Review of Alpha and Omega 2: A Howl-iday Adventure (2013) by Nathaniel D — 21 Mar 2014

The first movie--although highly predictable and paired with quite a few cliches--still managed to have a few redeeming qualities in terms of a few characters, moments, and set-ups. Definitely a weak film, but not complete and utter garbage.

I can't say the same for this one.

First off, the animation: I know it's direct-to-video quality animation, but this just felt incomplete. Stiff moments, feeling like a few frames are cut out; wonky character designs. The lighting effects and the environments are slightly above-average, but that's about it.

Story: Even more predictable than the first one. The conflict regarding Runt(Kate & Humphrey's youngest pup) being held hostage by a "pack" of rogue wolves lacks tension. This conflict is too straightforward. No twists, no turns, just a standard conflict-resolution plot resolved within a 45 minute running time. Especially the ending, forcing a moral in the last 10 minutes("Home is where the Family is"). This was directed by ex-Disney Animator Richard Rich, who served as one of three directors of Disney's The Fox and the Hound back in 1981 and the 90's cult classic The Swan Princess. This level of storytelling feels lackluster, especially from a director I know who can pull off a few decently directed animated films.

Characters: Any character who played an active role is generic and one-dimensional. The general store owner, who only had a brief appearance in the first film, is just thrown in at the last minute. Marcel and Paddy, two comic relief characters, although providing a sense of humor, have no positive impact on the overall plot. I will admit that the voice-acting, considering that nobody reprised their roles from the first movie, is passable.

My standards for the second sequel are pushed down quite a bit at this point. One can only hope it will provide at least a mild sense of entertainment.