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SYNOPSIS:
Boog and Elliot are back for more crazy adventures. After
falling head over hooves in love with Giselle, Elliot's road
to the altar takes a slight detour when Mr. Weenie is kidnapped
by a group of pampered pets determined to return him to his
owners. Boog, Elliot, McSquizzy, Buddy and the rest of the
woodland creatures launch a full-scale rescue mission for
their sausage-shaped friend and soon find themselves in enemy
camp: the world of the pets. Led by a toy poodle named Fifi,
the pets do not plan to let Mr. Weenie go without a fight.
Can a toy poodle REALLY bring down an 900-pound grizzly bear?
Will Elliot ever marry Giselle? Find out in Open Season 2.
MOVIE
REVIEW
The fourth animation release from Sony Pictures Animation "Open Season 2" is a direct-to-video production that capitalised on their 2006 original output. With the exception of Ashton Kutcher and Martin Lawrence who voiced a grizzly 900lb bear Boog and the former Elliot, the irritable fast-talking mule deer, the rest of the voice cast is back for more misadventures.
Though Kutcher and Lawrence have been replaced by Joel McHale and Mike Epps, you won’t notice the difference however. Elliot the mule deer is still irritable. For the uninitiated, the first instalment is about how Elliot, Boog and their bunch of wacky forest friends unite to fight against the hunters. This time round, the gang must go on a road trip to rescue Mr Weenie (a sausage-shaped dog) from being domesticated again and also a fight against a crazy poodle, Fifi while at the same time Elliot must explain why he left Giselle at the altar at the last minute.
On paper, it sounds like there’s plenty to cover in the short 76 minutes duration. In actual fact, most of the dialogue is dedicated to the irritable Elliot (did I say irritable again?). Elliot is a character that doesn’t invoke any sympathy or feel affection for, he is a stupid, loud, egoistic deer that you wonder why the elegant smart Giselle takes a liking to him. Fortunately, the Crispin Glover voiced nasty, psychotic poodle, Fifi adds a breath of fresh air to the otherwise stale plot development.
There are a couple of laughs littered all around. Nothing too crass that kids should avoid nor is there any overly enthusiastic moments to perk up the adults. A particular rescue sequence involving the forest animals in a parked caravan should be considered the highlight of the movie. The computer graphics on the other hand are unexpectedly good for a direct-to-video release, not to the extent of a Disney/Pixar production but reasonable presentable on the small screen.
If your kids are getting tired of the usual crop of direct-to-video Disney productions, perhaps "Open Season 2" will be the likely choice for a lazy weekend. Kids will definitely love those cute looking animals except maybe that irritable deer.
SPECIAL FEATURES :
Going Wild! With the cast of Open Season 2 is a behind-the-scenes feature that showcases interviews with the directors, cast and also how the enthusiastic actors record their lines.
Let the storyboard artist teach you how to draw the main characters of Open Season 2 in How to Draw Your Favourite Characters: Boog, Elliot & Fifi
There are 3 Deleted Scenes presented in their original raw storyboard form. None has the potential to make the final cut anyway.
There’s a Open Season 2 "Who Let the Dogs Out" Music Video and 5 Wacky Weenie DVD Games to round up the DVD.
AUDIO/VISUAL:
Presented in anamorphic widescreen 1.78, "Open Season 2" is a surprise in the visual aspect of this direct-to-video production. Colours are rich and the Dolby Digital 5.1 brings alive to the occasional ambient sound effects and explosion.
MOVIE RATING:
 
DVD
RATING :
Review
by Linus Tee
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