There is one thing that 1982's "The Secret of N.I.M.H." and its sequel, produced sixteen years later have in common. And that is that they both conclude with a song that beautiful, touching, and wonderfully-performed. Yes, the song, called "My Life and My Love" as performed by Al Jarreau and Bobbi Page, is truly intoxicating to the ears. And it is, by far, the best thing about the sequel. Unfortunately, it does play over the end credits, and we have to wait that long to hear it.
That's not to say that the second movie, "The Secret of N.I.M.H. 2: Timmy to the Rescue" is necessarily a bad movie. It features third-rate animation, cringe-worthy lines such as "That's for being so evil!", and far too many musical numbers for its own good, but as a totality isn't insufferable. I can't honestly say I like it, but I can't honestly say I dislike it, either.
Still, why, I must ask, was there a need for a sequel? The original "The Secret of N.I.M.H." was a near-masterpiece and like most films at that caliber, ended on a note that, although open for a continuation, really begged to be left alone. And the film was a financial success, but not a smash-hit. So the meaning of "The Secret of N.I.M.H. 2" being green-lighted was obviously one of kids-movie box office exploitation. And whereas the first movie was geared so that adults could enjoy it, and probably would need to sit through it with their youngsters, the second one is aimed directly at children. Young children, specifically.
Mrs. Brisby, the heroine of the first film, plays neither first nor second-fiddle in the second movie. She's a cameo; the star is her youngest son Timothy, who occupied a small portion of running time before. At the end of the first film, Mrs. Brisby saved her family with the help of some intelligent rats who escaped from a laboratory at N.I.M.H. The rats then went to a haven we never saw, called Thorn Valley. In "The Secret of N.I.M.H. 2," Timothy is sent to live with them. He grows up to be a valiant, but disobedient teenager, when he runs into a mouse named Jenny, who recently escaped from N.I.M.H. As it turns out, some mice are still there, being tested upon, and Jenny came seeking their former comrades for help. When a rescue mission proves impossible, Tim and Jenny set out on their own.
In fact, the next two scenes after this moment describe how the good and bad about "Secret of N.I.M.H. 2" rhythmically fluctuates. The two characters leave Thorn Valley in a makeshift hot-air balloon. The scene with them sailing through the air, accompanied by some wonderful music by the talented Lee Holdridge, is magical in its own small way. They are attacked by a hawk, also entertaining, and are forced to the ground. That is all good. But the very next scene is an abomination. They run into a caterpillar who claims to be the "spokes-bug" for the Great Owl. But as it turns out, Jeremy the crow (still voiced by Dom DeLuise) is really just posing as the Great Owl to scam the woodland animals out of their jewelry and credit cards.
Well, the scene's even worse than that, as it's accompanied by a really irritating song.
There are far too many songs in the film; all but two are forgettable. Many are badly-performed. The worst: "I Will Show the World," which Tim sings throughout his childhood. The lyrics are flimsy at best, and two of the singers (representing Tim at different ages) have no special singing talent. When Ralph Macchio, as the teenage Tim, takes over, it improves a tad, but not enough to save the song. But there is also a very good song, "Just Say Yes" performed with enormous spirit by Eric Idle. And his part in the film is a completely unexpected twist that though alarming, actually picks up the pace of the third act a bit.
The animation is the film flips between atrocious and acceptable. There are moments where characters and objects appear out of nowhere in the middle of a shot. At another point, a returning character named Justin (now voiced by William H. Macy) changes color schemes with another rat. And the film is full of sloppy moments such as these. Other problems concern the screenplay, which, like everything else, toggles between good and bad. The first third is really slow-going, when Tim is a little kid, picks up some in the second act, but does not really come to life until the final part. And again, this really is because of Eric Idle's terrific work as the film's villain, whose identity I will keep secret. Mr. Idle, like any great actor, presents a tremendous amount of joy in his role, and this communes to the audience. Also, the romance between Tim and Jenny, though in sight from a mile away, is pleasant in a simplistic way.
Voice acting, in general, is pretty good. Mr. Macchio, in particular, does a courageous job as Timothy. Mr. DeLuise also keeps Jeremy the crow lovable despite not having played the part for sixteen years. The film's saving grace is its running time: a mere sixty-eight minutes. Any longer than that - any more songs! - and it might have completely collapsed. But as it is, "The Secret of N.I.M.H. 2: Timmy to the Rescue" is a nice little kids movie, best suited for those under the age of ten. And its good parts - its wonderful parts - make me feel a little guilty for not being able to really commend it. For a straight-to-video quickie sequel, it stands over some, but not quite enough. For every good moment, there is also a bad one. And the sloppy animation and mostly-inept songs really do wear you out after a while.
