Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 – Review

Emma Rhodes provides a breath of fresh air with her review of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2.

I recently sat and watched the popular, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 after secretly enjoying the first film. The first film saw the loveable yet nutty scientist Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) create an amazing machine within his homemade laboratory in his back garden after aspiring to become the world’s greatest scientist! Not only can Flint determine the weather, he can make the weather rain his town’s favourite foods! As the machine was used more and more Flint’s luck ran out and he was forced to pull the plug in an attempt to save his hometown.

A great and recognisable cast has re-joined forces again to create this sequel including adding even more attraction. After the dissemination of Flint’s fantastic invention in the previous film, the town of Swallow Falls can relax, or can they? Their town has completely changed, transforming into a new and exciting ecosystem as food-animal hybrids have taken over! Some of the scenes almost reflect that of Jurassic Park, discovering a whole new world full of creatures, never seen before just ready to be explored.
Famous scientist Chester V approaches his biggest fan, Flint and informs him what his machine, the FLDSMDFR has become. Flint excitedly goes with Chester to Swallow Falls to find the machine and dismantle his work for normality once again.

Joined by his long term suffering Dad, new flame Sam Sparks (Anna Faris) and pet monkey Steve (Neil Patrick Harris) Flint certainly finds more than he may have first bargained for. Amongst the new breeds of ‘foodimals’ his machine has created is a strawberry named Barry, a family of humanoid pickles, a herd of Bananostrich, a hungry and destructive Tacodile and the infamous Cheespider!

Again this film offers great entertainment for the whole family as there is plenty for the younger audiences but I would definitely say there are a lot of jokes for the adults. New character Chester is definitely an interesting and eccentric character that certainly brings something new and refreshing to the sequel with his force of inventors, all wearing their bright orange body warmers!
I have to admit my favourite character within the film has to be the leak who appears a couple of times during the film, sometimes unexpectedly which I think adds to the humour of their appearance. The use of the animals and the creation of their names and characteristics is really clever and definitely original.

Cinematically, the film was brilliant. Very colourful and the imagery is definitely inventive as is the creation of the animals. The jokes within the film are continuous and audiences should not be finding themselves getting bored halfway through. The ending is also not predictable so audiences can remain captivated by what is happening on the screen rather than seeing their predictions were correct.

I would give this film a 7 out of 10, entertaining throughout for adults as much as the children who they may have used for an excuse to see this, and I would not blame them! It is not ground-breaking but does follow the original film well and is a nice and easy film to watch.