If anyone ever got pissed off enough by one of my reviews to try and dig up dirt on me (wouldn't be the first time), here’s some for free: I actually liked The Boss Baby. I mean, beyond just being entertaining, I still maintain that that film is a lot smarter than it ever got credit for, with the kind of messaging that hits that family-friendly sweet spot that could benefit audiences of all ages. Yes, seriously. As such, I might be the only… respectable(?) film critic that is willing to give this sequel an honest chance.
Let’s start with the visuals because, no matter whatever else is in this thing, it has to look good if it’s going to have even the slightest chance with its target audience, let alone anyone else. And man, does this film look nice. It’s still got the round and bouncy character designs, and the lighting effects are up to modern standards so that everything pops, but most importantly, it still works as a vehicle for main character Tim (now voiced by James Marsden) and his buck-wild imagination. The scenes where we get to see how his childlike creativity has persisted into adulthood are the best part of the whole thing, whether it’s him describing his job as a stay-at-home dad as its own great adventure, or his surreal and mildly unsettling nightmares about his parental stresses.
Well, that and the plot itself, which also continues the first film’s standard for sheer insanity. Admittedly, it isn’t as all-out with its set pieces, but between the ninja baby army and the manic-as-all-hell chase scene through town, it’s got wacky to spare. Same goes for the main plot as well, which involves the principal of a school for gifted children and his Bond-villain-level plan to eliminate parents forever. Jeff Goldblum as said principal, Dr. Armstrong, is as entertaining as any role he’s ever taken, and he makes for a great fit next to Marsden and a returning Alec Baldwin as the titular character. Well, that and Amy ‘Jerri Blank’ Sedaris as Tim’s daughter and essentially the new Boss Baby.
However, while it’s got all the surface engagement needed to succeed, it unfortunately falls short in one department: The message behind the story. Again, I’m in the minority in caring about such things, but after how genuinely thoughtful the satire got last time, this follow-up not being able to match it is still disappointing. It feels like a step backwards from the ‘business of cute’ statements from the original, getting into basic comments on social media and what “growing up” can mean for different people, ultimately stating that family is needed because it will provide unconditional love to a child. As weird as it sounds for me to decry this for being too simplistic, it doesn’t hit the same note as the original’s look at the feeling that a new sibling is ‘replacing’ you and taking up the love you’re supposed to get from your parents. It doesn’t help that the film’s underlying anti-screen message kept reminding me of Cats & Dogs 3, and this comes across as hypocritical for the same reason.
Simply put, where the first film is a proper family film, this one is strictly for the kids. Not that that makes it automatically bad, as it’s perfectly harmless and definitely has enough energy to keep the little ones entertained for a bit. But, as I keep coming back to (and likely digging a deeper hole for myself in the process), it’s a considerable step-down from the first film, and for a film I would have been more than willing to champion for being better than most people consider it to be… it just doesn’t measure up. It’s not bad; I just know that it could have been better.
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