The Reef 2: High Tide

The Reef 2: High Tide
Film poster
Directed byMark A.Z. Dippé
Taedong Park
Written byChris Denk
Johnny Hartmann
Produced byDaniel Chuba
Youngki Lee
Ash Shah
Mark A.Z. Dippé
StarringDrake Bell
Jamie Kennedy
Rob Schneider
Edited byJim Flynn
Michael Rafferty
Tom Sanders
Music byTodd Haberman
Production
company
WonderWorld Studios
Distributed byCJ Entertainment (South Korea)
Arc Entertainment (United States and Canada)
SC Films (International)
Release dates
  • October 30, 2012 (2012-10-30) (United States)
  • January 10, 2013 (2013-01-10) (South Korea)
Running time
80 minutes
CountriesSouth Korea
United States
LanguagesKorean
English
Box office$8,829,781

The Reef 2: High Tide, known in Korea as Pi's Story: Operation To Wipe Out The Evil Sharks (Korean: 파이스토리 : 악당상어 소탕작전; RR: Pai seutori: agdangsang-eo sotangjagjeon), is a 2012 animated adventure comedy film and the sequel to 2006's Shark Bait. It was directed and produced by Mark A.Z. Dippé and co-director Taedong Park, and written by Chris Denk and Johnny Hartmann. The English dub stars the same actors as last time, except Freddie Prinze Jr. and Evan Rachel Wood, who are replaced by Drake Bell and Busy Philipps. Although Donal Logue reprised his role as Troy, he replaces John Rhys-Davies as Thornton. Rob Schneider reprised his role as Nerissa, Bart, Eddie, and many more.

A sequel titled: Around the World in 80 Days: The Reef 3 is in development.[1]

Plot

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Troy is revealed to be still alive and captured by the marines. He is locked in a cage and occasionally gets painful vaccines from them. However, with the help of a tiny con artist shark named Ronny, he manages to escape and decides to seek revenge on Pi.

At the reef, Pi is a father and enjoying life on the reef with no sharks. But Troy and his band of goons arrive at the reef wall and threaten the fish that the water will rise high enough in four days for the sharks to swim over the reef wall. Nerissa tells Pi he must, but tries to train the other fish to defeat Troy this time. Meanwhile, Troy threatens Ronny into following his orders by sabotaging Pi's training and tells him, in exchange, he will let Ronny go. Ronny disguises himself with a piece of kelp as a wig and false dentures on his teeth. Witnessing Pi's disastrous training, Ronny gets an idea. He announces that the fish put on an "underwater extravaganza," saying every fish has a particular skill, and by doing that, they will attract humans to protect them from the sharks. Ronny's plan enlightens everybody but Pi. When Pi confronts Nerissa about this, Nerissa suggests that Ronny perhaps "offers something you haven't like a chance to prove themselves." Pi retorts that he tried to train them, to which Nerissa responds, "I suggested that you teach them to be the best they can be--not to be you." He then shows Pi an image of the legendary Sea Dragon, which those who control it must be worthy to command.

Pi gets an idea to create a shark trap to catapult Troy out of the sea and orders the two to get him supplies. When Pi and his son Junior set up the trap, Pi orders Bart and Eddie to guard the cave. However, Ronny overhears Pi's trap, and Troy orders him to destroy it. So, Ronny tricks the reef fish into thinking that he needs a clamp for his talent show, and the reef fish soon race toward the cave and destroy the Shark Trap. Bart and Eddie report the disaster to Pi. When Pi furiously confronts Ronny, Cordelia defends him, saying that Ronny believes in them the way they are and Pi doesn't.

Later, Troy orders Ronny to bring Cordelia outside the reef at sunset. When Ronny succeeds, Troy exposes Ronny's disguise to Cordelia, much to her horror. But Ronny, having grown to love the reef and the inhabitants, tries to explain himself, but Troy kidnaps Cordelia. Troy decides to let him go because Ronny has outlived his usefulness.

Pi lies in pain in Nerissa's shipwreck when they hear a noise. They see Bart and Eddie having captured Ronny when he gets exposed as a shark and brings him to Pi. But, Ronny remorsefully tells Pi that Troy was forcing him, and that he'll help Pi get Cordelia back from Troy. Pi, Nerissa, Bart, and Eddie decide to give the remorseful dwarf shark a second chance. While Pi frees Cordelia, Ronny blocks the Hench-sharks' path, telling them to stand up to Troy. Unfortunately, Troy overheard and became furious about Ronny's betrayal. Troy gobbled the little dwarf shark up in one gulp.

Meanwhile, as the other fish try to prepare for the battle, Nerissa enters a mysterious volcano to summon the sea dragon, and mysterious powers flow around the turtle as he does so.

Troy and his sharks attack the reef, as many fish outsmart them. Troy bites Pi and subdues him, but before he can kill him, Nerissa shows up with his mighty sea dragon and blasts the other sharks. But Troy sneaks up from behind the turtle and knocks him off the dragon, causing it to dissolve away. Troy then prepares to hurt Nerissa, but Pi throws a Water Ball at him, and Troy returns his attention to his sole nemesis and chases him. Eventually, Pi, Cordelia, and Junior use the shark trap to beat Troy and send him flying out of the sea and back to the ship. As the humans approach the defeated shark, Ronny flies out of Troy's mouth and back into the sea. The humans then use another vaccine on Troy, and he screams in pain.

As all the fish celebrate the defeat of Troy, Nerissa congratulates Pi for becoming a true leader. Pi and the gang thank Nerissa for risking his life for all of them, to which the old turtle responds, "It was my part to play." Nerissa dances with the other fish just as a fully redeemed Ronny joins the party.

Cast

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English cast

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Reception

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Tracy Moore of Common Sense Media give a rate two stars out of five, saying that the "Sequel is less intense than the original but still menacing."[2] Starburst Magazine's Paul Mount reviewed the film and said that it was "clearly one for the kids with its bright colours and endless knockabout humour, there are a few sly gags and references which might amuse patient adults who are along for the ride and who might otherwise be spending their time glancing at their wristwatches and waiting for the end credits to roll." He also noted that the animation is "rarely better than cheap and cheerful" and voice talents are "not exactly A-list." He gave a rating of five out of ten.[3]

References

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  1. ^ Grater, Tom (27 April 2017). "SC Films launches family animation 'Around The World In 80 Days'". Screen Daily. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  2. ^ Moore, Tracy (20 June 2023). "The Reef 2: High Tide Movie Review". Common Sense Media. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  3. ^ Mount, Paul. "Movie Review: THE REEF 2 – HIGH TIDE". Starburst Magazine. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
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