The best thing about Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 is that it’s a kid’s movie. That’s not to say it isn’t clever or sophisticated – on the contrary, it’s one of the smartest animated films I’ve seen in a while.
What it isn’t, however, is a movie that tries to be any more mature than it has to be, and the result is wonderfully refreshing.
Directed by Cody Cameron and Kris Peam, the film begins with crackpot inventor “Flint Lockwood” (Bill Hader) and company evacuating their island after a disastrous storm caused by one of Flint’s inventions has covered it with food.
When Flint accepts an invitation from his idol, “Chester V” (Will Forte), to join the Live Corp Company and return to the island for cleanup, he discovers that his machine is still operational and creates mutant food creatures from which he and his friends must save the world.
The script, penned by John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein, is a pun-filled delight, firing off jokes at lightning speed yet never losing the audience. What’s more, the jokes are simple, eschewing winks at older viewers in favor of solid, unpretentious comedy.
Unsurprisingly, the film is also a visual masterpiece, rendered in exquisite detail and full of masterfully created sight gags. The highlight, of course, is the food monsters, which are downright ingenious and which consistently provide the movie’s biggest laughs.
All in all, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 is a definite must for children and adults alike–provided you like puns, of course. It’s sweet, smart, and charmingly silly, making for a genuinely entertaining cinematic experience.
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