The Hunchback of Notre Dame II (2002) (V)

User Rating:

4.8/10   

Director:

Bradley Raymond

Writers:

Flip Kobler (writer)
Cindy Marcus (writer)

Release Date:

19 March 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Family

Tagline:

Miracles Do Happen and True Love Can Come True

Plot:

Now that Frollo is gone, Quasimodo rings the bell with the help of his new friend and Esmeralda's and Phoebus' little son...

Plot Keywords:

Bell | Cathedral | Magician | Circus | Gargoyle

Awards:

2 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Jason Alexander	...	Hugo (voice)
Jennifer Love Hewitt	...	Madellaine (voice)
Tom Hulce	...	Quasimodo (voice)
Paul Kandel	...	Clopin (voice)
Charles Kimbrough	...	Victor (voice)
Kevin Kline	...	Phoebus (voice)
Michael McKean	...	Sarousch (voice)
Demi Moore	...	Esmeralda (voice)
Haley Joel Osment	...	Zephyr (voice)
Jane Withers	...	Laverne (voice)
Jim Cummings	...	Archdeacon (voice)
Joe Lala	...	Guard #1 (voice)
Frank Welker	...	Achilles / Djali (voice)
April Winchell	...	Lady DeBurne (voice)
Newell Alexander	...	(voice)

Also Known As:

The Hunchback of Notre Dame II: The Secret of the Bell (Australia)

Runtime:

68 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Denmark:A | Brazil:Livre | South Korea:All | New Zealand:G | Australia:G | UK:U | USA:G

Company:

Walt Disney Home Video

Trivia:

Haley Joel Osment was 9 years old when he made this movie and turned 14 years old when the movie was released.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Quasi and the gang are off to the circus, Quasi's shoes are brown. Shortly after the circus magic act is over, they are blue.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Parisian #1: Hey come back. Wait up.
Parisian #2: Oh, what a beautiful day. Good morning.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Troldspejlet: (#27.8)" (2002)

Soundtrack:

Fa La La La Fallen in Love

Worth sitting through only due to surprisingly good Jennifer Love Hewitt as Madellaine

Leave it to Disney to remind us how stupendously well-animated their theatrical films have been by creating sub-par direct-to-video silliness such as this. The difference in animation quality, color (and color consistency), depth, backgrounds...everything is far too obviously dumbed down to low budget and possibly low talent levels.

Characterization and tone of story have also taken their own serious hits, and largely being inconsistent with the 1996 feature film. Phoebus has been turned into a goof-ball buffoon as opposed to the smart-aleck but intelligent and competent soldier he was. And Esmeralda has lost her spark both in character and visually, morphing in scenes through various shades of ash (and often too dark).

There is one relative high-point with Jennifer Love Hewitt as Madellaine. She sounded honestly excited to be doing the part, and the character itself had an every-girl cuteness to her.

Overall, worthy only of a cheap rent (not Blockbuster, more like $2 at the local supermarket) for fans of the 1996 classic who must satiate their curiosity and see how this new character Madellaine works out.

Then forget it and return to the true majesty of The Hunchback of Notre Dame I.