The most unlikely rare-bird couple alive now has company.
In 2011s animated hit Rio, domesticated macaw Blu (Jesse Eisenberg) and his wild same-species blind date Jewel (Anne Hathaway) hit it off and sent box-office sparks flying. Now, the birds—and the bees—have really kicked in for the 3-D sequel Rio 2.
The couple has three grown macaw children and has to deal with the discovery of unexpected relatives—a problem that affects the bird world as much as it does humans. To boot, there are new villains aiming to do some damage on the clan.
“Isnt there usually someone to spoil any party?”asks Kristin Chenoweth, who voices Gabi the poisonous frog. “We all have those people in our lives that just get in the way.”
Its a shame since Rio 2 starts off as a happy multi-species couples-fest. Blu has joined Jewel at a beautiful rare-bird reserve in Rio de Janeiro, and the couple has started a family consisting of eldest bird Carla (voiced by X Factor standout Rachel Crow), brainy Bia (Hunger Games star Amandla Stenberg) and young boy Tiago (Loopers Pierce Gagnon).
Little relationship annoyances, such as Blus continued un-macaw-like insistence on making pancakes for the kids, are no big deal. Blus former human owner Linda (Leslie Mann) has also moved from her cozy home in Minnesota to the reserve to be with wildlife preservationist Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro).
But their perfect life gets disrupted when Jewel discovers that her long-lost father and his clan have been discovered hiding in the Amazon rain forest, where their habitat is under threat.
“So theres a big adventure to the Amazon,” says Brazilian director Carlos Saldanha. “Its very much a journey for Blu and Jewels family.”
Part of the issue is that Jewels relatives, led by her father Eduardo (voiced by Andy Garcia), dont trust humans—no matter how well-meaning. And Eduardo doesnt accept Blu, even if the former house bird has learned to fly.
Theres also Jewels ex-boyfriend Roberto (Bruno Mars), who stirs up Blus jealousy.
“Most of the sparks between the former couple are imagined through Blus eyes,” says Saldanha. “Its a little paranoia.”
Threats are very real, however, from Nigel, the evil sulphur-crested cockatoo (Jemaine Clement). Defeated in the original film, Nigel is bent on revenge against the macaw family. “Hes better and badder than ever,” says Saldanha. “Hes a delicious villain.”
Nigel seeks the help of a non-speaking anteater called Charlie and Gabi the frog, who is crazy about Nigel. Chenoweth insists her poisonous character is not bad, just a little “misunderstood” and emotionally vulnerable.
“Have you ever been in love before? Have you ever done something in the name of love you maybe wished you hadnt? Thats my little Gabi,” she says.
In the tradition of Rios Oscar-nominated song, Real in Rio, the Nigel-Gabi pairing allows Chenoweth and Clement to sing together. The Broadway star calls the result “magic.”
“I will say it and stand by it, this is the best song by a poisonous frog ever,” says Chenoweth. “People love a song about heartbreak. Has it ever been told from the viewpoint of a female poisonous frog? I dont think so.”
現存最不可能的珍稀鸟夫妇现在有伴儿了。
在2011年的大热动画片《里约大冒险》中,家养的金刚鹦鹉布鲁(杰西·艾森伯格配音)与野生的同族相亲对象珠儿(安妮·海瑟薇配音)意外投缘,也让电影票房一路飚红。现在,这些鸟儿——还有蜜蜂都会在3D版的续作《里约大冒险2》里悉数登场。
这对金刚鹦鹉夫妇有了三个已经成年的孩子,还不得不面对意外发现的亲戚军团——和人类世界一样,鸟类世界也深受亲戚问题的困扰。除此以外,还有一些新的坏蛋正准备破坏鹦鹉家族呢。
“不是总有些人会把派对搞砸吗?”给毒蛙咖比献声的克里斯汀·肯诺恩斯问道。“我们在生活中都会遇到一些碍事的人。”
这真是太遗憾了,因为《里约大冒险2》刚开场时还是一个快快乐乐的多物种爱侣大聚会。布鲁和珠儿一起住在里约热内卢一个美丽的珍稀鸟类保护区内。这对夫妇组建了一个家庭,家里还有长女卡尔拉(由在《X音素》中表现出色的蕾切尔·克罗配音)、聪明伶俐的碧娅(《饥饿游戏》小明星阿曼德拉·斯坦伯格配音)以及小儿子提亚戈(参演《环形使者》的皮尔斯·加格农配音)。
布鲁依然很没金刚鹦鹉范儿,老是给孩子们做煎饼,像这样的家庭小矛盾也没什么大不了的。布鲁的前主人琳达(莱斯利·曼配音)也舍弃了她在(美国)明尼苏达州舒适的家,和野生动物保护学家图里奥(罗德里格·桑托罗配音)一起住在保护区里。
不过,当珠儿找到她那失踪多年的父亲时,这种悠闲的日子也到头了——珠儿的父亲及其家族在亚马孙雨林被人发现,栖息地面临威胁。
“他们要去亚马孙丛林大冒险了,”巴西导演卡洛斯·沙尔丹哈说。“这对布鲁和珠儿一家来说可是一趟很了不得的旅程。”
其中一部分麻烦是因为珠儿家那群以她父亲爱德华多(安迪·加西亚配音)为首的亲戚们并不信任人类——不管对方多么充满好意。尽管当年那只家养宠物鸟已经学会飞翔,布鲁依然不被爱德华多所待见。
珠儿的前男友罗伯托(布鲁诺·马尔斯配音)也会出场,令布鲁妒忌不已。
“这对前任情侣之间的许多火花其实都是布鲁自己想象出来的,”沙尔丹哈说。“这都有点妄想症了。”
来自奈杰尔的威胁却是千真万确的——这只暴虐成性的葵花凤头鹦鹉(杰梅奈·克莱门特配音)在第一部电影中被击败,决心要对金刚鹦鹉家族进行报复。“他比以前更厉害,也更坏了,”沙尔丹哈说。“他是一个非常有趣的坏蛋。”
奈杰尔找来的帮手包括不声不响的食蚁兽查理,以及对他非常着迷的毒蛙咖比。肯诺恩斯坚称,她这个有毒的角色并不是坏蛋,只是有点“被误解”,感情上有点脆弱而已。
“你堕入过爱河吗?你试过以爱情的名义做出一些追悔不及的蠢事吗?那就是我的小咖比,”她说道。
《里约大冒险》的歌曲《真实的里约》曾获奥斯卡提名。延续这一传统,奈杰尔和咖比的搭档让肯诺恩斯与克莱门特可以一起合唱。这位百老汇明星说这次合作“非常梦幻”。
“我会这么说——并且坚持我的看法,这是史上最好听的毒蛙之歌,”肯诺恩斯说。“人们喜欢听伤心情歌。有哪首歌是从一只雌性毒蛙的角度来唱的吗?我看没有吧。”