Featured Blu-ray / DVD Review: Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2

January 31, 2011

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 - Buy from Amazon: DVD or Blu-ray / DVD Combo Pack

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 is a direct-to-DVD sequel to Beverly Hills Chihuahua, but with a mostly new cast. I didn't exactly like the original, but recognized the entertainment value it would have for younger kids. This time around, my expectations are a little lower, as direct-to-DVD sequels tend to be a step down from their predecessors. That said, will it still have enough entertainment value to be worth checking out? Perhaps even picking up?

The Movie

The film starts with a wedding between Papi and Chloe. Flash forward four months later and the two of them have five puppies. It's not all marital bliss, as Papi acts more like a fellow kid than a father and keeps getting them riled up with stories of Chihuahua warriors from the past. There is more family trouble when Delgado comes to L.A. from Mexico. He's come to talk to his sons, who are both police dogs with the LAPD. They think he abandoned them as puppies, when in fact he sent them to L.A. for their own protection after Delgado busted a gang in Mexico and the gang's dogs swore revenge. Meanwhile, Sam's family is also in trouble, as his parents are in danger of losing their house. His father threw out his back and hasn't been able to work, so now they are $40,000 behind on their mortgage and will be evicted at the end of the month. They come across the perfect solution when they see a story for the Beverly Hills Dog Show in the newspaper, a dog show with a $50,000 first prize. But when Papi is disqualified based on a technicality, they have to come up with some other solution.

Perhaps a solution that ties the three stories together?

So how is the movie compared to the original? I would say it's about even. It doesn't have the same scope, as the first film was a road trip / adventure movie, which of course is going to feel bigger than a family crisis movie. Also, I missed some of the actors that were in the first film (Piper Perabo and Jamie Lee Curtis). The additional cast of puppies does increase the cute factor, which should be a big selling point for the target audience, while the story is effective, if a little familiar and predictable.

Quite frankly, I was expecting a lot worse than this. I was worried it would be unwatchable. But while it's not going to entertain a lot of adults, I think kids, especially those who have watched the first one more than once, will enjoy it.

The Extras

The extras on the DVD are rather light with just a music video by Bridgit Mendler, who provided the voice for Appoline, the main dog villain in the movie. (She's also been in a few Disney shows, as have much of the rest of the cast of this movie.) There are also three minutes of bloopers by both the human and dog cast.

The Blu-ray also has a trivia quiz with questions on the movie, Mexico, Beverly Hills, and Chihuahuas. Unfortunately, there's no reward for getting best in show.

The film's technical presentation on Blu-ray is good, considering its a relatively low budget sequel. The video is very strong with lots of detail, high contrast, and excellent colors. The audio have very clear dialogue, but the surround speakers and the bass rarely get a work out.

Finally we get to the price. The Blu-ray / DVD Combo pack is $10 more than the DVD alone, which is a bit too much for this type of release.

The Verdict

If your kids were fans of Beverly Hills Chihuahua, then they will likely be fans of Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2. It's almost as good and should entertain the younger ones, especially those that love dogs. Neither the DVD nor Blu-ray / DVD Combo Pack have a whole lot of extras, while the latter costs a little too much compared to the former to be worth the upgrade. Overall, I would call it a solid rental for the young ones, but if your kids have watched the original several times, it might be worth picking up.


- Submitted by:

Filed under: Video Review, Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2