Rio 2 Review

2014’s 4th feature film.

http://putlocker.bz/watch-rio-2-online-free-putlocker.html

I am SO sorry that this review took about 2 months to complete. Since I was not going to watch this in theaters, I had to wait for a copy to go online. They would usually make their way on the internet in about 3 weeks, but that did not happen. I waited a MONTH AND A HALF for a link to pop up on the internet, only for the one above for me to watch.

My opinion right after watching movie

My opinion right out of the film is that it is mediocre at best. The characterization is not that strong, the story overly and unnecessarily complex with bad pacing and focus, leaving a bit of unorganization. I do not like how over the top and so……Blue Sky-ish, with the bad humor, pop culture, and so on and so on. The film is not a complete bore, and the animation and score are nice to listen to. I was not that irritated watching this, but I was not that entertained either.

Production

So the production managed to start in early 2012, after the first film mad a decent amount in the box office in 2011. All of the people involved quickly signed on to reprise their roles in making this film. Screenplay writer for the first film (named Don Rhymer) passed away from head and neck cancer on November 28th, 2012 as they were continuing with the writing of this film.

Story

So the film starts with Blu (Jesse Eisenberg), Jewel (Anne Hathaway), are partying it up at another Rio de Janero street party, when many of their babysitters are at the party, and tells the couple that their three children Carla (Rachel Crow), Bia (Amandla Stenberg), and Tiago (Pierce Gagnon) are being babysat by a random babysitter, causing them to rush home. The children tie their babysitter to a rocket, and are about to launch it, for Blu to save the babysitter; getting caught in the rocket and shot up in the sky.

Meanwhile, Blu’s owner Linda (Leslie Mann) and her now husband Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro) are on an expedition in the Amazon, and then discover that there are other Spix Macaws in the world (outside of Blu and Jewel), thanks to the flying bird dropping a feather.

This makes it’s way on the Brazilian news, which Blu and his family see. Because Jewel realizes that they are not the only Macaws in the world left, she and their kids end up convincing him to go down to the Amazon to find them. The loggers (a set of our antagonists) do not like that they have environmentalists that are about to stop their illegal project by selling the trees to the amazon, they have people ready to….take them out. So the two birds voiced by will.i.am and Jamie Foxx (I do not care to find the character’s names) are hosting a talent show for filler and cheap laughs to entertain 3 year olds no known reason. When they see the blue bird family fly, the duo decide to join them as well.

As they are flying through the city, we are introduced to the antagonist of the last film Nigel the cockatoo (Jermaine Clement) who has a new assistant in the form of a poison dart frog named Gabi (Kristen Chenoweth). They are at a stall as he is a fortune teller/con artist, and gets mad in rage when he sees Blu (as he is the reason why he got caught in the plane crash. He survived it, but he is unable to fly again).

We then get this worthless, pointless song from the frog about how much she loves Nigel, and while it is nicely sung, we are only delaying the film with this. Also, this entire plot that Nigel has is worthless, as it adds almost nothing to the story. You can take it out, and almost nothing would change. They could have been kept out of the film.

So their assistant Anteater Charlie is supposed to wake them up at midnight, so they can go on the boat and attack the family with poison, but that plan totally fails for many reasons. They all get off the boat and arrive at the Amazon. The loggers organize for some of them to take out Linda and Tulio, which ends up in a chase.

So Rio and his family bump into a Mackaw named Eduardo (Andy Garcia), but as Jewel approaches to argue with him, they both realize that they are related, and that she is his long-lost daughter, and that he is her long-lost daughter. They fly into the Mackaw village to see that there is a whole herd of them. Jewel starts to reunite with her family, and her father does not connect with Blu`s domesticated nature and behaviour. They end up staying in Jewel`s ex boyfriend and current friend Roberto (Bruno Mars)`s bachelor pad.

Her ex even goes as far to say that he would not have ANY issue raising Blu`s children as his own, if there was…….a tragic accident. I can`t stand men like that; who are so willing to kick a man out to hop into his wife and kids.

Eduardo shows up the next morning to tell Blu that he needs to get rid of his fanny pack (since it is human), and the two eventually go on a fly together, so he can train his son-in-law to be a normal mackaw in the tribe. This fails horribly. Also, will.i.am and Jamie Fox are told that they are not allowed to take their talent from the tribe to the talent show in Rio de Janero, so they are forced to hold auditions and the show in the Amazon and we are forced through pathetic, painful pop culture references and gimmicks. Nigel is accidentally launched to the audition show and when he hears the word “show” he bursts into a useless song for the audition. As you can see, the only sung songs are done by Nigel and Gabi. All this movie taught me so far is that Epic did not have Beyonce and Sean Paul sing a bunch of useless songs, and the fact that it took itself seriously.

