The exercise of the sequel is a practice that Hollywood has enjoyed for a long time with obviously very diverse fortunes often depending on the continuity, or not, of the creative team behind a saga. An observation that makes both the qualities and the defects of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2.
Without being an incredible success, the first Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) made enough money at the worldwide box office for sony (via its animation studios) quickly put a sequel in the works in 2010 deviating even further from the world of children’s books created by Judi and Ron Barrett thanks to a story written by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. The two friends who scripted and directed the first opus do not pile on the sequel taken by the excellent The great LEGO adventure. They still play the role of executive producers, entrusting others with the task of refining the story and directing it. The position is entrusted to the experienced Cody Cameron (having worked on Chicken Run or even the first Shrek…) and Kris Pearn (having started at Disney before working on numerous projects for Don Bluth…) who had then collaborated in the conception of the first opus but also other projects of Sony Pictures including The Rebels of the Forest and The Kings of Sliding. An in-house solution, therefore, to try to keep the very special spirit that had made the charm of the adventures of Flint Lockwood and his band.
The action of Yummy Island: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 is set directly after the events of the first installment as our heroes triumph over the hellish food-creating machine invented by Flint Lockwood. Happy to have finally made his father proud Timto have found a kindred spirit in the person of Sam Sparks and also from having made friends, he imagines a bright future. Nevertheless, a major multinational created by the scientist and childhood idol of Flint, Chester V, must clean the city covered with giant food. Flint and his family are therefore repatriated to the continent when a place as an elite scientist alongside Chester has been offered to him. Unfortunately, everything does not go as planned, but Flint is given the mission by his boss to return to his hometown, which seems to be the scene of attacks by food that has become wild animals. Creatures that could threaten the planet if they escaped from the island. Flint and his relatives therefore go back to the scene to stop his machine which still seems to be in working order and which has completely transformed their city.
What remains the most disappointing in this sequel is its scenario which unfortunately only offers a repetition of the first opus in its first act (the repeated failures of Flint) before then emancipating itself. Nevertheless, the structure is very classic so too suitable for family entertainment. The show is certainly pleasant but the strings are a little big, especially a predictable antagonist who lacks depth. As for the themes, they are here less subtle than the first opus when it comes to talking about the importance of friendship or the fact of being disappointed by your idols… At times the film seems to turn to messages related to ecology or veganism to finally remain too shy. Despite this, we appreciate finding the endearing characters of the first opus who, without really evolving, remain what we appreciate them for. The humor is still just as effective, thus playing on several registers and able to appeal to the youngest as well as to adults.
Finally, the biggest quality of the film comes from its artistic direction because the footage offers us an incredible journey in an island with diversified atmospheres populated by incredible creatures mixing food and animals. Burgers become spiders, potatoes hippos or pickles a kind of wild people. It is at this point that the film embraces its main reference, namely the first Jurassic Park where bananas replay the scene of Gallimimus of the work of Steven Spielberg. The artistic teams have really racked their brains to offer us this incredible spectacle bursting with colors leaving us as speechless as the heroes of the film. We take pleasure in attending an adventure film with a truly original atmosphere that goes from surprise to surprise with enormous efficiency. And it is once again with pleasure that we understand to what extent animation in the cinema is truly magical and universal in giving real pleasure to spectators at all ages. There is also this spirit cartoon cartoons from our childhood that work at full speed through the very physical adventures of our heroes.
This artistic feat of giving life to creatures with mixtures as improbable as they are directly identifiable works because the animation quality is there. If technically the film cannot compete with the Pixar and others DreamWorksthe whole thing nevertheless turns out to be very solid and of flawless fluidity, in particular the very flexible character of Chester which multiplies the strange movements. The yum-nimals come to life beautifully and you can believe in their existence as their movements appear logical. The facilitators also enjoyed the different consistencies of the foods encountered during the journey. As for the production of the duo Cody Cameron and Kris Pearn, it is above all efficiency that is required with plans and editing specific to adventure films. In short, the very usual role of effective conductors that we often find in the animated films of the major American studios. The French dubbing is different from the first opus since Flint and Sat are dubbed by new actors namely Jonathan Lambert and Pauline Lefevre who deliver a correct job without more. The rest of the cast is in tune.
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