Kernel Rating (out of 5): 
MPAA Rating: G Length: 101 minutes
Age Appropriate For: 6+. Lots of talk about marriage, love, and cultural history among birds, so there’s a focus on romantic and parental relationships that wasn’t present in the first “Rio.” Also some evil loggers cutting down rainforests, a kind of creepy monkey and a nefarious bird, birds in danger from human chainsaws and axes, birds kissing and embracing, a frog in love with an evil bird that sings about it, and some jokes about trauma experienced by a bird captured by humans. Nothing necessarily objectionable, but romantic love gets a lot of attention, which might be surprising given that the previous “Rio” wasn’t structured this same way.
‘Rio’ made a lot of money, meaning we get sequel ‘Rio 2.’ But the characters aren’t further developed, the songs aren’t really memorable, and the film doesn’t do anything unique with its environmentally friendly message.
By Roxana Hadadi
Before seeing “Rio 2,” I tried very hard to remember 2011’s “Rio,” and largely came up empty. All I could recall was that the movie was about two supposedly extinct birds who fell in love, and then they evaded capture, and then they ended up together. That was it, right? I’m sure other things happened, but they certainly weren’t memorable. And so it goes with “Rio 2,” another movie which I will struggle to remember in a few weeks. Lots and lots of things happen in this movie, but from the subplots to the songs, nothing is that impactful.
