 |
| The cast of "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2" |
Colorful "Meatballs 2" lacks the flavor of the first film
The 2009 animated hit "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" was delightful, original and zany, even if it didn't resemble its source material. Its inevitable sequel, "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2," is still bright and goofy, but its weakly strung together and lacks the fun of the first film, but young kids will still have some fun with it. Inventor Flint Lockwood's (Bill Hader) genius is finally being recognized as he's invited by his idol Chester V (Will Forte) to join The Live Corp Company, who has challenged Lockwood to help rebuild Swallow Falls destroyed by food in the first film. Lockwood and his pals go back to finally put an end to the machine that caused so much havoc, though Chester V has other plans for it. Directed by Cody Cameron and co-written by John Francis Daley (the "Freaks and Geeks" actor), Jonathan Goldstein and Erica Rivinoja, it's an energetic romp for sure and well-cast (Hader is always good for a laugh or two, as is Neil Patrick Harris as the monkey), but the lazy storytelling and the weak plotting lacks the originality of the first film. It's best when it returns to Swallow Falls, which is a bit of a darker place than in the first film, and filled with some "foodimals," or food-animal hybrids such as mosquitoasts, tacodile supremes, apple-piethons and wildebeets, just to name a few and the most memorable part of the film. "Meatballs 2," though obviously a fantasy, is much more of a stretch than the first film, making it less fun than the first but the cast has fun; along with Hader, Forte and Harris, listen for Anna Faris, James Caan, Andy Samberg and Terry Crews, all reprising roles from the first film. Even with that, young kids should enjoy themselves, even if "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2" isn't near as tasty as say, chicken and waffles. Peppered with some entertaining moments, it's still pleasantly unmemorable.
Wes's Grade: C+
No comments:
Post a Comment