Story
A great flood fills the world with water, and an animal settlement drifts on an ark in search of land. The animals begin to run out of food, but unlikely friends Leah the grymp and Finny the nestrian show that carnivores and herbivores can become best friends.
When Leah and Finny fall overboard, they try to get back to the ark, but a violent storm pulls them apart. Leah washes up on a distant island, and Finny finds a nestrian colony full of creatures just like himself. The nestrians have created a safe community under the sea to protect themselves from predators. When Leah is captured and the ark arrives on the island, Finny tries to convince Patch, the nestrian leader, to release Leah and help the other animals. But Patch fears the destruction outsiders could bring and refuses Finny’s request.
A fiery volcano threatens to destroy the island and everything in its path. The animals must set aside their differences and work together to save themselves.
Themes
Children/animals being separated from parents; natural disasters; mistrust of those who are different from you
Violence
Two by Two: Overboard! has some violence. For example:
- There’s a lot of slapstick violence throughout. Many characters fall, trip, bang into or collapse on each other.
- A hungry lion threatens to kill a nestrian and put him on the menu.
- Leah and Finny crash their flying machine into a cafeteria and upset everyone’s food.
- A dove is hit, nearly eaten, electrocuted, beaten, chased by a shark, squashed and burned.
- There’s an explosion in the crow’s nest and a fire. The animal parents think that their children are dead.
- Two nestrian guards try to capture Leah. She attacks back, but eventually they catch her.
- Animals are bound together and made to walk the plank.
- Guards are knocked unconscious and their clothes stolen.
- A raging volcano destroys the island and the nestrian underwater community. It also threatens the animals on the ark.
Sexual references
Two by Two: Overboard! hasno sexual references.
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
Two by Two: Overboard! shows some use of substances. For example, a monkey makes mocktails in a makeshift Tiki bar.
Nudity and sexual activity
Two by Two: Overboard! has some nudity and sexual activity. For example:
- Finny plucks the fur off his stomach and exposes a bare patch. He quickly smooths the area around the bar patch to cover his skin.
- Two flamingos look at each other flirtatiously and almost kiss.
Product placement
There’s no product placement in Two by Two: Overboard!
Coarse language
There’s no swearing in Two by Two: Overboard! but there is repeated use of the word ‘butt’ and one use of ‘stupid’. Also, a character is told to ‘clam it’.
Ideas to discuss with your children
Two by Two: Overboard! is an animated adventure based very loosely on the story of Noah’s Ark. It’s a sequel to 2015’s Two by Two.
The characters, dialogue and bright animation are all aimed at a younger audience but many of the dramatic scenes and underlying themes are too intense for this age group. Therefore, the movie isn’t for children under five years, and we recommend parental guidance for children aged up to eight years.
These are the main messages from Two by Two: Overboard!:
- People can change and it’s possible to find a truce.
- We’re all connected.
- When disaster strikes, we must all work together to survive.
Values in Two by Two: Overboard! that you could reinforce with your children include empathy, ingenuity, teamwork, helpfulness, resourcefulness, compassion and understanding.
Two by Two: Overboard! could also give you the chance to talk with your children about the real-life consequences of things like:
- sneaking off, defying your parents and doing things you know will get you into trouble
- ignoring the facts and refusing to listen to reason
- looking out only for yourself and ignoring the needs of others
- being ruled by fear and forgetting your own values.