‘Angry Birds Movie 2’: Zeta’s Ice Ball Forces Birds and Pigs to Team Up

Red has become a hero on Bird Island after saving the eggs, and now he faces a bigger threat than the usual pig pranks: a giant ice ball from the distant Eagle Island. That ball prompts Leonard, leader of Piggy Island, to call for a truce and propose an alliance with the birds. The new enemy is Zeta, the leader of Eagle Island, who wants to take over both islands by firing lava-filled ice balls from her superweapon inside a volcano.

Trailer, via Sony Pictures Entertainment.

The Alliance

The setup is simple and effective. Red fears peace will strip him of his heroic image, while Leonard pushes for cooperation. The film leans into the idea that enemies can become partners when a bigger danger arrives. The tagline, “Frenemies unite,” captures the whole story in two words.

The Cast and the Numbers

Jason Sudeikis returns as Red, with Josh Gad as Chuck, Danny McBride as Bomb, and Bill Hader as Leonard. Leslie Jones joins as Zeta, the female villain, and Rachel Bloom voices Silver, Chuck’s sister and an engineering student who deems Red incompatible. Awkwafina voices Courtney, a pig assistant to Leonard. The film was produced by Sony Pictures Animation and Rovio Entertainment, with Heitor Pereira returning for the score and artists like Kesha and Luke Combs contributing tracks for the soundtrack.

The film grossed $153 million on a $65 million budget, a modest success that reflects its middle-ground position between blockbuster and family fare.

The Plot

Red, Chuck and Bomb recruit Silver, Leonard’s assistant Courtney, and Mighty Eagle to infiltrate Eagle Island. They use a submarine built by pig inventor Garry to cross the water. Red insists evacuation is unnecessary, hoping to keep his heroic image intact. Inside the volcano, Mighty Eagle confesses that Zeta was once his fiancée, but he abandoned her out of cowardice. Red and Silver sneak into the cannon’s entrance and are quickly captured by security. Zeta reveals her plan to bombard the islands with lava-filled ice balls.

The film is mostly a repeat of its predecessor’s formula, but it executes it better. The jokes land more often, the action sequences are tighter, and the emotional beats about Red’s insecurity feel earned rather than forced. The addition of Leslie Jones as Zeta and Rachel Bloom as Silver gives the cast fresh energy.

Where it stumbles is in its reliance on familiar beats. The plot follows a clear arc, but the surprises are few. The villain’s scheme is easy to guess early on, and the resolution feels tidy rather than satisfying. The film also leans heavily on its predecessor’s musical cues, recycling classical pop songs from the 1960s to 2000s without much new flavor.

Final Word

“The Angry Birds Movie 2” improves on its predecessor while staying safely within its established rules. The humor is sharper, the stakes are higher, and the cast delivers strong performances across the board. But the story itself doesn’t take enough risks to justify a full recommendation.

Angry Birds · animation · movie review · sequel · Sony Pictures