Dr. Dolittle 2

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dr. Dolittle 2
Dr dolittle two ver2.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySteve Carr
Written byLarry Levin
Based on
Produced byJohn Davis
Starring
Narrated byNorm Macdonald
CinematographyDaryn Okada
Edited byCraig Herring
Music byDavid Newman
Production
company
Distributed by20th Century Fox
Release date
  • June 22, 2001 (2001-06-22)
Running time
87 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$70 million[1]
Box office$176.1 million[1]

Dr. Dolittle 2 (also known as Doctor Dolittle 2) is a 2001 American comedy film and a sequel to the 1998 film Dr. Dolittle. It was written by Larry Levin, one of the co-writers of Dr. Dolittle, and directed by Steve Carr. The film stars Eddie Murphy, Kristen Wilson, Jeffrey Jones, and Kevin Pollak.

It tells the story of Dr. Dolittle as tries to help the animals protect their forest from unscrupulous human developers. He decides to populate the forest with a species of animal that the law protects, and enlists the help of Ava (voiced by Lisa Kudrow), a lone Pacific western bear living in the condemned forest. To provide her with a mate, Dolittle turns to Archie (voiced by Steve Zahn), a wise-cracking circus-performing bear.

This is the last Dr. Dolittle film to feature Eddie Murphy in the lead role, before Kyla Pratt became the lead role in future films, starting with Dr. Dolittle 3 in 2006. It is also the last Dr. Dolittle film to feature Raven-Symoné as Charisse Dolittle.

Plot[]

Three years after the events of the first film, veterinarian Dr. John Dolittle's (Eddie Murphy) ability to talk to animals has made him famous, and he travels the world performing his skills. In one instance, Dolittle tries to warn Steve Irwin that an alligator (Kevin Pollak) will attack him in the arm.

Returning home from France, he gives his daughter Maya (Kyla Pratt) a chameleon named Pepito (Jacob Vargas), and punishes his other daughter Charisse (Raven-Symoné) for doing poorly in school, confiscating her phone for a week. Charisse's boyfriend Eric (Lil Zane) joins the family for Charisse's 16th birthday party, where an opossum (Isaac Hayes) and a raccoon named Joey (Michael Rapaport), tell John that their boss, the Godbeaver (Godfather of the rodent mafia), wants to see him. John meets the Godbeaver (Richard C. Sarafian) and agrees to save the forest from being cut down by mating an endangered female Pacific western bear with a male.

At a circus, John persuades Archie (Steve Zahn), the sole surviving Pacific western male, to accompany him to the forest and become a real bear. John takes his family on a month-long vacation to the forest, where he makes a deal with the sole surviving Pacific western female bear named Ava (Lisa Kudrow), who is involved with a male Kodiak bear named Sonny (Mike Epps). She agrees not to make any decisions for a month after John promises to turn Archie into a bear she will love.

Struggling to train Archie, who is used to the pampered lifestyle, John hires the local forest creatures to chaperone Charisse and Eric, and neglects his wife Lisa (Kristen Wilson). After assuring Archie that he will find a way to win Ava's heart, John attempts to win Lisa back by dancing in their cabin, with every animal in the forest watching, but Lucky the dog (Norm Macdonald) accidentally ruins it. Archie attempts to get Ava's attention by imitating John singing, but falls from a tree branch. Humiliated, he refuses to leave his new-found cave, but becomes frustrated with John's insults and knocks him into a muddy hole, finally listening to his "inner bear". Later, Archie spends the day with Ava, whose relationship with Sonny is declining. Lucky tries to woo a female wolf, successfully urinating around her territory, but is interrupted by one of her packmates before she agrees to go out with him. Meanwhile, Sonny forces Ava to leave Archie.

Logging magnate Joe Potter (Jeffrey Jones) and his lawyer Jack Riley (Kevin Pollak) attempt to make a deal with John, until Archie tells John he has prepared his "big finish" to win Ava and goes after a beehive at the edge of a tall hill, ignoring John's warnings and the attacking bees who also attack a nearby Riley. He manages to get the hive, finally winning Ava's heart and the respect of the other forest animals. Ava then dumps Sonny, finally having had enough of his rudeness to Archie.

In a game of hide and seek with Ava, Archie is shot by a tranquilizer dart from Riley. John learns that Archie had somewhat destroyed the back of a restaurant. After getting information from a weasel (Andy Dick), John visits Archie in jail, telling him that he may be too dangerous to go free and will be sold to a Mexican circus, ending John's chance of saving the forest. John realizes that Charisse has developed her father's gift of talking to animals, reigniting his determination to save the forest. He rallies the animals of the forest not to give up without a fight and free Archie. Charisse, Eric, and Maya rebel against the loggers as the wolves appear. Word of Archie's predicament spreads, leading animals around the world to go on strike like cows not giving milk, chickens throwing eggs at farmers, and dogs not listening to their owners.

