The Hunchback of Notre Dame II (2001)

Weak sequel, with a bit of the original's charms.

A chintzy direct-to-video sequel to a fairly lifeless adaptation.

Devoid of any of the qualities that made the first film so special.

Quasimodo and his friends are back in the direct-to-video sequel The Hunchback of Notre Dame II. The main cast returns, and are joined by Jennifer Love Hewitt and Haley Joel Osment. The animation however, is extremely poor and isn't even up to television standards (Disney should be embarrassed). But even worse is the trite, uninspired story about a traveling circus that's attempting to steal a jewel encrusted bell that's in the Notre Dame cathedral. Additionally, the constant hammering of the theme of things being beautiful on the inside is annoying. Incredibly ill-conceived, The Hunchback of Notre Dame II is a generic piece of tripe that betrays Victor Hugo's original vision.

Yeah, it is by the numbers, but what do you expect from a direct to video sequel of a B-level Disney film? I feel like we've seen this particular story before (maybe in the first film), but nothing here is particularly bad. Some of the animation looks cheap-especially medium and long shots of characters and backgrounds; there is an astonishing lack of detail and muddiness in those shots. At least the movie brought back most of the original voice talent and didn't cheap out in that respect.