Susan Granger’s review of “Stuart Little 2” (Columbia Pictures)
Eureka! A sequel that’s even better than the original. As his second action-packed adventure begins, the mouse-boy Stuart Little (voice of Michael J. Fox) has settled in with his adoptive parents (Geena Davis, Hugh Laurie), older brother (Jonathan Lipnicki) and baby sister Martha (Anna & Ashley Hoelck). Even Snowbell (voice of Nathan Lane), the caustic white Chinchilla Persian cat, seems to have accepted him. While there are disagreements about how much independence Stuart should have, more than anything, Stuart longs for a friend his own size. So when Margalo (voice of Melanie Griffith), an injured bird, drops out of the sky into the passenger seat of his car, Stuart is bedazzled by her beguiling charm. Margalo tells him that she’s terrified of the fierce and evil Falcon (voice of James Woods) but she doesn’t reveal the total truth, the dodgy part about her being a feathered thief sent to steal Stuart’s mother’s diamond ring. Then when Margalo – and the ring – suddenly disappear, Stuart sets off through Manhattan’s disgusting underbelly to find her. “When you’re friends with Stuart Little, you’re friends for life,” he explains. “I hope I live to regret this,” mutters Snowbell, his reluctant companion. Written by Bruce Joel Rubin, based on E.B. White’s characters, and directed by Rob Minkoff, the story not only delves into facets of Stuart’s character but also the perennial conflicts of adolescence and the importance of optimism and empowerment. (“You’re only as big as you feel.”) While the original got a 2000 Oscar nomination for Best Visual Effects, this surpasses the first, particularly the lifelike birds and the action in Stuart’s car and model plane. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Stuart Little 2” is magical, family-friendly 10. Stuart is a mighty mouse indeed!