Mr. Potter and Riley are attacked by the animals. While Riley takes the brunt from the birds, wolves, and bees, Mr. Potter is cornered by Ava and Joey, forcing him to negotiate with John and the animals. When the animals refuse Mr. Potter's new deal, the strike continues to grow with several animal pros, including race horses and Shamu, getting in on the act. Finally, a deal is made and the Dolittles and animals accept, freeing Archie and saving the entire forest outside San Francisco.

John and Charisse become closer, talking with and helping animals together, while Archie and Ava mate and have two cubs (Frankie Muniz and Mandy Moore).

During the credits, Pepito socializes with the plastic dinosaurs, the Drunk Monkey interacts with Pepito, and the race horses are still not running causing their riders to ride each other.

Cast[]

Voice cast[]

Actor Role Animal
Steve Zahn Archie Pacific western bear (fictional)
Norm Macdonald[2] Lucky Dolittle Dog
Lisa Kudrow Ava Pacific western bear
Mike Epps (as Michael J. Epps) Sonny Kodiak bear
Jacob Vargas Pepito Chameleon
Michael Rapaport Joey Raccoon
Phil Proctor Drunk Monkey Capuchin monkey
Isaac Hayes Possum Opossum
Andy Dick Mr. "Lennie" Weasel Weasel
John Witherspoon Old Zoo Bear Bear
Cedric the Entertainer Young Zoo Bear Bear
Jamie Kennedy, David Cross & Bob Odenkirk Dogs Dogs
Maria Arcé & Melique Berger Fish Fish
David DeLuise & Hal Sparks School of Fish School of Fish
Reni Santoni Rat #1 Rat
Kevin Pollak Alligator Alligator
Georgia Engel Giraffe Giraffe
Joey Lauren Adams Squirrel Squirrel
Mandy Moore Girl Bear Cub Pacific western bear
Frankie Muniz Boy Bear Cub Pacific western bear
Michael McKean & David L. Lander Birds Birds
Tom Kenny Male Tortoise Tortoise
Renée Taylor Female Tortoise Tortoise
Richard C. Sarafian God Beaver Beaver
Jamie Kennedy Bandit Dog
Keone Young & Clyde Kusatsu Bees Bees
Tara Mercurio Deer Deer
John DiMaggio Seeing-Eye Dog Dog
John DiMaggio Wassup Fish Fish
John DiMaggio Mouse Mouse
Jamie Kennedy, David Cross, Ken Hudson Campbell & Bob Odenkirk Animal Groupies Hawk, Owl, Porcupine & Skunk
Ken Hudson Campbell, Jamie Kennedy & Bob Odenkirk Forest Animals Rabbit, Crow & Hawk
Arnold Schwarzenegger White wolf (archive recording, uncredited) White wolf

Animal cast[]

Music[]

Soundtrack[]

Dr. Dolittle 2
Soundtrack album by
Various artists
ReleasedJune 5, 2001
Recorded2001
GenreHip hop, R&B
LabelJ Records
Dr. Dolittle soundtracks chronology
Dr. Dolittle
(1998) 		Dr. Dolittle 2
(2001)
Singles from Dr. Dolittle 2
  1. "Do U Wanna Roll (Dolittle Theme)"
    Released: 2001
  2. "Cluck Cluck"
    Released: 2001
  3. "Absolutely Not"
    Released: 2001
  4. "We Fit Together"
    Released: October 22, 2001
  5. "Life Is Good"
    Released: January 15, 2002

A soundtrack containing hip hop and R&B music was released on June 5, 2001 by J Records. It peaked at 76 on the Billboard 200, 26 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and 10 on the Top Soundtracks. Five singles were spawned from the album, "Do U Wanna Roll (Dolittle Theme)", "Cluck Cluck", "Absolutely Not", "We Fit Together" and "Life Is Good". Allmusic rated this soundtrack four stars out of five.[3]

