Peter Rabbit 2: The bunny's on the run, delivering more action but less charm

By Liam Lacey

Rating: C

In Peter Rabbit 2, the second movie in this round inspired by the works of Beatrix Potter, director Will Gluck once again returns to the adventures of mischievous bunny, Peter (voiced by James Corden). 

Once again, the CGI-created fuzzy animals are pleasingly integrated with live action human characters, author-illustrator Bea (Rose Byrne) and Peter’s former enemy, toy shop proprietor, Thomas McGregor (Domhnall Gleason), in picture book settings.

Peter Rabbit (right) and his cousin Benjamin Bunny.

There are truckloads of gags and pranks, more animals, more mounds of vegetables and subplots, though with less impact. Call it a case of the dreaded fungus sequel bloatitis.  

Flashes of playful whimsy are overwhelmed by long stretches of slapstick and pastiches of other movie genres. All of this is framed by a central meta joke about artistic integrity. The central joke -  about Bea being tempted to cheapen her literary brand for mass commercial appeal - would seem to be both over the head and beneath the interest of the film’s target audience of children and their guardians. 

As the film begins, our Beatrix Potter surrogate, Bea is about to marry Thomas, the great nephew of the farmer, Mr. McGregor of the previous movie. Their outdoor wedding is attended by a group of animal friends, with Peter as the ring-bearer. 

The détente between Peter and the young Mr. McGregor, however, is a short one. Peter feels he can’t shake his reputation as a vegetable-stealing miscreant and frets that when Bea starts a family of her own, he and her other bunny friends will be expendable.

PROUDLY SUPPORTS ORIGINAL-CIN

Thomas soon develops abandonment fears of his own when Bea is wooed by a smooth-talking wealthy publisher, Nigel Basil-Jones (David Oyelowo, in a slyly fun turn).  Nigel wants to commercialize the Peter Rabbit franchise in a Marvel Comics-style branding assault, putting rabbits in high-top sneakers, on the beach and in space. 

As the plan is unveiled, Peter is crushed to learn he’ll be cast as a Bond-like villain, with Mopsy, Flopsy and Topsy in various subsidiary roles, “Why not be a bad guy if I’m just going to get framed as one?” Peter reasons, and he soon falls in with a gang of cats, rats and a Fagin-like older rabbit (Lennie James), who are planning an elaborate Oceans 11-style heist of a farmer’s market.

Between action sequences, there are some soppy bits about being true to yourself and about the importance of family. In practice, Flopsy (Margot Robbie, who also narrates),Mopsy (Elizabeth Debicki), Cottontail (Aimee Horne) and Benjamin (Colin Moody) are reduced to standing on the sidelines here, while various pigs, squirrels, foxes, deer, mice and chickens get their cameo moments.

Taken in micro-doses, Peter Rabbit 2 has clever moments and a relentless eagerness to please. But the movie trips over itself when it attempts to satirize what it practices. One point, Bea worries her book might be “turned into a sassy hip-fest for commercial gain — probably by an American.” 

But Will Gluck’s big self-wink barely registers as humour.  The real-life Beatrix Potter was, in fact, a pioneer in character marketing, frequently running ahead of her publishers in merchandizing dolls, board games and tea sets. Without sacrificing tenderness or edge, she was much more adept at selling out than this busy, dizzy spinoff.

Peter Rabbit 2 is directed by Will Gluck and co-written by Gluck and Patrick Burleigh, based on the works of Beatrix Potter. Starring: James Corden, Rose Byrne, Domhnall Gleeson and David Oyelowo. Peter Rabbit 2 is available at selected theatres and on video on demand from July 2.