That's not to say that the second movie, "The Secret of N.I.M.H. 2: Timmy to the Rescue" is necessarily a bad movie. It features third-rate animation, cringe-worthy lines such as "That's for being so evil!", and far too many musical numbers for its own good, but as a totality isn't insufferable. I can't honestly say I like it, but I can't honestly say I dislike it, either.
Still, why, I must ask, was there a need for a sequel? The original "The Secret of N.I.M.H." was a near-masterpiece and like most films at that caliber, ended on a note that, although open for a continuation, really begged to be left alone. And the film was a financial success, but not a smash-hit. So the meaning of "The Secret of N.I.M.H. 2" being green-lighted was obviously one of kids-movie box office exploitation. And whereas the first movie was geared so that adults could enjoy it, and probably would need to sit through it with their youngsters, the second one is aimed directly at children. Young children, specifically.
Mrs. Brisby, the heroine of the first film, plays neither first nor second-fiddle in the second movie. She's a cameo; the star is her youngest son Timothy, who occupied a small portion of running time before. At the end of the first film, Mrs. Brisby saved her family with the help of some intelligent rats who escaped from a laboratory at N.I.M.H. The rats then went to a haven we never saw, called Thorn Valley. In "The Secret of N.I.M.H. 2," Timothy is sent to live with them. He grows up to be a valiant, but disobedient teenager, when he runs into a mouse named Jenny, who recently escaped from N.I.M.H. As it turns out, some mice are still there, being tested upon, and Jenny came seeking their former comrades for help. When a rescue mission proves impossible, Tim and Jenny set out on their own.
In fact, the next two scenes after this moment describe how the good and bad about "Secret of N.I.M.H. 2" rhythmically fluctuates. The two characters leave Thorn Valley in a makeshift hot-air balloon. The scene with them sailing through the air, accompanied by some wonderful music by the talented Lee Holdridge, is magical in its own small way. They are attacked by a hawk, also entertaining, and are forced to the ground. That is all good. But the very next scene is an abomination. They run into a caterpillar who claims to be the "spokes-bug" for the Great Owl. But as it turns out, Jeremy the crow (still voiced by Dom DeLuise) is really just posing as the Great Owl to scam the woodland animals out of their jewelry and credit cards.
Well, the scene's even worse than that, as it's accompanied by a really irritating song.
There are far too many songs in the film; all but two are forgettable. Many are badly-performed. The worst: "I Will Show the World," which Tim sings throughout his childhood. The lyrics are flimsy at best, and two of the singers (representing Tim at different ages) have no special singing talent. When Ralph Macchio, as the teenage Tim, takes over, it improves a tad, but not enough to save the song. But there is also a very good song, "Just Say Yes" performed with enormous spirit by Eric Idle. And his part in the film is a completely unexpected twist that though alarming, actually picks up the pace of the third act a bit.
The animation is the film flips between atrocious and acceptable. There are moments where characters and objects appear out of nowhere in the middle of a shot. At another point, a returning character named Justin (now voiced by William H. Macy) changes color schemes with another rat. And the film is full of sloppy moments such as these. Other problems concern the screenplay, which, like everything else, toggles between good and bad. The first third is really slow-going, when Tim is a little kid, picks up some in the second act, but does not really come to life until the final part. And again, this really is because of Eric Idle's terrific work as the film's villain, whose identity I will keep secret. Mr. Idle, like any great actor, presents a tremendous amount of joy in his role, and this communes to the audience. Also, the romance between Tim and Jenny, though in sight from a mile away, is pleasant in a simplistic way.
Voice acting, in general, is pretty good. Mr. Macchio, in particular, does a courageous job as Timothy. Mr. DeLuise also keeps Jeremy the crow lovable despite not having played the part for sixteen years. The film's saving grace is its running time: a mere sixty-eight minutes. Any longer than that - any more songs! - and it might have completely collapsed. But as it is, "The Secret of N.I.M.H. 2: Timmy to the Rescue" is a nice little kids movie, best suited for those under the age of ten. And its good parts - its wonderful parts - make me feel a little guilty for not being able to really commend it. For a straight-to-video quickie sequel, it stands over some, but not quite enough. For every good moment, there is also a bad one. And the sloppy animation and mostly-inept songs really do wear you out after a while.