Most critics find Rio 2 a lesser sequel: bright, busy and good-natured, but some way short of the original. Nearly every review, including the harsh ones, praises the animation, particularly the rainforest colours and the macaws’ synchronised flying routines, along with the Latin-flavoured musical numbers. Of the new characters, Kristin Chenoweth’s poisonous frog Gabi and Jemaine Clement’s vengeful cockatoo Nigel are named again and again as the liveliest things in it.
The complaints are almost as consistent as the praise. The film is overstuffed, say most critics, with too many subplots, too many lessons and too many songs, so that it tires rather than delights. The spread is wide. The Evening Standard and Digital Spy find it cosy and charming; IndieWire and Eye for Film find it tedious and sentimental. The Guardian goes further, calling it bland and commercial, with little art or wit beyond Clement’s performance.
E
Evening Standard
4 April 2014 · The Standard
75*
The critic finds the sequel a cosy, highly appealing family film. They praise its relaxed introduction to Brazil and single out Nigel’s rap rendition of “I Will Survive.”
Lowe finds the sequel colorful and frequently entertaining, though its humor and pacing are less effective than the original’s. He particularly praises the vivid rainforest animation and the standout comic performances by Kristin Chenoweth and Andy Garcia.
The page identifies this as a review, but the paywall shell does not reveal the critic’s verdict. No specific element of praise or complaint is visible in the accessible text.
The review frames Carlos Saldanha as a warm-hearted filmmaker. It praises the heartfelt quality of his films, though the full review text is unavailable.
Stables finds the sequel good-hearted and enjoyable, though its plot is predictable and the franchise’s future feels uncertain. She praises the colourful, swooping 3D musical numbers and singles out Jemaine Clement’s revenge-obsessed cockatoo for adding venom.
McFarland finds the sequel weighed down by excessive subplots and visual overload. He praises the Carnival auditions, especially the use of capoeira, as the funniest part.
Sharkey finds the film overloaded with plots, issues and characters, though its music keeps it from falling flat. She singles out the Latin-influenced musical numbers as fabulous, alongside the colorful animation.
Ebiri finds Rio 2 overstuffed and tiring, despite flashes of delight. He praises its personal, vividly rendered scenes celebrating Brazil, especially the animated tour of its cities.
Errigo finds the film unfocused and only sporadically funny, though its visual splendour lifts it. She singles out a dazzling Busby Berkeley-style bird routine as a highlight.
Chang finds the sequel lively but ultimately more exhausting than exhilarating, weighed down by too many competing storylines and lessons. He praises the vivid animation and textures, especially during the macaws’ synchronized flying routines.
Henderson pans the film as shapeless, overstuffed and lacking narrative cause and effect. He praises Gabi’s comic, tragic musical number and the jungle talent-show audition montage.
McCahill finds the sequel bland and overly commercial, with little art or wit. He singles out Jemaine Clement’s performance as Nigel as a bright spot amid the weak scripting.
The critic pans the film as a tedious sequel whose attempts at fun fall flat. He singles out its rambling story, intrusive songs, and generic visual design as major flaws.
Dibdin finds the sequel affable and charming, but unlikely to be memorable. She praises the villains and their musical number, while noting that the scattershot plot may leave adults struggling.
Simon finds the sequel overstuffed and forgettable, despite being perfectly fine. He praises its entertaining Broadway-style musical numbers, while criticizing the scattered script and weakly developed relationship themes.
The review finds the film visually striking but narratively cluttered and emotionally empty. It praises the flight-to-the-Amazon sequence’s pop-up-book style, while criticizing the film’s subplots and simplistic environmental message.
Pape finds the sequel formulaic and ultimately unsatisfying, despite its positive environmental message. He singles out Jemaine Clement’s voice performance as the film’s strongest element.
The review finds the sequel tedious and dull despite occasional amusing moments. It praises the musical numbers, especially Kristin Chenoweth’s song about her poisonous touch.
The critic finds the sequel overwhelmed by sentimentality and lacking in excitement. He singles out the sugary songs and thin comic relief as failures to rescue it.
Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate
