HOODWINKED TOO! THE BATTLE BETWEEN HOOD AND EVIL


US, 2011, 86 minutes, Colour.
Voices: Hayden Panettierre, Glenn Close, David Ogden Stiers, Patrick Warburton, Bill Hader, Amy Poehler, Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong, Martin Short, Joan Cusack, Brad Garrett.
Directed by Mike Disa.

Like the original, this is a hit and miss affair – and many will not be sorry if they miss it.

The idea in the original was to update some fairy tale characters and involve them in a puzzle which they had to solve by brains (well, not all of the characters are blessed in this particular area) or by brawn, with some magic thrown in. Working on the Red Riding Hood Story in Hoodwinked, Red became a heroine with some mean martial arts moves. Granny was a wise old woman who, in the parlance, was not averse to kicking ass.

The setting is a strange mixture of the past and the present, much of the latter part of this sequel taking place downtown in a modern city, streets and skyscrapers.

The screenplay is not particularly witty. The play on words in the sub-title is probably the best joke. The plot is basic, though there is a twist when (spoiler!), the twee little Hansel and Gretel, imprisoned in the gingerbread house by the wicked witch, Verushka, are the target for rescue by Red, Granny and the dumb Big Bad Wolf, under the guidance of Nicky Flippers, a frog in command of a special fairyland rescue squad. Then Hansel and Gretel turn into a neo-Nazi twosome bent on fascist rule and demolition with heavy Cherman accents and all.

The voice cast has many stars who give it their best, especially Glenn Close (as before) as the feisty Granny. Joan Cusack is effective as Verushka. Patrick Warburton is again the Wolf and David Ogden Stiers is Nicky Flippers. There is some amusement from Martin Short’s flamboyant, yodelling Kirk. Hayden Panettierre is functional as Red.

Maybe the kids will respond to some of the action, parents probably not.