In 2018’s Peter Rabbit audiences found themselves at arm’s length as the titular character proved to be closer to the antics that would be found in Alvin and the Chipmunks rather than the beloved Beatrix Potter source material. While still headstrong and mischievous, this version of Peter Rabbit veered a bit too much into wickedness without learning from his mistakes in a way that felt truly satisfying. The film even sparked controversy over its depiction over the use of an allergy as a bullying tactic, leading to a rare apology from Sony. It has been a few years now and one would like to think that lessons have been learned in the interim as we approach this inevitable follow-up – for all of it’s flaws the first film did make a decent chunk of change. Returning director Will Gluck (Easy A, Friends With Benefits) shows with this COVID-delayed sequel that concerns were indeed heard, and a few were even taken to heart in this admittedly much-improved-but-still-flawed sequel.
The Peter Rabbit (voiced by James Corden) of this second outing presents as much more remorseful from the get-go. He still has flights of fancy when it comes to his naughty actions, but the reality is that he has done his best to leave his misdeeds in the past where they belong. He has reached a tentative truce with the finicky gardener Thomas McGregor (Domhnall Gleeson) who he squared off against in the first outing. This is especially necessary seeing as Thomas is getting married to his surrogate mother Bea (Rose Byrne). Peter only daydreams destruction and Thomas does his best to get past the nightmares from his past with his new fuzzy family member. Peter sees himself as a reformed bunny, but it seems that the world has a much different opinion of him after Bea’s first illustrated novel detailing his past behavior becomes a sensation. With everyone believing he is one bad bunny, Peter decides to embrace his bad name in a real way.
Peter’s journey leads him to teaming up with a supposed old comrade of his father’s, the grizzled bunny Barnabas (Lennie James, Snatch) who leads a gang of street criminals. The heist that Peter gets involved in is not a bank or museum, but rather the high-stakes world of the local farmers market. One of the highlights of the film is the extremely convoluted and detailed plan that is hatched to pull off this perfect crime. While Peter is struggling with his identity crisis, Bea is struggling with her artistic integrity as she squares off against debonair publishing magnate Nigel Basil-Jones (David Oyelowo), who wants to take her work to the next level if only she takes to some of his ideas that misrepresent who her bunnies actually are. This particular plotline is fascinating in the thoughtfulness that is given to the struggle between staying true to yourself and giving in to the payday. These two narrative threads provide the backbone of the film as Peter’s true family and friends – including narrator Flopsy (Margot Robbie), Mopsy (Elizabeth Debicki), Cottontail (Aimee Horne) and Benjamin (Colin Moody) – weave in and out of the story with amusing interludes.
Now what makes this sequel such an improvement on the first one? First of all, the meta-nature of the story provides a good deal of runway to both address the shortcomings of the past and manipulate them for comedy gold. The film is one that taps into more of a heartfelt sentiment that feels closer to the Peter that Potter intended in her novels. Peter is not a character in stasis; he is an individual who makes mistakes and seeks to learn from them. As a matter of fact, most of these characters seem to have an individual identity that helps you get more invested in the characters and their arcs. It is true that some of the missteps from the first film once again pop up here such as sophomoric humor and mean-spirited violence, not to mention recycled gags from the first film that were not particularly impactful the first time around. Yet, this production feels more mature on nearly every front. The dialogue is a bit sharper and the characters are a little more believable. The themes of the film may feel rote, but at the end of the day they are manifested in such a pure manner that you cannot help but be the least bit charmed. This entry is not a night-and-day difference from its predecessor, but it refines what worked about that entry and jettisons a lot of what did not. It’s a solid next step for family audiences.
Video Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Peter Rabbit 2 offers a lovely uptick in quality over the already incredible accompanying Blu-Ray, making it a truly miraculous effort. Skin tones appear more natural with healthy doses of crisp detail apparent on faces such as pores. The increased range of the color spectrum is stunning to behold. The HDR enriches the colors from already impressive to out of this world when it comes to vibrancy. From the opening moments, you can take a look at any inch of the beautiful grounds and be blown away. The highlights in the film are more defined with whites more pure and balanced with no instances of blooming to be found. Elements taking place in the cover of darkness are more vivid and finely delineated. The black levels are especially strong in this presentation, staying deep and inky with great detail. This 4K UHD presentation really delivers on all fronts including strong gains in clarity and color. The Blu-Ray is great, but Sony has delivered another demo-worthy transfer on this latest 4K release.
Audio Quality
This 4K UHD Blu-Ray utilizes a Dolby Atmos track that gives this fairly straightforward film a real shot in the arm. There is an emphasis on the front channels for many of the sounds, but activity kicks in to the surrounds and rears during the more kinetic and action-oriented bits. Lookout for the implementation of the height channels that make the environment a little more three-dimensional. The film also really satisfies when it comes to the music, and this track fills the room in a really satisfying, enveloping way. The breezy score from Dominic Lewis is a real crowd pleaser. Dialogue is crisp and clear without ever getting lost amongst the music or sound effects. The low end effects from the subwoofer give certain moments a little bit of extra weight. Atmospheric sound effects are rendered appropriately within the mix so that directionality is never an issue. Peter Rabbit 2 has been gifted with a track that is not lacking for power or nuance. Fans of the film should be more than pleased with this presentation.
Special Features
- Bunnies, Baddies, and the Big City – The Making Of Peter Rabbit 2: A nine-minute featurette in which the cast and crew discuss returning to this world, the new faces in front of the camera, the development of the story, the sly sense of humor and more.
- Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle’s Wee Little Kitchen: A five-minute featurette which takes you into this tiny kitchen and attempts to show you how to bake a pie. As a tutorial it kind of fails as it doesn’t give you the specifics of the recipe until a final on-screen graphic.
- Bea’s Crafting Corner – DIY Bunny Bookmarks: A five-minute instructional video that teaches you how to construct your own bunny bookmark.
- Bea’s Crafting Corner – Create Your Own Woodland Terrarium: A four-and-a-half-minute instructional video that teaches you how to create a terrarium.
- Fun From Peter Rabbit
-
- Make Your Own McGregor Garden: A seventeen-minute instructional video that teaches you how to make your own garden.
-
- Flopsy Turvy – A Peter Rabbit Mini Movie: A four-minute film short film that features a nice side-adventure with Flopsy that’s fairly amusing.
Final Thoughts
Peter Rabbit 2 has corrected many of the missteps that were made in the previous outing, but it also does change the DNA of the series so much as to be unrecognizable. The humor in the film is a little more clever and meta, while the performers feel the slightest bit more invested in the characters. The film is one that should prove to be quite enjoyable for family audiences. The 4K UHD Blu-Ray from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment features a tremendous A/V presentation and a decent selection of special features. Recommended
Peter Rabbit 2 is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
