Review of Rio 2 (2014) by Velvin B — 27 Aug 2014

This sequel to the 2011 film about two rare Blue Macaws named Blu and Jewel is (again) vibrantly colorful and contains some large-scale Latin dance numbers like the first film that'd have some audience members wanting to tap their feet and keep the beat to; but it is also just about as memorable -- which means it isn't.

Writer-director Carlos Saldanha has returned for the second go-around with these birds but his other films have been the Ice Age films which I cannot get excited about and my enthusiasm for this is just as tepid.

Blu (Jesse Eisenberg - Zombieland) and Jewel (Anne Hathaway - The Devil Wears Prada) have started a life together in Rio and have three little birds -- which is a good sign as the entire first film was the unfortunate discovery these two birds destined for one another were actually the last two of the species.

When Blu hears that his human, Linda (Leslie Mann - This Is 40), has possibly spotted another Blue Macaw deep in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, his family takes a vacation into the heart of Brazil which is a welcome relief to Jewel as it is where she used to call home.

It is quickly revealed that they are not alone in the jungle (!) as they encounter other animals -- including the outrageous and not-to-mention IMPOSSIBLE return of maniacal Nigel (Jemaine Clement - 'Flight of the Conchords') -- and some horrible humans intent on destroying some endangered species' habitats in the rainforest as the movie apparently needed a more-threatening villain.

The movie is chaotic, frantic and jumbled and while I am sure it'll entertain a younger crowd I don't find the rather selfish characters overly likeable. This was a chore for me to get through.