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film review

The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature

This harmless, unnecessary and improved sequel to the surprise 2014 animated hit finds schemer Surly Squirrel (voiced by Will Arnett) banding together with like-minded woodland creatures in a bid to reclaim their park from a corrupt mayor bent on turning their green space into a cut-rate amusement park. It's passable for anyone under the age of 8 and instantly forgettable for anyone over that benchmark, but it's never annoying or shoddy.

The plot is cobbled together from bits and pieces of Over the Hedge and the Finding Nemo films, but the underlying moral of how doing the right thing isn't always easy . The jokes might not be laugh-out-loud funny, but they're better than the dire gags from its predecessor.

Inventive and vibrant action sequences boasting exceptional 3-D effects and inspired voice casting (including Jackie Chan as a warrior mouse and Peter Stormare as a deranged exterminator) help to elevate this to something better than vaporous.

The Sarah Polley-produced adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s 'Alias Grace' will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. Western Canadian films also have a strong presence in TIFF’s homegrown lineup.

The Canadian Press

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