The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019)

(In French, Video on-Demand, November 2019) Executed with lavish means and top-notch technical credentials, The Angry Birds Movie 2 merely answers present. Taking on the most obvious sequel plot development, it features birds and pigs working together against a new enemy. Much of the film is self-consciously funnier and more cartoonish than the first, going for a less specific but more broadly accessible tone even for those who never played the original videogame or don’t want to care about its (thin) mythology. The result is arguably better than the first film—and with a more conciliatory message as it steps away from the thematic straightjacket of its source material. It can readily be watched as pure entertainment—the animation is very well done, and the writers clearly took notes on how to write blockbuster animation family movies. It does, however, give The Angry Birds Movie 2 a somewhat generic feel, hardly distinguishable from a flood of other similar films. That’s not necessarily a bad thing if you’re just looking for something funny to watch (and it’s an open question as to whether the Angry Birds franchise could support anything more ambitious) but there may be a few missed opportunities here.