If you've seen "101 Dalmatians", the sequel should come as no surprise - packed with cute puppies, a pair of deliciously nasty villains, and some hilarious moments, this is the perfect summer movie for your kids.
In "102 Dalmatians", Cruella De Vil has just been released from prison. She seems to be a new woman - she no longer lusts after Dalmatians, dresses in the shabbiest clothes, and seems to want to devote her life to good works. Until, that is, she starts seeing the world in Dalmatian spots, and goes back to being the nasty dognapper we know and love.
This time, Cruella's decided to add a hood to her Dalmatian coat (hence the extra puppy) and, with the help of bumbling henchmen Jean-Pierre Le Pelt (Gerard Depardieu) and Alonso (Tim McInnerny), she decides to track down the Dalmatians she wants and turn them into so much fur. However, she's reckoned without plucky parole officer Chloe Simon (Alice Evans) and pet-lover Kevin Sheperd (Ioan Gruffudd)...not to mention the puppies themselves!
Packed with cartoonish accidents (and miraculous recoveries), "102 Dalmatians" is primarily a children's movie; adults should have no difficulty recognizing that the plot differs very slightly from the original, and offers very little that is new and creative. The non-human cast will evoke moans of delight from children (pay special attention to the talking parrot!), while Glenn Close gives a wonderfully over-the-top performance as the stylishly evil dognapper; however, the love story played out around the mayhem and mischief of Paris seems contrived, and kids probably won't appreciate it all that much.
In summary, an enjoyable movie for the whole family - take your kids to watch it this weekend!
This article was first published on24 Apr 2001.