| ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. | |
| OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Parents need to know that this movie contains a fair amount of emotionally draining scenes that may actually hit harder for adults than children. Some eyes may get a little misty watching the adoption process of Balto's cubs -- and the one wide-eyed pup who was consistently passed over and left homeless. There are a few other emotional outbursts (mainly revolving around anger and feelings of displacement) in this otherwise buoyant animated adventure. Familial relationships are explored from a variety of angles.
Wolf/dog hybrid Balto (voiced by Maurice LaMarche) needs all the courage he can muster when, angered over the sudden discovery of her father's wolf heritage, his only remaining daughter, Aleu (voiced by Lacey Chabert), runs away in utter defiance of her family's history. Ever the good papa, Balto promises mother Jenna to return the child safe and sound despite risking life and limb from slant-eyed wolverines, cunning foxes, and a sinister, rival wolf-pack that brings his nightmarish fantasies to brimming, painful reality.
There's no shortage of drama in BALTO II: WOLFQUEST, as everyone's favorite mongrel and his daughter take the long way toward figuring out who they are -- and where they belong. Touching song and dance numbers add to the movie's intensity while presenting some thought-provoking demands of its youthful audience.
Equally balanced with laughs, this sequel offers a perfect blend of entertainment, suspense, and wholesome values to an impressionable audience that is sure to learn the universal consistency of change, the values of self-esteem, and the power of a good dream in one 85-minute sitting. With so many positives, it's easy to forgive the film's tendency to be a little long-winded in certain segments while giving the story's hero, Balto, a decidedly wimpy voice.
Families can talk about some of the self-esteem issues plaguing the principle characters. Does what you are (racially, ethnically, sexually, etc.) necessarily define who you are? And if not, then what does? Such dialogue could provide a positive springboard for discussion toward a greater appreciation of the diversity, and inherent inner connection, between everyone under the sun by starting at the most formative level -- the children.
| Topics: | adventures |
| Studio: | Universal Pictures |
| Director: | Phil Weinstein |
| Cast: | David Carradine, Jodi Benson, Lacey Chabert |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 76 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | February 19, 2002 |
| DVD release date: | February 19, 2002 |
| MPAA rating: | G |