The first Peter Rabbit, surprisingly enough, ended up being a really fun and really funny movie. It’s not taking home any awards nor is it going to join the conversation of some of the greatest kids movies of all time, but it’s super enjoyable and something that most people should get a kick out of. And part of what makes it a charming adventure is that it stays true to the style of the children’s book but it also offers a great sense of modern humor and modern filmmaking techniques that makes it worth the watch. Aside from the “controversy” it got with “allergy bullying,” Peter Rabbit is a joyful hybrid of live action and animation. So, when your budget is $50 million and your movie makes over $351 million at the box-office, a sequel has to be in discussion. It’s sequel, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, was originally slated fora release on February 7th, 2020, but because of COVID-19, the movie hit shifted four other times before it finally hit theaters on June 11th, 2021, but only in theaters. Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway is no The Godfather Part II or Terminator 2 or even Paddington 2, but this movie is charming right from the opening frame. The sense of fun, entertainment and joy that these movies have sprinkled through our is quite a joy.
Picking up after the events of the first movie, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway sees Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson) and Be a (Rose Byrne) as a happily married couple while living with Peter and the rest of his rabbit family. When Peter starts getting bored and tiresome of living his life in the garden, he goes on a quest to the big city, where he stumbles upon some questionable characters and ends up creating some disarray for the entire family.
One of the bright spots of Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway ares it’s special effects. Let’s face it, there’s only so much you can do with CGI in a live action environment and Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway isn’t going to break any ground in that field nor is it going to completely knock your socks off. That said, the visuals in this movie are quite impressive. The detail on the animals and from their movements was really impressive work. This is a tactic that tends to come across as a gimmick or not as clean looking as it appears on screen, but the effect works great in this sequel.
Another aspect of Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway that works is the voice work and the live action performances. Maybe any actor can voice work Peter Rabbit just as well as James Corden, but considering he’s the man for the job, he’s does a solid job of giving an anthropomorphic a great sense of charisma, cockiness and tenderness. The rest of the cast is solid, once again, whether it’s Elizabeth Debicki, Margot Robbie and even newcomers Hayley Atwell and Lennie James, but James Corden is the real star. As far as the live action performers are concerned, Rose Byrne, Domhnall Gleeson, and David Oyelowo are good enough. Granted, this story and its script don’t give the characters exciting things to do, nor is a children’s movie required to do so. However, with Domhnall Gleeson, and just like the previous film, he’s given a great amount of laughter in this movie and he’s probably the only live action model that has more to do than the others and it’s partially because he shares a sweet relationship with Peter Rabbit.
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway is a delight and real treat that’s appropriate for all ages. While these movie may not have the incredible dash of charm say like the Paddington movies, this movie, and its predecessor, is full of great self awareness, enjoyment and tons of frolicking.
My grade for Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway: B
Zane's take at the Cinema's 