Arthur and the Invisibles had a lot of problems but also had a fair share of good points, that made it an at least watchable if mediocre film. Arthur and the Great Adventure was a rather messy sequel that made the same mistakes as its predecessor and made even more on its way. It does have some good things too. The backgrounds have some great detail and it is colourful to look at, so most of the animation is good. The soundtrack is bouncy and has an adventurous feel to it. Freddie Highmore is still likable in the title role while Mia Farrow is as kindly and compassionate as in the first film and Selena Gomez is an improvement over Madonna, actually sounding like a young princess and closer to Highmore's age rather than somebody trying to sound younger. The story is very thinly plotted though and reads a lot like filler, not helped also by very hyperactive pacing and an abrupt conclusion, which felt more like the start of a film than the end. Arthur's adventure and search is tiresome and takes too long to get going, and there is too much of the father character, an important character but not that important. The live action scenes are still awkwardly staged and don't mesh particularly well with the animated sequences, while the dialogue lacks freshness or flow with some ill-judged and timed comic relief. Maltarzard, one of the first film's stronger characters, is a very weak villain this time round, here a character that is under-utilised and underwritten. Jimmy Fallon is even more irritating here now the material is weaker, Snoop Dogg fares better but also struggles. Will.i.am is out of place, but the worst case was Lou Reed, who sounds really bored and monotone. No attempt whatsoever is made to make Maltarzard sound like he did in Arthur and the Invisibles, and his character design here might leave youngsters who saw this film without seeing the first traumatised. In conclusion, not a truly terrible film but really not that great or good either. 4/10 Bethany Cox
