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Hoodwinked Too! Hood Vs. Evil

Film Rundown:

Genre:

Action/Adventure

Parental Rating:

PG-13

Director:

Mike Disa

Starring:

Hayden Panettiere, Glenn Close, Patrick Warbuton, Joan Cusak, Bill Hader, Amy Poehler

Runtime:

Our rating:

by Emily Cheever

Film and TV Editor
On Apr 25, 2011

Usually I don’t go see kids movies, perhaps it’s because when I look into a child’s innocent eyes I burst into flames. But Hoodwinked Too! (Hood Vs. Evil) has its moments, even thought they are very few and far between.

Hoodwinked Too! is the story of Red (voiced by Hayden Panettiere) who must drop out of her secret training at the Sisters of the Hood in order to save her Granny (voiced by Glenn Close) and Hansel and Gretel (Bill Hader and Amy Poehler respectively) from the evil witch Verushka (Joan Cusak). Even with her training, Red must ask for help from her old pals Wolf (Patrick Warburton) and Twitchy the squirrel (Cory Edwards). The tag in the beginning proudly states “It’s not just a fairytale, it’s an adventure.” Closer to an adventure in futility, but an adventure nonetheless.

The Weinstein Company is still no Disney Pixar. Pixar movies transcend space and time in greatness. That being said, Hoodwinked Too! needs to be compared to its Hookwinked predecessor not Pixar. That would be like comparing Michael Phelps and a middle school swim meet.

The first movie, which I reluctantly made my way through, was so overstimulating that I think I would rather serve a child ten 2-liters of Coke and some cupcakes. Too! is not as overwhelming, but doesn't even care to tone it down to loosely manageable level. The unfortunate part is, all of the best jokes in the film are crammed into the moments where so many things are happening that they can’t sink in. Then, conversely, the worst jokes have too much time spent for the audience to (hopefully) laugh. Which they don’t.

It also seemed that most of the jokes are geared to the adults in the audience. There are a few veiled references to drug culture of the 60s and 70s, an old lady screaming out that “Rachel Ray is the devil!” These are just some of the many jokes that land with a soft thud. Even the fart jokes seem to be reaching to the adults too hard, making it inaccessible to both kids and parents alike (full disclosure: the fart joke did make me laugh).

The animation itself is nothing to swoon over; some details are impeccable- Wolf’s hair, the set- while other details, mainly the human characters, are lackluster. While I understand that 3D is a craze, there’s nothing special about the 3D either. The film serves as more evidence that 3D is a tool for higher money earnings than for the purpose of spectacle.

Highlights of the film are definitely found within Bill Hader and Amy Poehler’s voice work as Hansel and Gretel. I would see the film of the two of them in the recording booth talking in German accents. Patrick Warburton’s ease of delivering a punchline is constantly solid. But most of the pop culture references that I was expecting to enjoy didn't totally fulfill me.

I wouldn't go so far to say the film is a waste of time or money for taking the kids to. It is definitely a waste of time or money to go see if you are an adult, but for the kids? I’ve seen worse assaults on the senses.

SumOlogy

I think overall what was most telling about Hookwinked Too! was my discussion with a little girl and her mother in the lobby afterwards. I asked the girl “Did you like the movie?” She nods. “What was your favorite part?” “Well, they let me push the button to start it and turn off the lights.”

I think that’s probably a better review than I could have ever posted.