The Hunchback of Notre Dame II

Disney's animated adaption of The Hunchback of Notre Dame came out in 1996, and whilst it wasn't the record-breaking blockbuster that Aladdin or The Lion King were, it was a modest success. It was an important film in the Disney canon because, for perhaps the first time, we weren't left with a perfect fairy-tale ending; against all expectations, the hero didn't get the girl. Granted, the film was nowhere near as dark and tragic as Victor Hugo's original novel, but the tone was quite revolutionary for a Disney production.

By ravaging the corpse of this daring film, the film-makers have churned out a pointless encore that has no reason to exist other than the purely commercial. The straight-to-video sequel is a huge disappointment.

For a film that is such a slap in the face to the spirit of the original, it's ironic that, plot-wise, the sequel is mostly a retread of its predecessor. Quasimodo is still living in the vast cathedral of Notre Dame, ringing his bells and bemoaning his lack of success with the ladies. His three companions, a trio of animated gargoyles with a penchant for terrible jokes, are still present. Esmeralda, the hunchback's love interest in the first film (still voiced by Demi Moore), is back with her new husband, although Lord knows why... they have nothing to contribute. And the same themes of the nature of love, beauty and truth rear their heads, although with none of the subtlety of the original.

This time around, Quasimodo falls for a beautiful gypsy thief (voiced by the truly evil Jennifer Love Hewitt). At first she is repulsed by his hideous appearance, but as the story progresses... oh, need I go on? Meanwhile, an evil circus owner sets up a stunning plan to steal a valuable cathedral bell that hangs in our hero's turf. Well actually, it's a gob-smackingly stupid plan, but hey, there has to be some kind of narrative to fill out the mercifully brief sixty-three minute running time, right?

Okay, I admit it... kids probably will enjoy this film as much as the first. Perhaps even moreso, as the story is not as dark or complex. And it is marketed as a kid's film, so I'm guilty of being a churlish, bad-tempered nerd. But as an adult who appreciates animated entertainment that can work for both kids and grown-ups alike, and as a viewer who holds the first film in such high esteem, I gotta tell ya... this is trash.

The 1:66:1, 16:9 transfer is immaculate, but it's a pity about the animation, which is inexcusably flat and lifeless for a Disney film (even a straight-to-video release). The backgrounds are quite nice, with some beautiful painted pieces, but the direction has all the spark of a rock. The character animation is uninspired, and any comparison to the original is a joke.

Jennifer Love Hewitt wails a lurve ballad so cliched and weightless that Celine Dion would blush. I don't care how crisp the Dolby 5.1 soundtrack is, this film is best watched in mute mode.

A few uninspired extras perfectly complement an uninspired film.

The Festival of Fun is a collection of two interactive games, which are becoming a staple of Disney's DVD releases. Unlike the games on some of these other discs, though, these are rather dull... there's no challenge for the kids as they're basic editing workshops with, respectively, a few bars of ringing bells and a series of shadow puppet dance moves to re-order.

The documentary, dubbed A Gargoyle's Life, is not a documentary in any sense of the word. It's a series of clips from the first film accompanied by a poem read by Jason Alexander about the lonely existence of his stony character. It's a nice, expressive reading and the kids will enjoy it.

Yaah! The music featurette featuring Jennifer Love Hewitt must be seen to be believed (not that I'm saying you should). Hosted by a batch of teeth-grindingly bubbly teenagers, we're "treated" to a soul-baring interview with Jen as she enthuses about how cool it is to be in a Disney film (even a bottom shelf effort like this), how cool it is to see a character speaking with her voice, how cool it is that she gets to record a song for the film, and how generally cool she herself is. Not cool at all.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame II is a frustrating viewing experience for an adult audience, but may shut the kids up for about a third of its brief running time. The video and sound are decent. The story, animation and soundtrack are not.