GARFIELD 2: A TALE OF TWO KITTIES
US, 2006, 78 minutes, Colour.
Brecken Myer, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Billy Connolly, Ian Abercrombie, Roger Rees.
Voices of Bill Murray, Roscoe Lee Browne, Greg Ellis, Bob Hoskins, Sharon Osbourne, Tim Currie, Jane Leeves, Jane Horrocks, Richard E. Grant, Vinnie Jones, Rhys Ifans.
Directed by Tim Hill.
Not sure why anyone would really rush of to see Garfield or Garfield 2. Perhaps this large and lazy cat does have a following but I am not sure the two movies are going to enhance his reputation. He is a sarcastic, indolent fat cat who confides his self-absorbed feelings to the audience while playing non-verbal ‘look at me’ games with his beyond-kindness-and-tolerance master (Breckin Meyer). Garfield shows no basis for his immodesty and self-opinionated progress through life. (All reviewers have to admit that Bill Murray does voice this kind of Garfield perfectly.)
There is a play on words in the title as action takes place mainly in London rather than in the US, which does bring a host of British actors (Bob Hoskins, Jane Leeves, Jane Horrocks, Vinnie Jones, Rhys Ifans and others) entertainingly voicing the range of animals Garfield encounters in a country mansion. The literary connections continue as the plot is taken from The Prince and the Pauper (the ads playing on the Prince and the Paw-per). Prince, a regal cat (the image of Garfield but voiced by Tim Curry) is left an estate and is abducted by the mean Lord Dargis (Billy Connolly bringing enjoyable menace to the film).
The mistaken identity takes up a lot of the plot which ends happily (well, not for Dargis) and Liz proposing to John for a happy ever after until the next sequel.
It is short enough with perhaps enough hijinks to entertain the youngies.
1.The popularity of the comic strip of Garfield? The original film? An appropriate sequel?
2.The use of American settings, the use of London and British settings, the mansions in the countryside? The use of the story of the Prince and the Pauper as applied to the cats?
3.Garfield’s personality, the way that he was animated? Big, lazy, sarcastic? Anti the dogs? Possessive of his master, Jon? Wanting him to be engaged to Liz? His behaviour in America? Wanting to go to England or not? His tantrums? Bill Murray’s voice?
4.The sketch of Jon, Liz, their work, Liz going to England, the decision to go? Jon wanting to propose?
5.Britain, the castle, the prince cat being left the inheritance? The jealousy of Lord Dargis? The servants and their liking of the cat? The abduction, Garfield and his experiences, finding himself in place of the prince?
6.The animals, their personalities, the British voices, the comic actions with the animals? Collaborating with the butler? The lawyer and the coming to read the will? Bewilderment?
7.Jon and Liz, in London, the conference? The mix-up with Garfield and the other cat?
8.At the mansion, the adventures against Dargis? Dargis and Billy Connolly’s style? His humour, the village, comeuppance?
9.The animals, their individuality, their support? The return of the prince? Garfield and his having to be heroic?
10.Jon and Liz and the getting married, Garfield and his achievement, going home?
11.For what audience was the film made? The comic strip for children, adults? The film and its appeal for younger children? Adults?
