Film review: Rio 2

Tulio, voiced by Rodrigo Santoro, left, and Linda, voiced by Leslie Mann, in a scene from the animated film Rio 2. AP Photo / 20th Century Fox-Blue Sky Studios

Rio 2

Director: Carlos Saldanha

Voices by: Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez, Jamie Foxx

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We’re flying down to Rio for another colourful animated adventure featuring the neurotic blue macaw Blu (Eisenberg), who now has three cute chicks with wife Jewel (Hathaway). The title is a bit of a misnomer, however, as after a gorgeous, splashy introduction to New Year festivities in Brazil’s most famous city, the feathered family fly off down the Amazon, when they learn there may be some fellow blue macaws living there.

While some of the characters from the first movie, including toucan Rafael (George Lopez), canary Nico (Jamie Foxx) and Shakespeare-spouting cockatoo Nigel (Jemaine Clement) go along for the ride, the plot mainly focuses on Blu struggling to fit in with Jewel’s rediscovered Amazon family (led by patriarch Andy Garcia and a suave bird voiced by Bruno Mars) and a side story about the deforestation of the rainforest.

Little ones may be confused by the various plot strands, but will be bewitched by the lusciously animated action (including an avian football match), while adults, disappointed it isn’t funnier, will nonetheless be charmed by some of the skilfully executed musical moments.

* Jo Berry