There are a couple of ways to make a sequel. The “Hangover” school of thought, for example, dictates that all successors lazily follow the same formula with only the minutest of variations. The “G.I. Joe” route, on the other hand, is more like an Etch a Sketch: The writers find a way to wipe out previous characters to make way for fresh faces.
“Rio 2” introduces a hybrid approach, which might be called “hoarding.” Not only does it incorporate the story lines and characters from the original, but it also adds new villains and complications, making it an overstuffed mess of too many personalities and plot points. I never thought I’d say this, but maybe the “Hangover” strategy isn’t so bad after all.
The animated movie returns to the story of Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg) and Jewel (Anne Hathaway), two Spix’s macaws living at a sanctuary in Rio de Janeiro with their three bird-children. Blu is your typical embarrassing dad with a fanny pack filled with emergency supplies and an aversion to the tiniest inkling of adventure. But Jewel is more of a free spirit, so when she hears that another group of blue macaws has been spotted in the Amazon, she decides the family needs to take flight and track them down.