Rio 2 review

We’re travelling down to Rio to catch up with blue macaw Blu (Eisenberg), his wife Jewel (Hathaway) and kids, before heading off down the Amazon to discover a whole flock of the rare birds in this colourful sequel to the 2011 animated hit.

After a spectacular musical introduction to avian New Year celebrations in Rio (featuring all of Blu’s animal pals from the first movie), we learn that Blu’s human friends Linda (Leslie Mann) and Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro) have discovered a blue macaw feather deep in the forests of the Amazon. Realising this means they are not the only blue macaws left in the world, Jewel convinces a reluctant Blu that they should head off themselves to find the birds, with their three cute chicks along for the ride. Once they get there, Jewel finds the family she thought had perished, including her father (Garcia) and macho bird Roberto (Bruno Mars), who ruffles Blu’s feathers the wrong way.

With a subplot about deforestation and the return of Shakespeare-reciting bad guy bird Nigel (Clement), this has a lot of elements mixed in together which makes for a slightly muddled movie, but a fun and brightly coloured one nonetheless. Kids will enjoy the fowl football scene, toe-tapping songs and the various humiliations Nigel endures as he plots to destroy Blu, while adults disappointed it isn’t funnier, will nonetheless be impressed by the gorgeous graphics and smile at the subtler plot points, such as frog Gabi’s (Kristin Chenoweth) unrequited love for nefarious Nigel (Chenoweth’s ‘Poisonous Love’ song is a treat). Cute stuff.