--- title: "Rio 2: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/rio-2/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/rio-2" critics_score: 46 critics_reviews: 20 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Rio 2 (2014): what the critics said Critics' score 46 from 20 reviews: 3 positive, 9 mixed, 8 negative. 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. ## Evening Standard — The Standard Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 4 April 2014. 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.” [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/rio-2-film-review-9238989.html) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Justin Lowe Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 26 March 2014. 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. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/rio-2-film-review-691500/) ## Screen Daily — Mark Adams Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 27 March 2014. 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. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/rio-2/5070106.article) ## Radio Times — Alan Jones Rating 3/5. Jones finds the sequel colorful and entertaining but overstuffed with songs and slapstick. He singles out toxic frog Gabi as the best new character. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-sf0k5s/rio-2/) ## Time Out — Tom Huddleston Rating 3/5. 31 March 2014. 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. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/rio-2) ## Total Film — Kate Stables Rating 3/5. 1 April 2014. 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. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/rio-2-1-review/) ## The AV Club — Kevin McFarland Rating C. 10 April 2014. 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. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/too-much-story-and-too-many-bright-colors-bring-down-ri-1798180203) ## Los Angeles Times — Betsy Sharkey Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2014. 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. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/moviesnow/la-et-mn-rio-2-20140411-story.html) ## Vulture — Bilge Ebiri Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 11 April 2014. 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. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2014/04/movie-review-rio-2.html) ## Empire — Angie Errigo Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 15 May 2013. 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. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/rio-2-review/) ## Variety — Justin Chang Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 27 March 2014. 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. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-rio-2-1201148036/) ## Slant Magazine — Eric Henderson Rating 1/4. 8 April 2014. 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. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/rio-2/) ## The Guardian — Mike McCahill Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 3 April 2014. 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. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/apr/03/rio-2-review) ## IndieWire — Charles Solomon Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2014. 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. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-rio-2-124267/) ## Digital Spy — Emma Dibdin Rating 3. 2 April 2014. 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. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a561647/rio-2-review-affable-and-forgettable-easter-holiday-fare/) ## Paste — Brent Simon Rating 5.5/10. 11 April 2014. 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. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/rio-2) ## The Playlist — The Playlist Staff Rating C-. 9 April 2014. 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. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/review-rio-2-featuring-the-voices-of-anne-hathaway-jesse-eisenberg-jamie-foxx-and-andy-garcia-20140409/) ## HeyUGuys — Stefan Pape Rating 2/5. 2 April 2014. 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. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/rio-2-review/) ## The Wrap — Alonso Duralde Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 11 April 2014. 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. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/rio-2-review-zippy-musical-trapped-inside-tedious-kiddie-movie/) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 2 April 2014. 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. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/rio-2-2014-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/rio-2.md