Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2: Movie Review

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2: Movie Review

Cast: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Will Forte, Terry Crews
Director: Cody Cameron, Kris Pearn

Don't play with your food is a mantra dictated to children at meal times by parents, but based on the latest Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs outing, it's going to be awfully hard to enforce.

This latest CGI outing sees Bill Hader return as inventor Flint Lockwood. Following the events of the last film where the gang managed to shut down his food producing machine, the FLDSMDFR, which was causing chaos in Swallow Falls. However, the machine's back alive and creating sentient food creatures which according to super inventor Chester V (Forte) threaten the whole world.

So, while working for Chester V's Live Corp (a company which thrives on inventions), Flint's given the job of going back to Swallow Falls to shut the machine down once and for all. Along with the gang from the first Cloudy, Flint sets out to save the day - but his ambitions to impress Chester could cause irreparable damage to his friends.

Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 is a case of good for the kids, less so for the adults.

With its bright vibrant colours, Jurassic Park world of food animals (Su-sheep, watermelophants, fla-mangoes, shrimpanzees et al) and occasional lunacy, there's enough to keep the young (and young at heart) amused throughout. The story's not exactly taxing and yep, as ever, there are lessons to be learned over choices you make as well as who you listen to in life when it comes to role models.

The animation is pleasantly done and a lot of work has gone into creating the world around it and the creatures within, with even the pre-credits claiming it's "another film by a lot of people", but there's a lack of real originality and smarts to keep the parents in the auditorium entertained throughout.

There's a zaniness initially which is confined to the sidelines and to visual gags but is soon absent once the main story kicks in, preferring instead to revel in the well-realised creature world and predictable story, complete with cheesy puns which the youngsters will adore.

Energetic and colourful, Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 does exactly what you'd expect it to - and don't be surprised if the kids love it for not playing with a winning but formulaic recipe.

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