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The Little family’s doing fine
With everything they’ve ever wished,
But Mrs. Little always worries
Stuart somehow might be squished.
 
As a mouse, he can’t relate
To children many times his size.
He wrecks his brother’s model plane
But still stays positive, or tries.
 
But one day, driving home from school,
A bird named Margalo drops in.
They narrowly escape a falcon,
Though it broke her mother’s pin.
 
Her wing is hurt so Stuart says
That she should stay with them, not roam.
He finds and fixes her small pin
And makes the bird feel quite at home.
 
But Mrs. Little’s diamond ring
Is inexplicably just gone.
They don’t suspect that Margalo
Works for the falcon as a con.
 
When she goes missing too, the mouse
Decides the falcon took her back.
He blackmails family cat Snowbell
To join the search and help him track.
 
They reach the Pishkin Building’s top,
Where Falcon lives with Margalo.
When Stuart learns the tricky truth,
He’s dropped and lands far down below.
 
Though he survives, he ends up on
A garbage barge, to his dismay,
But then he finds his brother’s plane
And fixes it to fly away.
 
Poor Snowbell’s having some close calls,
While Margalo defies her boss.
She’s saved by Stuart in his plane,
Who leaves the falcon fiercely cross.
 
While all the Littles watch below,
The falcon tries to kill the pair.
Their faceoff ends with Stuart’s plane
Colliding with him in midair.
 
With everybody safe and sound,
Freed Margalo returns the ring.
She finally can migrate south,
But she’ll be welcomed back next spring.
____________________
 

Following E. B. White’s beloved novel somewhat more closely than its predecessor, Stuart Little 2 is a purely enjoyable sequel to 1999’s Stuart Little, and I fondly recall seeing it in the theater with my grandmother when it first came out. While it doesn’t have as many good quotes and is at times more cutesy than quirky, it creates some more wonderful characters to join the returning cast from the first film. Melanie Griffith as Margalo is a great counterpart to Michael J. Fox’s Stuart, and James Woods gives one of his trademark villainous voiceovers as the evil Falcon, who is a much stronger and more malevolent bad guy than the first film’s Smokey.

The film also has a marvelous soundtrack, mostly made up of uplifting pop songs that fit well for the target audience, including Celine Dion’s “I’m Alive,” which deserves a spot in my End Credits Song Hall of Fame. With a good mix of humor, excitement, and fine voice acting, Stuart Little 2 is one of those perfect family films that anyone can enjoy.

Best line: (Snowbell, after he believes Stuart was killed) “I wish I were the one that was dead!” (Margalo) “Really?” (Snowbell) “No. But I am very unhappy!”

 
Artistry: 4
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: 7
Originality: 6
Watchability: 6
Other (nothing objectionable; I just like other films more) -5
 
TOTAL: 32 out of 60
 

Next: #284: Raising Arizona

© 2014 S. G. Liput