FernGully 2: The Magical Rescue (G, 1998)

The cuddly creatures from the animated hit FernGully: The Last Rainforest return for more environmental swashbuckling in this direct-to-video sequel. In FERNGULLY 2, two poachers set fire to the rainforest and capture three baby animals who are under the care of a fairy named Crysta. Crysta's boyfriend, Pips, goes into town to rescue the babies, accompanied by a bat named Batty Koda and a group of insects called The Beetle Boys.

This sequel was produced on a more modest scale than the original and lacks Robin Williams's and Tim Curry's verbal antics. Without Williams's wit and a villain whom kids love to hate, the sequel will seem bland to sophisticated older kids. However, younger kids should enjoy watching the cute rainforest dwellers thwart some greedy poachers. FernGully: The Last Rainforest offered top-notch animation and a celebrity voice-cast that included Robin Williams. This sequel is a pleasant if uninspired follow-up to that critical and commercial success. It contains some visual treats, even though the animation is comparatively simple.

Fortunately, younger kids will probably not notice the shortcomings of the cast. Instead, they'll delight in the heroic adventures of the rainforest creatures, including iguanas, kangaroos, and wombats. The movie places these animals in lush rainforest backgrounds with bright, eye-catching colors. The artwork conveys a deep appreciation of nature.