Dr Dolittle 2 film review

certificate_PG

DR DOLITTLE 2

Hollywood has been struck down with a nasty case of sequelitis. The symptoms are all too obvious: lazy plot retreads, wafer thin characterisation, overuse of special effects.

In Dr Dolittle 2, Eddie Murphy reprises his role as the crazy quack with the ability to talk to the animals.

Dolittle is enlisted to ensure the survival of the Pacific Western bear, and to save a stretch of endangered forest from the bulldozers of a nasty lumber company.The maniacal medic finds a vain and lovable performing bear called Archie (voiced by Zahn) with a penchant for fast food who would be perfect for the scheme - if only he could be integrated back into the wild. However, Dolittle would still have to find the bear a mate to deter the bulldozers from moving in.

In desperation, the doc moves to the woods with his family - wife Lisa (Wilson) and daughters Maya (Pratt) and Charisse (Raven-Symone). Torn between his parental duties and his responsibilities to the creatures of the forest, Dolittle begins to teach Archie all the fundamentals of surviving in the wild.

The bear doesn't seem remotely interested, until sassy playmate Ava (voiced by Kudrow) sparks a love connection.

Dr Dolittle 2 is an insipid and generally humourless affair, reliant on Murphy's charm and the cuddly critters to win over the audience.

The paucity of quality gags will leave parents looking constantly at their watches, but younger viewers may take some enjoyment from the frequent bouts of flatulence suffered by Archie, or the funny voices of the various forest inhabitants.

Murphy seems somewhat subdued (the PG rating doesn't suit his style of humour) and some of the special effect work is rather ropey. Apart from Archie the Bear, the film boasts a menagerie of quirky critters, including Pepito the Chameleon who can't change colour and a Mafia godfather-like Beaver.

Director Steve Carr is heavy-handed with the father-daughter sub-plot, resolving matters with a sickly bonding session and a last-minute twist. Not what the doctor ordered at all.