Two Direct-to-Video Sequels from Disney
Lilo & Stitch 2 (August 20/05)
Much like its predecessor, Lilo & Stitch 2 is cute enough - there are a few genuinely funny moments here, while the voice acting is surprisingly effective - although the film does eventually wear out its welcome (this is despite a running time of about an hour). As the film opens, young Hawaiian Lilo and alien creation Stitch are essentially living together in harmony - until it's revealed that Stitch has a glitch that's causing him to occasionally revert to his destructive programming. With the exception of Dakota Fanning as Lilo, the majority of the cast is comprised of performers from the original; and, like the original, Kevin McDonald (as a wacky alien named Pleakley) does the scene-stealing thing with apparent ease. But despite the film's various positive attributes (including a bright, vibrant animation style that belies its straight-to-video status), Lilo & Stitch 2 never quite becomes anything more than passable children's entertainment.
out of
Tarzan II (October 4/05)
Tarzan II is essentially the very definition of a needless sequel, as the film doesn't really have a compelling story to tell and is packed with a whole host of pointless subplots and characters (there's not enough story here to even sustain a 72-minute running time). The film follows Tarzan (voiced by Harrison Chad) as he attempts to cope with his clumsiness and other distinctly non-ape qualities - though the relentless teasing he receives certainly doesn't help matters. But when everyone assumes he's dead after a mishap, Tarzan uses the opportunity to start a new life elsewhere - finally hooking up with a grizzled old ape named Zugor (George Carlin). Although Tarzan II does sport above-average animation (this is practically theatrical quality) and voice performances that are uniformly effective, the movie never feels like anything more than an attempt to cash in on the Tarzan name. And though there's little doubt that kids will enjoy this - the movie is packed with wacky supporting characters and over-the-top bits of physical comedy - it seems fairly obvious that adults will find Tarzan II tedious and tiresome.