Blu and Jewel has a conversation about wanting to go home, and that he found Linda and Tulio`s sight, but she says that they should enjoy the sunset and the tribe. She thinks that the tribe in the Amazon should not be found, and when Jewel leaves, he complains to his sidekick about her wanting to enjoy her family. Blu is really getting on my nerves. Did I always forget to mention that this movie has a SEVERE case of sidekick-itis.

Blu accidentally starts a war between the Parrots and the Mackaws when he goes on their turf to get a nut. Roberto thinks he is a traitor (to only be saved by said “traitor”, and the entire tribe does not think so highly of him. This causes the Parrots to be able to use their land, and for the Mackaws to not eat nuts (which is a part of their diets).

So Blu sees Linda and Tulio clutching a tree (as they know the loggers are about to kill them),  and saves them. Roberto gets the other birds to come with him and tells them that Blu is not a traitor. I will wrap this up quickly; the loggers (that barely made an appearance in the second half of the film) appear to cut down the trees, and Nigel and co. are ready to kill Blu with Gabi`s poison, with the loggers being quickly defeated by the parrots and mackaws, and Gabi accidentally poisoning Nigel (causing her to poison herself to have a Romeo and Juliette death). They soon realize that she is not a poison frog, but they are taken to be locked in a cage for investigation. he talent show commences, and Blu and Jules agree to stay with the tribe every summer.

While Rio 2 wraps everything up decently, it had sloppy execution, and a lot of stuff and scenes that are not important to the main story. It has some heart and some emotion, but the writing is not very strong. It is overly complex, there are too many characters, and let`s just say…..it has the typical Blue Sky touch. It is unoriginal, and it does not really add to the characters. Not that bad, but not good either.

Characters

The ones that were in the first film are reduced to generic roles, and their originality and uniqueness is dulled down….A LOT. And the new ones do not really add anything refreshing or new. The human characters are even more one-dimensional than they were in the first film, the sidekicks are even more grating, and the others are just not engaging.

While he is supposed to develop in this film, Blu…..does not really develop…at all. He became a lot more irritating in this film, as he whined and complained for a good amount of it. He just was not interesting in this movie.

While she was this spunky, badass, free-spirited, and a bit cynical in the first film, in this film, she is only reduced to being a mother and a love interest. She does not do much, and while we learn about her family, it still does not really focus on how she deals with everything that is going on.

I do not see why he needed to be in this film, and to have a less than minor part. It also does not help that he is not the main villain almost made him seem like he is there just to be there.

He is Jewel`s father who is a bit tough, protective, defensive of humans, and….I cannot tell you more than that.

She is Nigel`s assistant, and is in love with him.

These are Jewel and Blu`s kids. One is smart, another is in love with music, and the other is a free spirit. Very one-dimensional and do not do much in the film.

The others are too minor or irritating to mention.

Animation

The animation in this film is very colorful. The textures are a bit better than in the first film, and the backgrounds and animal designs are really great to look at. The human designs are always disturbing to look at though. I really like how they bring South America to life, and the scenery of the film is really big.

Music

It is the same type of South American music in the first film. There are also some pop moments in the music that does get annoying. Many of the songs are pretty useless, silly, and are meant to shove some stupidity and pointless gimmicks at children’s way. The music is in no way bad, but other than the score, it does not add to the movie.

Reception Today

When the film was released on March 20th, 2014 overseas, and April 11th, 2014 in North America, it opened at #2, but dropped as the next few weeks rolled by; never having a strong opening. Aside from this, it managed to gross $121,598,000 in North America, and $319,900,000 internationally, causing a worldwide total of (as of May 25th, 2014) $441,498,000.

With the critics, it managed to receive mixed reviews. Many called this film out for being the typical Blue Sky sequel; over the top, lacking in quality, characterizations, a flow-y narrative, lack of effort, and taking everything from the first film, but barely tweaking it around, but also said that the bright colors, and the music is entertaining enough, and the little children will like it.

Final Score

Story: 6/10

Characters: 5/10

Animation: 8/10

Music: 7/10

=26/40 =65%

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