Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

The Angry Birds Movie 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 5, 2019

The Angry Birds Movie made a lot of money at the box office, so much that it's reportedly the third-highest grossing film based a video game of all time. That, of course, means a sequel was inbound whether anyone really wanted to see it or not. Anecdotally it seems Angry Birds' popularity has waned in recent years, but the brand certainly has enough name recognition clout and character familiarity to drive most any movie bearing its name to profitability, and that's what happened. This sequel raked in more than double its budget but still less than half the box office revenue of the original. That's probably a fair indication that the chances of a third are no better than 50/50, and the smart money would be on this being the final film. The Angry Birds Movie 2 is at least a jovial, carefree film, one with nothing to add to the broader talking animals CGI landscape but offering enough charm, humor, and general entertainment value to squeeze out a decent watch for the kids who will be fixated on the color and excitement. Adults won't find too many of the gags too long in the tooth.

It’s business as usual in the never-ending battle between birds and pigs, with various assaults (and some insults) flying from Bird Island to Piggie Island, and vice versa. Red (voiced by Jason Sudeikis) is loving life as Bird Island’s protector, but it turns out everyone else is a little war-weary. When Piggie Island falls under attack from a new threat and a new island -- Eagle Island -- the pigs call for a truce with the birds. Red isn’t buying it, but it quickly becomes apparent that the pigs are right and that both islands are under a new, direct threat. The two warring factions have no choice but to set aside their differences, join forces, and turn their attention to a new threat led by the nefarious Zeta (voiced by Leslie Jones) who has big plans for the two rival islands falling under her merciless attack.

While there's something very new and very dangerous under the sun in the world of Angry Birds -- a new island that demands new thinking and allegiances to overcome -- there's really nothing new under the sun in terms of the movie's output. It's constructed by rote, a film that takes expected visual and aural avenues without any effort to rework the well established system. It banks on incessant humor, ratchets up the cute factor, and throws in plenty of high flying stunts and countless examples of visual spectacle all in an effort to hide the dearth of originality within. It all rings rather hollow in the collective, but in the moment by moment playback the movie works well enough thanks to spirited voice performances and gags that don't fall entirely flat. It may may be made on the backs of other, better films, but it brings enough structural knowledge and visual delight to the table to carry it through the banality that defines the sum.

The Angry Birds Movie 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Angry Birds Movie 2 soars onto Blu-ray with an expectedly gorgeous 1080p presentation. The picture is most notable for its colors. The digital artists have left no tone unrepresented in some capacity, filling the screen in each shot with a seemingly endless parade of colors, each of which finds extremely generous punch, perfectly tuned contrast, and delightful intensity. Reds, greens, yellows, purples, blues, and every other hue one can imagine fill the screen with joy across the picture's diverse character collection and its various environments, from tropical escapes to cozy and icy interiors. The picture is sharp and highly detailed, particularly as seen on close-ups of animal fur; each strand is clearly visible and refined. Support accents are likewise generously detailed while some of the environmental backgrounds, like water at the beach, nearly pass for photorealistic. There are no technical shortcomings to report, either. This is grade-A visual delight from Sony.

The Angry Birds Movie 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Angry Birds Movie 2 features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack; the UHD features a DTS:X presentation. The 5.1 track is more than sufficient to meet the film's sonic requirements, as zany and as multitudinous as they may be. Though it has been encoded at a rather low volume -- a somewhat drastic volume adjustment is needed to get the most out of it -- the track offers plenty of enjoyable effects populating its world, with countless opportunities for front end extension, surround expansion, and low end output, albeit the latter sounding a little timid and weak rather than muscular and fully engaged. Sound traversal is excellent and imaging is spot-on; listeners will always find the audio to be matching the on-screen movements. Music is rich and vibrant, spread wide along the front, engaging the backs as needed, and finding strong foundational definition through the range across a wide variety of score and pop songs alike. Atmospherics around the islands present with precise placement and a good feel for basic location immersion. Dialogue is clear and center focused. It is well prioritized for the duration.

The Angry Birds Movie 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Angry Birds Movie 2 contains several mini movies and other additional extras. A DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase. This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.

• Mini Movies! (1080p): Six shorts are included. They are: Take Your Kids to Work Day (1:46), Hatchlings! Mother's Day (1:44), Hatchlings! Father's Day (1:00), Early Hatchling Gets the Worm (2:11), Hatchlings! Easter (1:22), and Hatchlings! Holiday (1:07).
• Mini Movie! Live Stream (1080p, 2:41): Silver, Red, and the Hatchlings appear on a web live stream.
• DIY Fun! (1080p): Three craft projects for young fans to make. Included are Hangry Birds: Popcorn Balls (3:01), Smarty Birds: Crafty Volcano (4:31), and Crafty Birds: Pig Snot! (2:47).
• Bird Watching (1080p, 10:04): A look at some of the real birds who inspired the characters in the movie and who live at the Los Angeles Zoo.
• Meets the New Birds & Pigs (1080p, 7:58): A run-through of some of the new characters and the actors who voice them.
• Hatching the Hatchlings (1080p, 5:19): Expanding the Hatchlings' story in this film, the visual keys to cuteness, funny scenes, voice work, and more.
• Flocking Together: Making The Angry Birds Movie 2 (1080p, 11:33): A look at this film's story, Red's arc in the story, the new villain, visual designs and details, crafting the Harvey costume, themes, and more. The cast also discusses what they would do with a day on Eagle Island and shares a few tips for budding artists.
• Happy Thanks-Pigging! (1080p, 1:25): The characters react poorly to news of Thanksgiving and encourage people to eat something other than turkey.
• Jingle Birds (1080p, 1:32): The voice cast performs a holiday classic with an Angry Birds spin.
• Previews (1080p): Additional Sony titles.

The Angry Birds Movie 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Angry Birds Movie 2 rises above nonexistent expectations, bringing a zany and surprisingly agreeable little romp to the screen. The film thrives on its one-off gags -- the scene-by-scene humor -- and works in a passable story elevated by exceedingly vibrant animation and spirited voice work. It's nothing that will redefine the genre, but it's a perfectly serviceable escape. Sony's Blu-ray is of good quality. The video is pristine and the supplemental content will delight the kids. The audio is less than perfect but ultimately provides a good overall listen. Recommended.