In 2011, little ones around the world – and myself – fell in love with the colourful characters in Rio. They were funny, witty and managed to entertain us for two hours. So, it was only natural that when the sequel was announced I was counting down the days until its release.
Excited, I rushed to the cinema expecting to be sitting in a theatre filled with kids. Surprisingly, it was jam-packed with adults. Needless to say, the three children that were there, and myself, were all having a ball. Don’t get me wrong, this movie is not targeting more mature audiences, but it’s certainly compelling and, although I’m not a fan of 3D, it brings the Amazon rainforest to life through beautiful computer-generated imagery. I don’t believe this film lives up to its predecessor but I also don’t believe that fans will leave the theatre disappointed. The original film introduced us to Blu (Jesse Eisenberg), a dorky, flightless Macaw who is jetted from the cold and dull city of Minnesota to the colourful and exotic Rio de Janeiro. Although shocked by the culture, he meets his soul mate, Jewel (Anne Hathaway). Skip a few years later and Rio 2 tells the story of Blu and Jewel and how they are weighed down with the responsibility of raising their three little chicks. Not surprisingly, with the target audience in mind, this is done through the same modern amenities us humans use today, such as iPads, TV and a yummy stack of blueberry pancakes. The family are happily living in a preserve in Rio with their human friends Linda (Leslie Mann) and Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro). Although Jewel is still doing the best she can as a wild blue Macaw, Blu still relies on Linda to help raise the kids. When one day, Tulio discovers a feather from what could possibly be another blue macaw, meaning Blu and Jewel may not be the last of their kind, so they set off to find the flock of birds. Many of the beloved characters from the first movie turn up along the way to meet up with the Blu family, including Rafael the toucan (George Lopez), Nico the canary (Jamie Foxx) and Blu’s evil rival, Nigel (Jemaine Clement). When Jewel and Blu find the macaws, it turns out that the leader of the pack is Jewel’s father, Eduardo (Andy Garcia). Whilst Jewel fits right in, Blu realises that his reliance on human things are making him an oddball and disapproving to Eduardo. Worse yet, Blu feels threatened by Jewel’s former love, Roberto (Bruno Mars). Nigel is looking for revenge and this time he has a poisonous frog, Gabi, to help him. At the same time, evil loggers are cutting down the rainforest and about to destroy the land the blue and red macaws share with one another. What makes this movie so entertaining is its characters, and thankfully, the best of them are back. Director Carlos Saldanha knows that these colourful characters are the heart and soul of the film. Other comeback characters include the rapping cardinal, Pedro (Will.I.Am) and Luiz (Tracy Morgan), the drooling bulldog. It’s these supporting characters that bring all the laughs in. My favourite will always be Clement’s Nigel. This movie is all about him! Clement does evil so well with his deep, monotone voice. His interpretation of Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive is definitely one of the best numbers in the film and will bring on the most smiles. He is definitely one of the most memorable villains from recent animated features. The best thing is that he is completely unpredictable. Rio 2 is a wonderful sequel. It is so vibrant and colourful that children will definitely not complain of boredom. It is a true visual feast and has so many subplots throughout, that kids are guaranteed to learn a thing or two. I personally believe that adults will also be entertained, although the script and gags are clearly not made with them in mind. - Showing in Showing in Cineco, Saar Cineplex, Al Jazeera Cineplex, Seef II