Information taken from Dr. Dolittle 2: Original Soundtrack liner notes:[4]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Cluck Cluck" (Product G&B with Wyclef Jean)Wyclef Jean, Jerry "Wonder" Duplessis, David McRae, Marvin L. Moore-HoughWyclef Jean and Jerry "Wonder" Duplessis3:59
2."Do U Wanna Roll (Dolittle Theme)" (R.L., Snoop Dogg and Lil' Kim)Kevin Gilliam, R.L. Huggar, Calvin Broadus, Kimberly Jones, R. Troutman, L. TroutmanBattlecat for B.C. Pow-Da, Inc./Future Sound Entertainment4:33
3."Tameeka" (Fabolous with Mario)Steve Estiverne, Jarret Washington, Carlos McKinneySteve Estiverne3:42
4."Absolutely Not" (Deborah Cox)Eric Johnson, D. Christopher Jennings, Deborah Cox, Ahmad Russel, Tiffany Palmer, Eric Jones, James GlascoEric "Donovan East" Johnson and D. Christopher "Dip Q" Jennings for Eristopher Entertainment/Furnace Music3:35
5."We Fit Together" (O-Town)Remee, Mich Hansen, Joe BelmaatiCutfather and Joe3:58
6."Two Steps" (Jimmy Cozier)Carsten Shack, Kenneth Karlin, N. Butler, Harold Lilly, Jimmy CozierSoulshock and Karlin for Soulpower Productions4:17
7."What It Is (Part II)" (Flipmode Squad featuring Busta Rhymes with Kelis)T. Smith, P. Williams, C. Hugo, R. Fisher, R. McNair, W. Lewis, L. Jones, R. Meyers, R. WaltersThe Neptunes4:20
8."Rear View Mirror" (Alicia Keys)Alicia Keys, LeSean Daniels, Kerry Brothers, Fred Jerkins, Rodney Jerkins, Paul L. GreenAlicia Keys and K. Brothers for MBK Entertainment/KrucialKey Productions4:05
9."If I Was the One" (Luther Vandross)Diane WarrenThe Underdogs - Damon Thomas and Harvey Mason, Jr.4:21
10."Makin' Me Feel" (Angie Stone)Raphael Saadiq, Angie Stone, Kelvon Wooten, Gleen Standridge, Robert C. OzunaRaphael Saadiq4:07
11."Life Is Good" (LFO with M.O.P.)Rich Cronin, Sheppard, Kenny GioiaSheppard and Kenny Gioia for Sheppard Music, Inc.4:05
12."Lookin' for Love" (Next with Lil' Zane)R.L. Huggar, Walter Millsap, Zane Copeland, Jr.Walter "Little Walt" Millsap III for Conjunction Productions Inc., and R.L. for Uh Oh Productions, Inc.3:35
13."If I Knew" (Glenn Medeiros)Gen Rubin, Giuliano FrancoGen Rubin and Giuliano Franco4:27
Sample credits
  • "Do U Wanna Roll (Dolittle Theme)" contains an interpolation of "Doo Wa Ditty (Blow That Thing)" (R. Troutman, L. Troutman), performed by Zapp
  • "What It Is (Part II)" contains replayed elements from "Children's Story" (R. Walters), performed by Slick Rick
Notes

The song "Life Is Good" did not appear in the film.

Reception[]

Box office[]

On its opening weekend, the film grossed $25,037,039 from 3,049 theaters in the United States and Canada, ranking #2 at the box office, behind The Fast and the Furious. Like the first film, it was the best debut for a Fox film that week. By the end of its run, Dr. Dolittle 2 had grossed $112,952,899 domestically and $63,151,445 internationally, totaling $176,104,344 worldwide.[1]

Critical response[]

Like the 1998 version, Dr Dolittle 2 received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 42% based on reviews from 107 critics, with an average rating of 5.00/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Although there are laughs to be had in Dr. Dolittle 2, its preoccupation with toilet humor and Murphy's restrained performance makes this a missed opportunity."[5] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 49 out of 100 based on reviews from 28 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[6] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "B+" on scale of A to F.[7]

Joe Leydon of Variety said "the film has all the symptoms of a sure-fire smash hit", noting that it was more-family than its predecessor, and that "Eddie Murphy [is] once again in fine form".[8] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it 3 out of 4, calling it "Cute, crude and good-hearted movie."[9] Rita Kempley of The Washington Postpraised Eddie Murphy saying that after having been upstaged by the animals in the first film "brings bite as well as bark to the funnier sequel."[10] Desson Thomson also of The Washington Postdid not find the film funny, called it forgettable and thought it should have gone straight to video.[11]

Home media[]

Dr. Dolittle 2 was released on VHS and DVD on October 23, 2001[12] and generated 7.32 million dollars in its first week in stores.[13]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001)". Box Office Mojo. 2001-11-02. Archived from the original on 2014-07-07. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  2. ^ Ebert, Roger (June 22, 2001). "Dr. Dolittle 2". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on March 30, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  3. ^ Dr. Dolittle 2 at AllMusic
  4. ^ (2001) Album notes for Dr. Dolittle 2: Original Soundtrack. J Records LLC.
  5. ^ "Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Archived from the original on 2019-05-06. Retrieved 2019-07-30.
  6. ^ "Dr. Dolittle 2 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 2018-02-25. Retrieved 2019-07-30.
  7. ^ "DR. DOLITTLE 2 (2001) B+". CinemaScore. Archived from the original on 2018-12-20.
  8. ^ Leydon, Joe (21 June 2001). "Dr. Dolittle 2". Variety.
  9. ^ Ebert, Roger (2001). "Dr. Dolittle 2". Chicago Sun-Times.
  10. ^ (June 22, 2001). "'Dr. Dolittle 2': Gas Menagerie". The Washington Post.
  11. ^ Desson Howe (June 22, 2001). "'Dr. Dolittle 2': Unbearable". The Washington Post.
  12. ^ Jimenez, John (September 14, 2001). "Dr. Dolittle 2' Will Benefit from PG Rating". hive4media.com. Archived from the original on November 1, 2001. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
  13. ^ Saccone, Melinda (October 31, 2001). "HIVE EXCLUSIVE RESEARCH: 'Dr. Dolittle 2' Tops Video Rental Charts in Battle of the Sequels". hive4media.com. Archived from the original on November 27, 2001. Retrieved September 7, 2019.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""