‘Dolphin Tale 2′ and ‘No Good Deed’: Review Revue

This week at the multiplex, we’ve got an animal rescue drama (“Dolphin Tale 2,” starringHarry Connick Jr. and Morgan Freeman) and a home invasion thriller (“No Good Deed,” starring Taraji P. Henson and Idris Elba). Find out what the critics have to say on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Dolphin Tale 2″

At a time when so much children’s entertainment can feel hyperactive and shrill, “Dolphin Tale 2″ seems decidedly old fashioned. The critics say that’s mostly a good thing — this gentle, thoughtful family drama isn’t particularly exciting, but it looks great and delivers positive messages with a minimum of schlock. Since being rescued and rehabilitated in the first film, Winter is doing just fine, but her companion has recently died. Thus, our heroes — a team comprising marine biologists and animal rescue staffers — need to find Winter a new companion or she will be removed from the aquarium as required by law. “Dolphin Tale 2″ is currently at 74 percent on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer; check out sAome of the reviews here:

Fresh: “Like its predecessor, ‘Dolphin Tale 2′ is a family-friendly story with a heart-warming and wise message of healing.” — Claudia Puig, USA Today

Fresh: “A good-hearted kids’ drama whose earnestness and surprising moral complexity put other sunny-weepy sea-mammal flicks to shame.” — Alan Scherstuhl, Village Voice

Fresh: “This pleasantly old-fashioned family drama… [feels] a bit less winning and a bit more educational than its predecessor.” — John Hazelton, Screen International

Rotten: “The original ‘Dolphin Tale’ was so anodyne it felt like a 1950s TV series: episodic problems resolved in an ultrasafe atmosphere, often by parental, generally fatherly, advice. This is more of the same.” — Erik Lundegaard, Seattle Times

“No Good Deed”

It looks like the people behind “No Good Deed” were afraid it would be punished by the critics, since it wasn’t screened prior to its release. It’s the story of an ex-district attorney (Taraji P. Henson) who tries to help a stranger (Idris Elba) who claims to have car trouble. However, once she invites him into her home, his real motives prove to be much more sinister. Check back with Rotten Tomatoes for reviews when they become available.