Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway Parent Guide

Picking up where the first movie ended, Peter Rabbit (voice of James Corden) is trying to come to terms with the strange turn of events that resulted in his favorite human friend Bea (Rose Bryne) deciding to marry his worst human enemy Thomas McGregor (Domhnall Gleeson).

Peter’s usually sassy sisters, Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail (voices of Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Debicki and Aimee Horne), are completely misty-eyed over the whole affair, while his cousin Benjamin Bunny (voice of Colin Moody) can’t help but point out the irony of the situation.

Yet good intentions to let bygones be bygones don’t last long because Thomas is still convinced Peter is a mischief-maker, or perhaps even a bad seed. In return for the spirit of ill-will, Peter determines to be just as bad as Thomas thinks he is. And after meeting a streetwise, thieving rabbit (voiced by Lennie James), Peter has just the role model to help him do so.

Meanwhile, not all is well between Thomas and Bea either. Having penned and painted the tale of her furry family, Bea’s children’s book has caught the attention of Nigel Basil-Jones (David Oyelowo), a potential publisher. Bea is seduced by Nigel’s promises of fame and fortune, and that makes Thomas very unpopular when he voices fears that success may cost Bea her artistic integrity.

Although tensions like these could lead to some very dramatic scriptwriting, that is certainly not the case here. Instead, this live action/animation mix steers straight into silly antics and slapstick violence. Fights, tussles, car chases, and mean-spirited behavior towards animals and people alike, may miss the mark when it comes to creating laughs. Allusions to gang culture, drug use (who knew jellybeans could produce such a high), and the thrill of a heist may also be unwelcomed surprises.

This second frolic with Peter and friends does try to pull on the heartstrings as well. This is especially true where family ties and feelings of belonging are concerned. Whether these sentimental inclusions compensate or not for the rest of the comedic clutter will be up to the individual viewer.

Based on stories and characters created by Beatrix Potter, one thing is for sure: There are some really ironic parallels between the fictional Bea of the movie facing the threat of having her work turned into mere marketing madness and what the movie has done with the real work of Beatrix Potter. (Amusingly, the beautiful English countryside depicted here was all shot in Australia.) Whether you are looking for a fun family film or an homage to the classic British author and illustrator, you are likely to be disappointed with this uninspired sequel.

About author

Donna Gustafson

Donna Gustafson has been involved with her husband Rod's work since the beginning. Handling many of the behind-the-scenes tasks, she also creates preview pages for up-coming movies, acts as managing editor and occasionally writes reviews.