Filipe Manuel Neto
**It would have been better not to make this film.**
The first film worked very well, and the huge box office success ensured that there was going to be a sequel, sooner or later. Perhaps in a fit of lucidity, this attempt to make a sequel was not released in the theaters, but directly on video. I can't vouch for it, but I think someone realized that the movie was going to be a huge fiasco and a humiliation for Disney...
Wanting to compare both films is such a frustrating exercise that it's better not to, even if it's unavoidable. The problems begin with the simple fact that none, or almost none, of the actors of the first film were called for this project, without it being in fact evident the reason that led to this replacement, almost generalized, of the cast. Furthermore, the film was not funny for a single minute, limiting itself to repeating comic formulas already used in the first film. The screenplay, with an unfortunate and poorly written story, is also part of the problem.
The new cast may make attempts to recreate what we've already seen, but it's an exercise doomed to failure. For me, one of the basic rules of a good sequel or prequel is to get a good sense of continuity between films, and the absence of Brendan Fraser largely breaks that feeling. Julie Benz, who takes on the role of Ursula, is the best performer in this film. She manages to be friendly, and a pleasant presence in the film, but that's about it. John Cleese's voice continues to function reasonably well, but lacks the fundamental support of a witty and humorous text. The narrator is simply unbearable and boring. Even worse, or at least as tiresome as the narrator, is Christopher Showerman, who seems to be constantly copying Fraser and trying to be as good as the original.
Technically, the film also leaves something to be desired. The animations don't work as well as would be required, and the animals look fake most of the time. The cinematography is, to say the least, excessively regular and monotonous for a movie that wants to be fun, and the bad graphics and visual effects don't convince. The sets and costumes also fell far short of my expectations, and the soundtrack doesn't bring anything really good.
