Movie Review: Rio 2

You have to love the fact that there are still production companies out there not named “Disney” or “Pixar” that know how to create a solid animated film. Dreamworks is a current powerhouse with the recent release of Mr. Peabody & Sherman and the How to Train Your Dragon sequel due in June. Even Laika (Coraline/Paranorman) has The Boxtrolls coming out this September. Luckily, Blue Sky also succeeded its latest masterpiece, Epic, with Rio 2, the sequel to 2011’s Rio.

Rio 2 follows Blu (Jesse Eisenberg), Jewel (Anne Hathaway), and their three children as they journey across Brazil to find their long-lost family in the Amazon Rainforest. When they arrive, things aren’t as great as they seem, as Blu doesn’t quite fit in with the other macaws. And there’s also a gang of evildoers terrorizing the rainforest with chainsaws, explosives, and other nature-slaying equipment.

As with its predecessor, Rio 2 is a beautifully animated film. The glorious shots gliding through Rio de Janeiro are as breathtaking as the first. Every color pops and draws you in, from the pearly-white New Year’s Eve outfits to the dusty oranges and reds used as face paint in the macaw community.

Heading into the Amazon, the animation crew takes no short cuts in displaying the allure of the abundant wildlife. While they may be voiced by cartoonish, over-the-top actors (or forgettable performers like will.i.am.), the animals themselves are created so intricately that the story sometimes pales in comparison to the wonderful animation being shown on screen. The best example is Gabby, the “poisonous” tree frog. While her song is cheesy and unremarkable, almost tilting the first half of Rio 2 from kid’s movie to musical, the texture and glisten of her skin and overall rendering of the character more than compensate.

Once again, the highlight of this Blue Sky film is its array of distinct ensemble characters. The obvious outstanding acts are Nigel (Jemaine Clement), whose introduction in this film is an adorably haunting rendition of “To Be Or Not To Be,” and Roberto (Bruno Mars) who sings and acts with great clarity (and even some humor). Aside from these characters, Rio 2 features a large amount of multi-colored macaws, soccer commentating tapirs, and mischievous, mustachioed monkeys, all of which are enjoyable to watch. Unfortunately, there was one character that struck a bad chord. Why can’t Charlie speak? They’re all anthropomorphic animals, so why can’t Charlie speak like the rest of them?

A scene from “Rio 2.” © 2014 – Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.

So, as with its predecessor, Rio 2 is another character-driven animated film that leaves the viewer with a feeling of joy. Although it may have too much song and dance for the adult crowd, it’s sure to be a favorite of children worldwide.