Hey folks, Valkor here with another TOV exclusive, and this one is a doozy! I enjoyed Sony’s CGI hit “Open Season” when it initially released in 2006. Voiced by Ashton Kutcher and Martin Lawrence, Open Season was the beginnings of Boog and Elliot’s adventure as Boog tried to make it out of the wild and back to his home before the hunters got him. Now Boog and Elliot are back in another adventure, though not quite as funny as the first film, it’s still has its moments.
The StoryElliot and Giselle are on the verge to getting hitched, but realizing that it will be for forever, Elliot starts to get cold feet. At the same time, the owners of Mr. Weenie make the scene (weenie ditched them at the end of the last film). They’re able to track him down using weenie snacks and just before they’re able to drive away with Mr. Weenie in tow, Elliot witnesses the abduction, informs the others, and now it’s up to him, Boog, Mr. Mcsquizzy, Giselle, the ducks and Buddy the porcupine to help their new found friend and bring him home, before he is re-domesticated by the other pets, who it just so happens, hate wild animals. It’s domestic versus wild animals in this direct to video flick, but how did it fare in the Val-Cave?
The Good
First and foremost, though the two main characters of Boog and Elliot don’t have the same voices, the new voices of John McHale (Elliot) and Mike Epps (Boog) work seamlessly well, capturing their vocal mannerisms to a “T”. Honestly, when it comes to sequels and the original voices are replaced, the finished product is lacking in the spirit of the first. However in this case, Epps and McHale do such an amazing job replicating the original voices that you’d swear Lawrence and Kutcher recorded some of it. But the break out voice has to be Crispin Glover as Fifi, who is just so damn eerie good as the yapping poodle. He started out as kinda gay, but further in, the Fifi character gets maniacal in his hate lust for the wild animals. Seriously folks, if anything watch Open Season two for Crispin Glover alone. Trust me, it’s worth it. And thanks to the writers for giving Billy Connolly’s McSquizzy more lines and funny scenes, especially towards the end when he’s disguised as a little dog. I say no more about that, you’ll simply have to watch.
The BadFor starters, I’m not a big fan of the overall all plot, which has either side fighting over Mr. Weenie, though the end results when the two sides go at it, make up for that misstep. I also think there’s waaaaaay too much talking in this flick, that it makes your headspin. Finally characters do things that will make kids go HUH? Case in point: After Mr. Weenie escapes from the caravan with Buddy the porcupine and finds Elliot; he tells Elliot that Giselle and the others went to Pet Paradisio. It’s weird because Mr. Weenie and Buddy escaped long before Boog and Giselle ever shows up at the caravan park.
The Ugly
N/A
Open Season 2 still has a ways away from release, but I can honestly say right now, you’ll want to add this to your DVD/Blu Ray pile, if anything, it’s something just to give the kiddies something to watch and it’s a plus as adults can enjoy it with them, for an overall family affair. It’s crazy, it’s zany, and it’s full of laughs, with an added dose of some great voice acting, and decent CGI. Out of 5 stars, I’m giving Open Season 2, 3.5 stars and it’s been Valkor tested, TOV approved.