Movie Review: Rio 2: Infectious frivolity, standout new characters

 CEBU, Philippines - Rio’s impressive voice cast returns for the second outing largely intact, augmented by some notable additions, including Andy Garcia as a patriarchal parrot and singer-songwriter Bruno Mars in a tunefully comedic role. Although the significance of some of the musical and visual references may not register with the youngest viewers, there’s plenty to attract kids and adults alike in director Carlos Saldanha’s colorful imagining of the Amazon rainforest’s avian communities.

“Rio 2” finds Blu (Jesse Eisenberg) settled down with mate Jewel (Anne Hathaway) in Rio de Janeiro, raising a brood of three young blue macaws in the heart of the city. Even if he doesn’t totally fit in now that he’s mostly cut ties with his former owner Linda (Leslie Mann), he’s making a good show of it, celebrating a traditional New Year’s Eve high above one of Rio’s iconic beaches where local residents congregate. Although she grasps her family’s precarious position as potentially the last of their rare species, for her part, free-spirited Jewel hasn’t quite shaken off the call of the wild.

So when her former guardian, geeky ornithologist Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro), and Linda make an expedition to the Amazon rainforest shortly after their marriage and discover the existence of a surviving group of endangered blue macaws, Jewel decides it’s time for the family to get back to their rainforest roots with a trip to the jungle. Bookish little bird Bia (Amandla Stenberg), hellraiser Tiago (Pierce Gagnon) and aloof teen Carla (Rachel Crow) are up for the trip, but Blu can only consider making the journey with a supply of creature comforts stashed in his fanny pack, including an all-purpose multi-tool and GPS navigation he can use to locate Linda and Tulio in the forest.

Blu’s buds pile on for the adventure, including party-hearty toucan Rafael (George Lopez) and his sidekicks, the musically inclined Nico (Jamie Foxx) and Pedro (the Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am). Two thousand miles from Rio in the depths of the Amazon rainforest, they encounter a fiercely independent band of dozens of blue macaws led by proud patriarch Eduardo (Andy Garcia), along with his sister Mimi (Rita Moreno) and the preening protector Roberto (Bruno Mars), Jewel’s childhood playmate.

The clincher, however, is that Eduardo is Jewel’s long-lost father, who’s leading the defense of their isolated forest habitat against encroaching loggers. Blu and his family are also menaced by his former nemesis, the brain-addled cockatoo Nigel (Jemaine Clement), who was badly injured at the conclusion of Rio, but returns more evil than ever. Although now flightless, he’s resolutely bent on revenge and accompanied by an admiring protege, the poisonous frog Gabi (Kristin Chenoweth).

Hathaway and Eisenberg are well matched as the endangered blue macaws, now guardians of the next generation. Hathaway’s line readings animatedly convey Jewel’s spirited personality, as well as her affectionate impatience with her mate’s abundant phobias. It takes little effort for Eisenberg to make Blu’s neuroses believable, although all the anxiety begins to wear a bit by the midpoint. Although singing clearly isn’t Eisenberg’s strong suit, Hathaway really gets the chance to shine with her vocal performances.

The other returning cast members pretty much reprise their Rio supporting roles, although their screen time is diminished to make room for new characters, with Chenoweth and Garcia the real standouts. Playing the petite, poisonous frog Gabi, Chenoweth literally drips with amusingly outsize menace, but scores major points primarily for her two duets with Clement’s megalomaniacal Nigel, particularly in a ridiculously re-jiggered version of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive.”

Easily recognizable Brazilian music, particularly bossa nova and samba, comprised the rhythmic heart of Rio, but in the sequel, the filmmakers branch out with a range of styles, performed by a stellar lineup of musicians. Musical artists Janelle Monae and Bruno Mars sound more contemporary notes, with songs that are prominently featured on the film’s recently released soundtrack album. (hollywoodreporter.com)