A sequel to the hit 2016 movie – which was, of course, based on the addictive Angry Birds computer game – this animated adventure picks up the story of formerly grumpy bird-turned-hero Red (Sudeikis) and his flightless pals who live on Bird Island.
They are involved in a pranking war with the neighbouring inhabitants of Piggy Island, but when head green pig Leonard (Hader) suggests a truce so they can join forces against a new threat from the previously unknown Eagle Island, Red is worried he’ll no longer be a hero in the eyes of his friends if he is part of a team rather than the leader.
Frenetically paced as the story of Red, Leonard & co’s attack on Eagle Island is mashed with the cuter subplot of a group of hatchlings’ attempts to rescue three baby eggs, this is bright, flashy and fast throughout with some great vocal performances, especially from Jones as the purple eagle Zeta, whose plan it is to use a super-weapon to take over Piggy and Bird Islands so she and her fellow eagles can escape their current frozen abode. There’s also the welcome addition of character Silver (Bloom), a scientific genius who clashes with Red but whom we know will become his special friend by the end credits, as well as the return of Peter Dinklage’s hilarious Mighty Eagle.
Some of the jokes and musical references are eye-wincingly obvious (there is, sadly, a Baby Shark number and, when the hatchlings are in space, the soundtrack is the unsubtle Space Oddity) and the gags hit and miss (a speed-dating sequence falling into the ‘miss’ category), but when it works, especially in the latter half, it is pretty funny and likeable.
A joke involving the hatchlings and a snake is adorable, the final Mission: Impossible-esque third of the movie is a hoot, and there are lots of little moments to giggle at along the way that should appeal to both young children and accompanying grown-ups.
It’s silly stuff, but it’s also lots more fun than the original Angry Birds – and there’s not many sequels that can say that.
Is The Angry Birds Movie 2 suitable for kids? Here are our parents’ notes...
This is aimed at children of all ages and there isn’t anything very scary about Zeta or her plans.
Of course, because this is based on a game in which birds catapult themselves (or, in the case of Bomb, explode) to attack the pigs, this does contains mild cartoon violence.
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