Peter Rabbit 2 – Bringing Cutesy Animals And Nothing Else to The Table

2018’s Peter Rabbit, based on the Beatrix Potter character of the same name, didn’t exactly invent the wheel or bring anything new to the table in terms of family-centric content. In spite of the polarizing James Corden voicing the main character, it was cute but obnoxious and mediocre overall. Though that film didn’t necessarily warrant a sequel, as many films go, if it makes enough money, there’s a sequel thus here we are with Peter Rabbit 2 (or Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway). This time around, expect more of the same as the film essentially doubles down on its overbearing obnoxiousness in terms of its material as fans of the original will be at home while it certainly won’t be converting anyone else. If this film knows anything, it is its target audience which is younger children who will enjoy its cutesy characters and their hijinks as well as its message despite the fact that all of it has been done before countless times in countless better films. In the end, what will be fun to them will just be tiresome and dull to anyone else over the course of its 90+ minute running time.

Peter Rabbit 2 saw Peter (Corden) faced with an identity crisis. After the marriage of Bea (Byrne) and Thomas (Gleeson) and the release of Bea’s novel based on the adventures of Peter and his friends, Peter struggled to find his place in the world. While he and his friends were essentially Bea and Thomas’ family, they would eventually want to have real children of their own. Looking to reform himself and his behavior, he just couldn’t quite shake his mischievous reputation, whatever he tried. As the de facto leader of their group, he arguably took it the most hard. Looking for answers, Peter left the safety of the garden for the open world, he would come across a cast of shady characters in what was a mischievous underworld where mischief was appreciated and encouraged in order to survive. Finally embracing that reputation, Peter felt like he found where he truly belonged but maybe that life and these new characters wasn’t exactly what they seemed to be which only made things worse for everyone.

Meanwhile, Bea and Thomas also struggled with their future together, coming at it from different angles with Bea wanting to use her book to do right for her family and the animals and Thomas having some reservations but setting them aside for the greater good. Breaking up the main storyline with Peter was Bea and Thomas dealing with a caricaturish publisher named Nigel Basil-Jones (David Oyelowo) who had a much different plan for Bea’s book and whatever was to come after that, taking advantage of the situation by appealing to Bea’s good intentions though whether or not he believed in them as much as she did was debatable. While this was clear to everyone else, it was up to Bea to realize what was happening as she watched her ideas become perverted into something far different from the wholesome story she wrote. Just like Bea had to make a choice about her future, so did Peter about who was his real family as both subplots inevitably converged, leading to an even more predictable resolution.

Though Peter Rabbit 2 is predictable and derivative with another mediocre story, using cutesy animals who may be well-animated, it can’t quite distract from the horrendous script. The film for the most part alternates between cringey and awkward between animal and human characters, making for a tough watch that is neither funny nor touching. That being said, the acting wasn’t great either but that can most likely be attributed to the material. Byrne and Gleason did their best as Bea and Thomas as one can’t help but feel bad for them. While the voice actors from Corden on brought life to their characters, they were brought down most by the aforementioned material.

In the end, Peter Rabbit 2 will fill that rabbit-shaped void but brings nothing new or compelling to the table.

still courtesy of Sony Pictures

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.