Rio 2 movie review: Blu and familiar characters return for sequel
If the first movie Rio got you thinking about visiting Rio Janeiro so you can have first hand experience of Carnival and see the massive statue Christ the Redeemer. Rio 2 may want you to check out the Amazon with its vast rainforest, waterfalls and bugs… lots and lots of bugs.
Rio 2, which begins its story in Rio somewhat where we left off in the previous movie has its character find their way to the Amazon rain forest. Jewel (Anne Hathaway) and Blu (Jesse Eisenberg) are living in a protected sanctuary Rio de Janiero, Brazil, with their three kids. They think that they are still the only Spix’s macaws in existence. When researchers Tulio Monteiro (Rodrigo Santoro) and Linda Gunderson (Leslie Mann) discover there are more blue-tailed macaws in the Amazon, word makes its way back to Rio. Blu and the gang fly to the amazon (not the website) to investigate for themselves. Family reunions, music, more bad guys than needed to be in a kids movie, attempted suicide by one of the characters and some save the rainforest added to the mix. This leaves us with multiple weak plot lines that either had the audience dancing, confused or wondering if they should have waited for the movie’s released on Blu-ray. I can see some people going to this movie more for the music than the failed plot but all in all it did well with the 2 tiered approach of entertaining both the kids and the adults that brought them.
My 8 year old daughter (like most I’d imagine) enjoyed the movie, she was dancing to the beats of Bruno Mars, Jamie Fox and B.o.B and had a good time. I think we could have saved a few bucks and watched this at home a few months later when it’s released on blu-ray.
Music
“What Is Love?” Janelle Monáe
“Rio Rio” (featuring B.o.B) Ester Dean
“Beautiful Creatures” Barbatuques, Andy García, and Rita Moreno
“Welcome Back” Bruno Mars
“Ô Vida” Carlinhos Brown and Nina De Freitas
“It’s a Jungle Out Here” (Brazilian) Philip Lawrence
“Don’t Go Away” (featuring Uakti) Anne Hathaway and Flavia Maia
“Batucada Familia” Carlinhos Brown, Siedah Garrett, Jamie Foxx, Rachel Crow, Amy Heidemann, Andy García, and Rita Moreno
“Poisonous Love” Kristin Chenoweth and Jemaine Clement
“I Will Survive” Jemaine Clement and Kristin Chenoweth
“Bola Viva” Carlinhos Brown
“Favo De Mel” Milton Nascimento
“It’s a Jungle Out Here” Philip Lawrence
“What Is Love” Janelle Monáe, Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Jamie Foxx, and Carlinhos Brown
Purchase Rio 2: Music From the Motion Picture
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