I remember walking in a theater this past summer and seeing that there was going to be a sequel. With the exorbitant amount of sequels we seem to have these days, I will admit that I wrote it off as another sequel that was probably a total waste of time. I was wrong. Sorry guys. I’m human.
Speaking of humans, we’ve got a couple of them in this film but before I go on about them I’d like to talk about Flint Lockwood, our “hero” for the lack of a more fitting term. In the first movie, he was at worst bearable. Here he’s so dumb, so easily manipulated, and so short-sighted that it’s simply preposterous to think I as a viewer could sympathize with the guy. He makes so many mistakes, and they’re not even hard choices. They’re mistakes that could be easily avoided if he were to just access the common sense department that probably holds an office somewhere in his gigantic head. Maybe he had to get rid of it because of budget cuts, I don’t know. I’ve seen my fair share of films that rely on a mediocre main character and most times if I don’t like the main character I don’t like the movie.
Not the case here. Rather than rely on its main character, this movie leans on a solid supporting cast with all of our friends from the first. Some get more screen time than others. Here I must mention I was slightly disappointed the father, Tim, didn’t get much because I enjoyed his laid back, passive persona. However, we have Sam Sparks, the big GF, (that’s girlfriend for you newbs) who’s showing some depth and plenty more smarts than Lockwood. Did I mention my distaste for the guy?
The animation is once again very well done and the creatures are creative and oh so adorable. It’s very easy to see them as pets so it’s not hard to see where the characters are coming from. It’s quite a blast to watch visually and the environment sets up tons and tons more puns if you didn’t feel you got enough in the first one. I felt the puns were more enjoyable in this one whereas they came across as corny in the first sometimes.
I discussed how I didn’t feel the first one targeted my demographic in my last review. I don’t believe it’s doing so here either but the film does a much better job catering to the more mature audiences. We have some basic life lessons, lessons you would expect to get in an animated film, but they’re ones that can get more seasoned people like myself pondering. If we’re thinking, we’re usually satisfied. I was.
Once again, if you’re new to my blog, I’ve always ranked movies on a scale of 0-100 (I don’t know why, I just always have). Here’s the grading scale.
90-100 It’s a great movie and definitely one worth buying. (Mission Impossible, Mission Impossible II, Mission Impossible III, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2)
80-89 It was a pretty good movie and definitely one worth seeing, but it doesn’t quite scratch my top ten percentile. (The Other Guys, The Lego Movie, Non-Stop, Divergent, Spider-Man 3)
70-79 It’s okay but I’ve seen better. It has its moments, but it has its flaws, too. (Captain America: The First Avenger, Dawn of the Dead, Flyboys, 300, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs)
60-69 It’s got plenty wrong with it but I still got enjoyment out of this one. (Pacific Rim, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Disaster Movie)
50-59 This movie isn’t intolerable but it’s not blowing my mind either. I’m trying really hard to get some sort of enjoyment out of this. (Aliens, Alien Resurrection, Full Metal Jacket, Thor, You’re Next)
40-49 This movie is just mediocre. It’s not doing anything other than the bare minimal, so morbidly boring that sometimes I’m actually angry I watched this. (Pitch Black, Alien, Serendipity, Cowboys and Aliens, 300: Rise of an Empire)
30-39 Definitely worse than mediocre, the 30’s ironically define the 1930’s, full of depression, lack of accomplishments, poverty and just so dumb. (The Contract, Pride and Prejudice, Redemption)
20-29 What did I just watch? Cliches, stupidity, nothingness, did I mention stupidity? Just…wow. (The Sum of All Fears, Thor: The Dark World)
0-19 Watching this movie resulted in one or more of the following: seizure, loss of brain cells, falling asleep/unconsciousness, feel you wasted your time/day, accomplished nothing for you, left the movie knowing less about it then you did going into it, constantly asking yourself why you came to see this movie, or near-death experience. In short, staring at a wall was just as entertaining as watching this movie. This movie deserved a sticker or a label that said, “WARNING: EXTREME AMOUNT OF SUCKAGE.” (Midnight Cowboy, Dark Fury, Alien 3, Open Grave)
My score for Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2: 80.
There’s still plenty of spontaneity and childlike quality to be found in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, but the catering to an adult audience is easy to see and greatly appreciated. It’s adorable and engaging and who knows, you might even find yourself yelling at the screen occasionally out of enjoyment or extreme rage. I did.
*SPOILER ALERT* IF YOU DON’T WANT THE MOVIE SPOILED, STOP READING!!!
*SPOILER’S EDITION*
Does Chester V, our main baddie, remind anyone else of Steve Jobs? I mean, this is a Sony produced film, someone who competed with Jobs for sales for many years so I don’t think I’d put it past them to try to mimic the guy on the big screen. I don’t blame them either. The guy was a jerk but that’s another story, one that you can find here. Also, was I the only one who saw Chester V was a manipulative mastermind? It’s very predictable but the guy’s big-business, couldn’t-care-less-about-anything-else personality outfit is so conniving and convincing that I can’t be mad about how predictable it is. I hate people who behave in such a way so my outright disgust for the man cannot be verbalized civilly. It takes good screenwriting to get my emotions to come out so good job screenwriters. Much improved from the original.
Now to Lockwood. He’s doubting his ability all the time! Get a backbone and a therapist or something, man. Like does anyone remember this commercial? Click on the link so you understand what I’m talking about. CLICK ON IT!!!
But seriously, Lockwood is the guy in that chair and that angry drill sergeant, well, that’s me. This guy is so helpless and so wanting of sympathetic attention that my initial feeling for him is the opposite: it is one of tough love, get back on the horse, etc. I don’t think the guy makes one good decision in this entire film without the help of his friends either. Very irritating for me.
During his brawl with Chester V over the BSUSB chip, it flies in the air and somehow lands perfectly in the keyslot. ARE YOU KIDDING ME???!!! It’s not the end of the world, it’s an animated film, I know, I know, I know but REALLY? Why couldn’t we get someone to say, “Well, that’s baloney”, followed by a giant slice of baloney jumping in out of nowhere. It would have been punny for crying out loud. Let’s go people!
wordsofwistim 