IR Film Review: THE BOSS BABY - FAMILY BUSINESS [Dreamworks/Universal]

The perception of sequels is based in trying to make the conflict more pronounced while making a statement or journey within the characters. Despite its meandering and over-the-top tendencies, "The Boss Baby: Family Business" does this while maintaining the status quo in the fact that it moves in a texture of the big baddie while showing a human story. To give away who the bad guy is is a tricky question simply because it is based in perspective (though one definitely does stand out). If there was the right person to square off against Alec Baldwin as Ted Templeton, the original Boss Baby, it would be Mr. Armstrong (Goldblum). There is an interesting correlation in a way to "Jurassic Park" (like "Loki" did as well)but Goldblum plays it to the fullest. That same energy from "Thor: Ragnarok" is in beautiful portions here, even in animation. The world he inhabits and creates as the movie gets going is delectable.

The main characters in Ted (Baldwin) and Tim (James Marsden), both now grown, keep the story grounded as Tim now has kids of his own and struggles with what he wants to teach them. It is an interesting quandary because Tim is a dreamer so he looks at imagination in a different way than his kids (which is interestingly visualized -- in a much different way than Armstrong's world). And yet there is a distinct difference between his older daughter Tabitha and his toddler Tina (voiced by Amy Sedaris) who seems to get a basis in her power from her uncle Ted. While the reasoning works, the delivery at times is a tad clunky.

Baldwin has enough tongue-in-cheek chops to make it work and, at one point, his creation of a worker base in an unusual situation really gels in terms of pace and execution. Thinking about it, Armstrong's world would make an interesting (although odd) ride at Universal Orlando. Director Tom McGrath knows how to keep the pace running without making it too dark and his inclusion, as always, of Wizzie, the pony terrible per se who just has a personality all its own, is the highlight of every scene it is in without fail. "The Boss Baby: Family Business" doesn't reinvent in the wheel but it knows its IP well enough to understand its needs but also push its boundaries. B

By Tim Wassberg