Angry Birds 2 an improvement on its predecessor

This movie backs off on the garish colours and frenetic scene changes that made the original Angry Birds such an eyesore, and this not-so-needy vibe also works in favour of a slightly stirring finale.

Here’s a mildly pleasant surprise, then.

The Angry Birds Movie 2, a second animated movie based on the once popular phone app, is quite a decided improvement on its predecessor.

Do you really need to know if there is something approximating a plot?

OK. Well, the long-running war between the residents of Bird and Piggy Islands has reached a truce after a new mob over on Eagle Island starts lobbing ice bombs at their formerly niggling neighbours.

The birds and the piggies come together to fight a new common enemy.

Now the best of frenemies, tribal leaders Red (Jason Sudeikis) and Leonard (Bill Hader) strike an alliance to repel the threat posed by the antagonistic Zeta (Leslie Jones).

With the attacks rising in frequency every day, Red and Leonard set about assembling a team of worthy warriors capable of taking on Zeta and her fellow ferocious birds of prey.

The uncontrollably explosive Bomb (Danny McBride) and the darty speedster Chuck (Josh Gad) feature prominently in the mayhem that follows, as does Leonard’s unreliable sidekick Courtney (Awkwafina from current hit release The Farewell) and a trio of adorable hatchlings some may recall from the close of the first movie.

The characters are voiced by a star-studded cast.

The voice performances here are quite good, as are some refreshingly random (albeit all too short) bursts of anarchic humour.

Visually, the movie backs off on the garish colours and frenetic scene changes that made the original Angry Birds such an eyesore, and this not-so-needy vibe also later works in favour of a slightly stirring finale.

THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 2 (PG)

Director: Thurop Van Orman (feature debut)

Starring: the voices of Jason Sudeikis, Leslie Jones, Bill Hader, Danny McBride.

Rating: **1/2

Winging it in a much better way

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Originally published as Angry Birds 2 an improvement on its predecessor