What the critics are saying: ‘Dolphin Tale 2’

TORONTO — Dolphin Tale 2 is now in theatres, hoping to capitalize on the success of the 2011 original that earned an impressive $95 million worldwide.

The cast is back — including Cozi Zuehlsdorff, Nathan Gamble, Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick Jr. and Ashley Judd — in a family-friendly flick about the search for a companion for Winter the dolphin.

Should audiences who flipped for the first film head to Dolphin Tale 2 with a sense of porpoise? Here’s a look at some of the reviews.

Gary Goldstein of The Los Angeles Times called it “a pleasant if bland and nonessential sequel.”

He opined that children may enjoy the animal action but the movie is nothing more than “exceedingly mild entertainment.”

Goldstein added: “The actors too often feel secondary to the stirringly shot dolphins and aquatic setting. Perhaps that’s because their characters barely exist beyond their connection to the dolphins; they’re otherwise lifeless.”

The actors, he wrote, “are hamstrung by uninspired dialogue and too many perfunctory emotional beats.”

At the Fresno Bee, Rick Bentley seemed to agree.

“All of the adults … look like they are treading water while waiting for something interesting to happen,” he wrote.

“There’s a slight flurry of emotion in the final 15 minutes but it’s too little, too late.”

Bentley complained about “predictable plotlines” that make the film “nothing more than you would get with a decent cable movie.”

He wrote: “Dolphin Tale 2 is a safe family film but that doesn’t make up for it being a lackluster attempt to generate a few more bucks for the franchise.”

READ MORE: What the critics are saying about other recent movies

Rafer Guzman of Newsday described Dolphin Tale 2 as “a cinematic kiddie pool: shallow, tepid and safe.”

Guzman wrote: “Dolphin Tale 2 is both uneventful and predictable, but it deserves credit for treating its nonhuman characters with respect. The movie repeatedly reminds us that Winter is a wild animal, not a pet.”

Maricar Estrella of the Times Herald Record opined the movie falls short of the original in delivering the “sentimental impact.”

Estrella wrote: “The sequel lacks that joy and wonderment, leaving the audience longing for more.”

At the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Kate Mishkin said Dolphin Tale 2 would be “overly dramatic, contrived and maybe a little predictable” if it were not based on real events.

“Its nonfictional background gives the film a whole new dynamic and turns it into an inspirational tale fit for the entire family,” she wrote.

“The movie is kept afloat (pun intended) by quite a strong ensemble, and the younger actors are just as good as their seasoned counterparts. A bow tie-clad Morgan Freeman does not disappoint, offering one-liners that break up the more dramatic moments in the film. Even the animals have unique characteristics and good comedic timing.”

Ben Kenigsberg of the New York Times said the film will appeal to its target audience.

“It’s wholesome, engaging and rife with impressive aquatic photography,” he said.

Geoff Berkshire of Variety agreed.

“Parents aren’t likely to object to a film that provides squeaky clean entertainment without sending gag reflexes into overdrive. Even in the movie’s most egregious flights of fancy … the innate warmth of the characters provides enough of a ballast for all but the most extreme cynics.”

At USA Today, Claudia Puig called the movie “informative, morally complex and supremely well-intentioned.”

“The film’s message of acceptance is laudable, as is its emphasis on resilience and healing,” she opined.