady parrot Jewel, and to make her three little parrots. The voice of Jewel is interpreted by Anne Hathaway, which we love in any shape.
The Characters
Blu and Jewel want to help their adoptive parents, Linda and Tulio, to enter the hidden paradise of the bluish parrots, for an alliance against Boss. Surprise! Jewel meets her father, which has the voice of Andy Garcia, which is an inspired choice. Well, her ex-lover is also there, which is not so great for Blu. He is supposed to pass some difficult tests of his father in law, while he is also jealous on the handsome singer that hits on his wife. The movie is full of clichés in a story without any consistency, which respects the tired neurons of some people. As the screenplay writers needed to fill 101 minutes, they also introduced some interminable fights between packs of rival parrots, which are really boring from a certain point.
Our Opinion
Well, the kids might be fascinated by the colored 3D, but for adults, the only thing that chases boredom away is the trio Nigel, Gabi and Charlie, which are the secondary characters. Nigel is now beaten by his wife, and he is also a misunderstood artists chasing revenge on Blu and Jewel. Charlie is only a tool, while the frog Gabi is one of the most interesting animated characters that I have seen lately. In love with Nigel, she can’t get close to him because she is…poisonous. She suffers from a Plato forced love, expressed in Broadway songs, which make her absolutely adorable. I am sorry that those three characters were not exploited more.
The message is simple but boring: “Save the Jungle and that is it!” with no respect for the adults that need to see this movie along with their children for more than one and a half hours.
