Jesse Eisenberg: 5 Awesome Performances & 5 That Sucked

5 That Sucked

5. Blu - Rio 2 (2014)

Okay, maybe I’m being a little harsh to slam a sequel to a film about an animated bird immediately after lauding one of the greatest films ever made, but it’s got to be said: Rio 2 is a bit of a let-down.

Eisenberg plays a blue Spix’s macaw who somewhat unoriginally is called Blu. He’s the mate to Anne Hathaway’s feathered counterpart Jewel, and the bird daddy to three children. Now the first Rio was a solid enough, if unremarkable, kids’ film, but this unnecessary follow-up just hammers home the old belief that sequels normally suck.

Eisenberg isn’t to blame for all of the film’s problems, but his delivery hardly sets the world on fire, and even he sounds a little tired of the series just two films in. Part of the issue seems to be that the pinpoint deadpan humour he’s able to master in films like The Double – or even the more outlandish comedy of Zombieland - doesn’t translate to a CGI bird and slapstick jokes aimed at young viewers.

It would be unfair to call it an unwatchable performance, but for an actor renowned for his skill in balancing emotional resonance and witty dialogue, Rio 2 stops Eisenberg from showing off his best elements.