Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

The film may fizzle, but Disney's video presentation esta muy caliente!

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown March 4, 2011

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 confirms my suspicions: if dogs started talking, we'd quickly realize they didn't have much to say. It'd be fascinating at first, sure. A great parlor trick, no doubt. But after the 457th puppy pun, most pet owners would be looking for a way to put down their former best friends. No, Disney's direct-to-video Chihuahua sequel isn't nearly as insipid as its critically panned predecessor (which, by some soul-peddling trickery, grossed an unholy $150 million worldwide), nor is it as teeth-splittingly sweet or mind-numbingly dull as entries in the Buddies franchise. I'll even go so far as to say kids will have a blast watching its feisty canines dig their way out of trouble. Does that make Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 a good film? If only that were the case...

They may not look like it, but they're a handful...

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 begins with a wedding. Not for Sam (Marcus Coloma, replacing Manolo Cardona) and Rachel (Erin Cahill, replacing Piper Perabo) -- the chihuahua owners who were dating when last we left them -- but for Chloe (Odette Yustman, replacing Drew Barrymore) and Papi (George Lopez, replacing his first paycheck with a second), complete with tuxes, gowns, guests, gifts, upper-crust reception and all. But before Papi has a chance to undo his cummerbund, Chloe tells him she's ready to start a family. Four months later... bah da da dah da daaah! Puppy power! Five pups to be specific (voiced by Zachary Gordon and Emily Osment, among others). Like any pint-sized quintuplets though, Papi and Chloe's kids are a regular handful. It doesn't help that Papi allows the puppies to get away with anything and everything, much to Chloe's dismay.

The rest of the story is rather inconsequential. Rachel heads off to the rain forest for some random reason, Sam stays behind with the chihuahuas and tries to help his elderly parents escape eviction, Papi deals with the challenges of fatherhood and struggles to learn the art of tough love, Chloe has to keep her wits about her, and the puppies go missing. Misadventures abound, a prestigious Dog Show is held and trouble boils over. Frankly though, it's as absorbing as organic kitty litter. Direct-to-video maestro Alex Zamm (Dr. Dolittle: Million Dollar Mutts, Inspector Gadget 2) and screenwriters Dannah Phirman and Danielle Schneider have assembled a semi-decent family flick on a slim Disney Dime, but a steady stream of derivative gags and wince-inducing performances undermine what little they manage to accomplish. Lopez and his fellow voice actors aren't given much to work with (no, flimsy puns and dated pop culture references don't count), the hijinks that ensue are tame and tiring, and Cahill and her human castmates either overact or underwhelm. (Coloma's line delivery is painful. Painful.) The most telling description I can offer? Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 is exactly what you'd expect it to be.

That's not to say the sequel is a complete failure. Zamm's talking-animal visual effects actually outclass those that appear in recent big-budget theatrical releases like The Revenge of Kitty Galore, favoring convincing simplicity over cartoonish overstatement. If nothing else, the effects make The Search for Santa Paws look like something a crafty mom threw together on a home PC. As for the kiddies, they'll be far less critical of Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 than their parents and older siblings. They won't notice the cast's wooden performances, roll their eyes at Phirman and Schneider's worst one-liners, grow bored with the puppies' yip-yapping shenanigans or realize just how many not-so-subtle stereotypes the filmmakers introduce. Ultimately though, if your kids aren't begging to watch it, don't rush out to rent a copy. Take this unique opportunity to refine their cinematic palettes, broaden their cultural horizons or, here's a crazy idea, encourage them to read a book. However, if talking dogs are all the rage in your house, don't fret. Believe me, you could do a lot worse than Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Cute, cuddly and oh-so-colorful, Disney's striking 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer defies direct-to-video expectation. It isn't without its flaws -- some of the Los Angeles. stock footage Zamm utilizes suffers from banding, blocking and other split-second anomalies (the worst of which appears in the sky in an early shot of the city) and negligible noise creeps in from time to time (watch Papi's nose when he tucks his pups in for the night) -- but the bulk of the video presentation is quite remarkable. Primaries are vibrant and spicy, blacks are deep and inky, and contrast is strong and stable. And detail? Detail is as crisp and refined as direct-to-video presentations get. Fine textures are refined and revealing, definition is razor-sharp and surprisingly clean (with little to no ringing to report), and a tasteful veneer of grain lends the Chihuahua sequel a filmic quality similar productions often lack. Better still, the majority of the film's visual effects are fairly seamless and stand up well under scrutiny. It only helps that the encode is as proficient as it is. Aside from the minor issues noted above, there isn't a hint of significant artifacting, banding, smearing, crush or aliasing. Knee-high videophiles and discerning parents alike will be thoroughly pleased with the results.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Disney's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track boasts decent bark and bite, even if it nips far more often than it draws blood. Dialogue is bright and intelligible throughout -- whether uttered by man or mutt -- and both live and recorded voices are smartly prioritized in the mix. Likewise, every ripping couch cushion, jingling dog toy and shrill yap yap yap is crystal clear, LFE output is healthy and hearty, directional effects and cross-channel pans are fairly impressive (particularly for a direct-to-video release) and Chris Hajian's generic genre score is given free reign of the soundfield. That being said, the rear speakers rarely lunge for the jugular and the whole of the mix is a tad front-heavy. Still, the rear soundstage is active enough to create a mildly engaging atmosphere complete with quiet but playful ambience and subtle but serviceable acoustics. Fans of the Chihuahua films (at least those armed with reasonable expectations) won't be disappointed.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Blu-ray edition of Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 coughs up three dull features -- an interactive game show dubbed "Beverly Hills Chihuahua Challenge" (HD), a series of less-than-amusing "Blooper Faux Paws" (HD, 3 minutes) and a Bridgit Mendler music video (HD, 3 minutes) -- none of which add any value to the experience.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If you didn't make it through Beverly Hills Chihuahua, its direct-to-video sequel isn't going to win you over either. Younger children will certainly enjoy its talking-animal hilarity, but older kids and their less-than-enamored parents will find themselves staring at the clock and fighting sleep. At least Disney's Blu-ray release makes up for some of the mediocrity that graces the screen. Its supplemental package isn't going to sell any discs, but its excellent video transfer and solid DTS-HD Master Audio track will satisfy fans of all ages. Rent Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 if you must, avoid it altogether if you can.