Today’s quick review: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader), the inventor whose food machine nearly destroyed the world, gets a shot at redemption when Chester V (Will Forte), a celebrity inventor, recruits him for a secret mission. Along with Sam Sparks (Anna Faris) and their friends, Flint returns to the island of Swallow Falls, which his damaged food machine has turned into a lush jungle filled with food animals.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 is an animated family adventure comedy. The story picks up shortly after the events of the first film, as Flint gets the chance to prove himself to his idol. The sequel does a good job of building on concepts introduced in the original, adding animate food to the mix and continuing the characters’ story arcs. Still, its bizarre setting and its kid-friendly plot will not appeal to everyone.
Sequels always face the difficult problem of telling a new story that stays true to the spirit of the original. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 is one of the few that achieves this. Its premise is a natural extension of the first movie, apart from the excusably abrupt introduction of Chester V and his company. Moreover, the world and the characters have already been established, meaning that the movie is free to try out new combinations of ideas.
In terms of quality, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 is not quite as sharp or as focused as the first film, but it has a lot of the same appeal. The movie quickly finds its comedic rhythm, using a mixture of over-the-top characters, off-the-wall gadgets, and food punts to keep the audience on their toes. The haphazard style of comedy won’t suit some viewers, but anyone who enjoyed the first film will feel right at home.
As far as weaknesses go, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 is an exaggerated version of the first film. The emotional core of the movie is buried under even more layers of comedy, the setting is even less grounded than before, and the movie is almost impossible to watch without having seen the original. But even with these flaws, the movie never makes any serious missteps, and it still works perfectly well as a family-friendly romp.
If you enjoyed Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, give the sequel a shot. It captures many of the strengths of the first movie without feeling like a rehash, and apart from a more outlandish story, there is no substantial drop in quality. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 is a fine pick for anyone willing to embrace the sillier, more eccentric side of the family comedy genre. Skip it if you are looking for a more heartfelt story.
For an animated comedy sequel in the same vein, try The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part. For an animated sequel with a similar conflict, try Incredibles 2. For a dark thriller about a cult-like tech company, try The Circle. For a live-action adventure about a journey into a dangerous jungle, try the original Jumanji.
[6.4 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1985966/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for a story that makes good use of its premise.