102 Dalmatians

My take: Not as good as the first, but decent family fun nonetheless.

Yes we know, it's kid's stuff compared to the original, which is an enjoyable film, no less. This one follows where the original left off. Cruella "Ella" DeVille is kept in prison, and a group of scientist have altered her mind, turning her from evil to a good. Sadly, when the Big Ben rings its chimes, compassionate little Ella turns back to evil Cruella, with plots to capture more puppies for her "Poppy Coat" and for vengeance.

Of course, this one adds one more puppy to the 101 others. Sadly only one of the puppies from the first makes it here (of course, he's full-grown now), it's none other than Dipstick. Besides the dog, Cruella and her stuttering butler Alonzo (Tim McInnerny), no other character from the first film returns for this sequel. The plot, if you removed some elements, is basically similar to the first film. Making this a formulaic sequel, but let's not get to harsh in reviewing this. You got to admit it still has some entertainment value, despite the flaws. The puppies are cute, as always, and some of the laughs are well enjoyable for the kiddies.

So overall, not a brilliant flick, but a fun one for the family.

Rating: *** out of 5.

Well, Disney has done it again. 102 Dalmatians is even better than the first. Once again, Glenn Close stars as the crazy, out of the box villain of villains, Cruella DeVil. She is totally awesome,and totally believeable as she makes her transition from almost sickly sweet to gleefully evil.

Alice Evans does a fantastic job as Cruella's stern, yet humorous probation officer who is less-than-thrilled about her new client. And Ioan Gruffudd is perfect as the slightly naive dog-lover who is torn between wanting to believe that Cruella has turned a new leaf, and being head-over-heels in love with her probation officer. Tim McInnerny makes a re-apperance as Cruella's flustered, frightened butler, but this time he gets to have a shining moment as he fights a bad guy, and helps to save the day.

The only person I had a problem with was Gereld Depardieu... don't get me wrong, he's a great actor, but honestly, I think this role was beneath him. LePelt is stupid and snibbering, practically in love with Cruella and his jokes (i.e. the tiger head on his pants in one scene) fall hopelessly flat. I think Mr. Depardieu should have demanded some intelligence put in this role... I can look past LePelt because Cruella and the others are so great, and the story line is charming, and the animals are once more, terrific. The addition of the talking Macaw really gave the movie an unexpected comic twist. I give it six stars.

Unlike its predecessor, which was a live action version of the animated 101 Dalmatians, this version is completely new and original. However, the premise is as old as they get: boy finds girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl again, and they all live happily ever after. Of course, I'm not giving anything away here because the movie is not about the humans; it's about the dogs and one bird. And you can't leave out the bird. The bird is the real star of the movie. His name is Waddlesworth, and he is a MacCaw that does more than just talk -- he converses. The voice is that of Eric Idle (of Monty Python fame). Waddlesworth thinks he's a dog and cannot fly and is the comic relief for the movie, adding asides for our enjoyment.

This film is better than 101 Dalmatians, which in its own right was very good, and both children and adults will enjoy it. It is pure entertainment. My teenager and six-year-old both liked it and said Waddlesworth was their favorite character. This is typical Disney entertainment: Wholesome with just enough adult humor for mom and dad, excitement for the teenagers, and tenderness for the younger ones. Besides, who doesn't like a little puppy? This movie has 102 of them!

unfortunately,this second live action film is a pale imitation of its predecessor.it's a lot slower,and the story feels contrived.it almost seems like filler to me.there are a few comic moments,though not as many as its predecessor.i think they should have left it at the first one,101 Dalmatians.Glenn Close returns as Cruella De Vil,and is good,but has much less to do this time around.plus,her two henchmen form th preventions film are not in this one,and they added some comic relief.Gerard Depardieu is in this one,in a completely ridiculous role,and he looks quite silly,to be polite.despite its problems its still watchable.my vote for 102 Dalmations is a 5/10

The first film was a nice one, but it is not as good as the wonderful animated classic which I found more poignant and endearing. This sequel is inferior, but not bad at all. Sure the slapstick is too much, the script has its weak spots and the plot is a tad uninspired. But the dogs are very cute here, and Eric Idle is hilarious as the macaw. The film is nice to look at with stylish cinematography and eye popping costumes(especially Cruella's), and the music is pleasant. The acting is mostly very good, Ioan Gruffudd is appealing and Gerard Depardieu while he has given better performances has fun as Cruella's accomplice. But the best asset, as it was with the first film, is the amazing Glenn Close in a deliciously over-the-top performance as Cruella, even more evil than she was previously. Overall, nice. 7/10 Bethany Cox