Juuchan1
7

8 / 10

A Positive Review for WQ [even with the flaws], October 27, 2010

When I first found out that there was going to be a sequel to one of my favorite childhood films, I was excited and anticipating how the next chapter of Balto's journey would be. I figured the obvious: He'd settle down with Jenna and copopulate while still managing some sense of adventure.

I was somewhat right. Enter "Balto II: Wolf Quest".

Two months after the ending of the first film [and after saving the day, becoming a hero and getting the girl], Balto has a new job title: DADDY. With six pups to carry on his legacy, nothing could possibly be better... except for these weird dreams of ravens, wolves and ice that haunt him at night and the fact that one of his pups looks as wild as he does. Meet Aleu, the free-spirited and rebellious daughter that howls when she's happy and excited and has a knack for correcting bad grammar... As much as the title says that it is Balto's sequel, it is more about Aleu's journey than anything, as a near brush with death becomes the catalyst of a wild adventure filled with mystical forces and a destiny that not even I saw coming! I'm serious - the ending really did take me by surprise.

I'll be honest - this wasn't as bad as people say it is... Yes, the animation was rather horrid at times, but the beautiful backdrops of the Alaskan scenery make up for it. The voices, although not a single person returned from the original, were pretty good, though Aleu's [voiced by Lacey Chabert] can be annoying and whiny at times. The songs are simple yet beautiful, working well with the scenes and images; my favorite song was "Taking You Home", the song that plays during an emotional moment early in the film... it nearly brought me to tears at the end.

The characters were a slight disappointment, however. Balto is now an overprotective dad, Jenna stays in the background as the worried mom, Boris is the doting babysitter [and somehow the wise one], and Muk and Luk still haven't aged a bit. The new characters were more interesting, making the dull familiar characters feel a bit better as they interacted with the newer ones. To be honest, there are a lot of quick characters that are in the film for just the right amount of time to be interesting and relevant to the plot and not be boring and tiring.

Storywise, I feel that it moved smoother once Aleu ran away, as it was fueled by the totem spirits guiding Balto closer and closer to her. That and it got rid of some of the unnecessary characters, such as the bears and Boris. The mystery of these spirits and where it takes them makes you want to keep watching and wondering what danger they may face next.  Also, I found three separate stories here - 1: Balto's story is focused on his dreams, mainly what they mean, where they will take him, and his journey to bring Aleu home after she runs away; 2: Aleu's story is that troubled teen dodder that we all see in many DTV sequels, where she wonders who she is and what she is meant to do with her life, while also trying to gain her own freedoms and leave her father's protection; and 3: the journey of Father and Daughter together, seeing that bond of how different yet similar they are, while they discover more about the wolf blood they carry within them. They work together pretty well, leaving you entertained as their conversations with one another change throughout the film's duration. It's not all serious though, as Muk and Luk and a trio of wolves add some small comedic moments in the beginning and near the story's climatic finale.

Just like with the first movie, there are some moral lessons for the kids: learning to accept yourself as you are, feeling okay with being different, learning about your heritage; for the parents, there's the importance of letting go of your children and allowing them to make mistakes and grow from them. Another message of everyone being a part of "the grand design" easily sounds like a New Age take of the Lion King's "Circle of Life"... and it works well with blending the setting with the story, as does the chanting tune "Who You Really Are", which focuses on discovering and accepting your roots as a part of you. It even uses the power of dreams too, as they play a major role for both of the main characters of Balto and Aleu.

Overall, "Balto II: Wolf Quest" is a journey of heritage and growing up. Yes, there are obvious flaws to it, but there's something about exploring the wolf side of Balto that makes it a magical movie that could easily stand on its own four feet. It focuses more on Spirit Guides and New Age beliefs, but I feel that it also gave Alaska and its native people some credit. There was some Inuit chanting and a Native feel to the music, so it makes it stand out really well. To me, there are a lot of risky moves in here for a sequel.... and the good points of the film overweigh the bad. This is a must-see for all Balto fans; be sure to watch it with an open mind and you may enjoy it too!

- Juuchan17 [10/27/10]

"Have faith and trust in yourself, and make the journey..." - Muru, "Balto II: Wolf Quest"