‘Dalmatians’ Sequel Great For Young Kids

Mon., Dec. 11, 2000

Jenni Ross, St. George'S

Before taking the time to see “102 Dalmatians,” realize it is a children’s movie. Although it’s a great movie for kids, teenagers probably won’t be impressed.

Unlike many sequels, “102 Dalmatians” has a solid plot. Cruella de Vil, the villain in “101 Dalmatians,” is supposedly cured of her evil ways and released from jail on parole. She decides to invest some of her millions in a dog shelter called 2nd Chance.

Of course, Cruella’s obsession hasn’t passed, and she goes after the next generation of puppies to cure her desire for another fur coat.

Glenn Close does a superb job as Cruella (or Ella as she likes to be called, since she no longer is cruel). The dogs also did a surprisingly good job, stealing all of their scenes.

One thing I liked about this movie versus the 1996 “101 Dalmatians” is that the technology has improved and the animated dogs don’t stand out like they did in the first remake. As hard as they tried, the other actors couldn’t compete with the talented Close. Although the music was adequate, it did not match the catchy tunes of the animated version.

You will be disappointed if you try to compare “102 Dalmatians” with the cartoon version or the 1996 remake, because they were so good.

Chances are, if you’re under 12, you will like this movie. Otherwise, I would not recommend it.

Grade: B-

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