Patch, the TV-obsessed pup of the 1961 animated original, becomes a star in this sequel when he sneaks off to audition for his favorite show, Thunderbolt. Meanwhile, the ego-driven canine star (voiced by Spin City's Barry Bostwick) learns that his character is about to be killed off. His solution? Be a real-life hero. Patch, with his encyclopedic knowledge of Thunderbolt episodes, prowls the streets of London with his idol, making disastrous attempts to rescue unsuspecting citizens. Cruella De Vil returns, on probation for her earlier misdeeds, but still determined to steal the puppies. She springs old cohorts Horace and Jasper from jail and adds artist Lars (Martin Short) to her arsenal. What results is a blend of the animated original's coziness with the live-action version's slapstick, wrapped up with a high-minded ending in which Patch teaches his hero what it means to be genuinely heroic. (Ages 3 and older) --Kimberly Heinrichs Amazon.com
 |  | Awesome! Perhaps better than the original!! |  |
Wow! Never thought I'd see a Disney sequel that I enjoyed more than the original! After seeing all the garbage that followed the real classics like "The Rescuers Down Under", "Cinderella II: Dreams Come True" or "The Return of Jafar", it's surprising to come across this jewel among Disney sequels!
It features a unique and inovative plot, something rare in a sequel, but what impressed me the most was that it seemed that the film makers tried hard this time, by making the film seem like the original, with the rough-drawn backgrounds and rough animation. It was an attempt to make a decent and likeable follow up without trying to copy the whole thing (Not like "the Rescuers II" in which not only they tried to turn the whole original into a comedy, but also completely ripped-off the original's storyline, that wasn't the case here.)
So, if you enjoyed 101 Dalmatians, you'll probably enjoy this one just as much, I enjoyed it even more!
January 11, 2006 | | Much Better than expected | |
I expected this movie to be a lame sequel, since I really hadn't heard anything about it. But I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it made me nostalgic about the original which was my favorite movie growing up. I really felt for Patch, who had to deal with being not one of a kind as he liked, but 1 of 101, which is clearly intense competition. He gets himself seperated from the rest of his family and into cahoots with Thunderbird, the "wonder-dog" from his favorite TV show. They both have to find the true hero within and once again save the puppies from the clutches of madwoman Cruella Devil. The original characters all come back, from Pongo and Perdita, Roger and Anita, Cruella and her goons, the feisty nanny and of course the puppies. The new characters blend in perfectly; Lars the artist who paints spots and is quickly discovered by Cruella, and the dogs from the Thunderbird show. The animation was done in a similar fashion as the original, which made it seem more closely linked. In general an enjoyable movie and a stronger urge to own a dalmatian myself. :)
July 24, 2005 | | StoryMaker's 101 Dalmatians 2 review | |
NOTE: We watched the VHS, not the DVD, but I couldn't find the VHS version on Amazon.com. ANYWAYS: 101 Dalmatians 2 is nice, but not as good as original movie. We do not own Patch's London Adventure, but we sometimes borrow from friends. The plot: Patch wants to be 1-of-a-kind, not 1-of-a-101, just like his TV hero, Thunderbolt, who has a sidekick: Little Lightning. The rest of the family moves, but Patch goes with Thunderbolt. Cruella De Vil has her same idea. Why knocking off 2 stars? Lighning turns jelous, and ends up a bad guy. It's the Thunderbolt-loving female dogs fault, admiring Thunderbolt and rudley saying "We don't mean YOU!" to Lightning. And, there is a mistake I noticed by reading another review: Pongo counts 101 puppies, but Pongo and Perdy are one of the 101. They should say 99. Signed, StoryMaker. "Gotta trust the kid's review!"
July 17, 2005I really like this movie even though it's not like the original. I think that's a good thing because we get to see what actually happened after the couple bought their "Dalmatian Plantation." Even though it's a good movie, I don't think that it's as good as the original movie.
May 24, 2005I like this particular Disney sequel a lot--and that's not a commonly stated thing. Lars and Little Lightning are easily two of the best newer Disney characters. And the entire film is well-made and enjoyable. However, my one issue with the movie is that Lightning the pembroke corgi is made out, just a little bit, to be a sort of 'bad guy.' He isn't in the least. He didn't start out as a treacherous little dog looking to outshine the 'hero,' Thunderbolt. Au contraire, he spent a lot of time just trying to make the best of being in that ham's shadow. Lightning was a great dog, from the beginning and through to the end. Is it any wonder that at one point he would try to take the TV show for himself? After being treated as an underdog, a mere sidekick, receiving no attention, having to watch the girls swoon over Thunderbolt and shun him? Hardly. Yet this means the movie is successful in creating a character inspiring sympathy. So bravo, Disney; if you could turn out a few more sequels on this level it would be a whole lot nicer!
March 8, 2005More reviews at Amazon.com ...
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