Two by Two: Overboard! is the sequel to Ulysses Filmproduktion’s 2015 film All Creatures Big and Small. This action-packed adventure follows a young Nestrian called Finny and his best mate Leah, a Grymp. When they accidentally fall off the ark and are swept out to sea, the two castaway misfits have to out-run an erupting volcano and negotiate a peace deal on a conflict-filled Ark in order to reunite with their family.
The narrative is a bit too similar to Finding Nemo and, sadly, it’s missing the satire, charismatic voice-actors, and impressive visuals from studios like Pixar. There is nothing truly original about the plot and it is extremely predictable in its storytelling and there is also little imagination in terms of how the characters evolve. The film’s plot is heavily based on the idea of accepting all people, no matter their differences, which is a great life lesson for the targeted audience to learn.
The film’s notable strength is its animation quality. For an Ireland-Luxembourg co-production, there’s an impressive level of detail in the animation right down to the fur on the Nestrian creatures. These Nestrians are delightful creations whose homemaking abilities and sunny disposition add a sprinkle of magic. The colourful world and the cute nature of these animals depicted by co-directors Toby Genkel and Sean McCormack may capture the attention and the hearts of the young audience that it’s intended for, but may be overbearing and seemingly out of place for older audiences.
Two by Two delivers a few decent jokes that will keep young children amused, but alongside the bright and joyful animation, there is a very generic storyline that does not make the film stand out.
By Callum Elliss and Jennifer Klepczarek