Rise of the Guardians: Vol. 2

Rise of the Guardians: Vol. 2 is a 2018 American 3D computer-animated action-adventure fantasy dramedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures. The sequel to 2012's Rise of the Guardians, it is based on William Joyce's The Guardians of Childhood book series and The Man in the Moon short film by Joyce and Reel FX Creative Studios. Jennifer Yuh Nelson and Christina Steinberg directed the movie with Joyce and Guillermo del Toro being executive producers of the film. Peter Ramsey, the director of the first movie, did not return for the film due to his occupation with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse but remained as both creative consultant and additional story artist.

The film stars Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Isla Fisher, Hugh Jackman, and Jude Law reprising their character roles from the first film, with Miles Bakshi (replacing Dakota Goyo), Gary Oldman, Christopher Lloyd, Patrick Warburton, Kristin Chenoweth, Dustin Hoffman, Jacob Tremblay, and Ruby Barnhill joining the cast.

Set several months after the first film, the plot revolves around the Guardians who enlist young Jamie to save the world from both Pitch Black and Heat Miser who have very powerful weapons that they plan to destroy children's imaginations with. However, Jamie discovers a terrifying secret about his past, and discovers that Pitch Black has something to do with it.

The film was released on December 25, 2018 and unlike it's predecessor, received largely positive reviews, with critics praising its animation, voice acting, musical score, action sequences, emotional depth, character development, and darker, more serious tone compared to its predecessor, although some criticized the plot as derivative of both Kung Fu Panda 2 and Rise of the Guardians. The film grossed $950 million worldwide against its $180 million budget. It is also the first DreamWorks Animation film to be rated PG-13 as it has a lot of thematic elements throughout.

Plot
The film starts with a depiction of the Golden Age. During the Golden Age, travel between planets and stars were common with the use of airships that would sail the Sea of Stars. The universe was governed by Constellations, groups of planets and stars led by benevolent families that ruled with imagination and fairness. But evil came in the form of Fearlings, Nightmare Men, and Dream Pirates, who threatened the peace.

The House of Lunanoff vowed to rid the universe of their evil, so together with the other Constellations they built a prison out of lead in the farthermost regions of space to confine the Fearlings and their ilk. Kozmotis Pitchiner led the Golden Armies in capturing them, then volunteered to keep watch over them. As time passed, Kozmotis started to miss his daughter and the Fearlings took the opportunity to trick Kozmotis by pretending to be his daughter. Kozmotis, believing that his daughter was trapped, opened the gates and let the Fearlings escape simultaneously possessing him, turning Kozmotis Pitchiner into Pitch Black, the Nightmare King.

His mind, now twisted with thoughts of vengeance, Pitch set out to destroy the Lunanoffs and the Golden Age by turning all good dreams into nightmares. He plundered planets, extinguished stars and scuttled airships, replacing every dream with a nightmare. He hungered for children's dreams the most; and occasionally, he would turn children into Fearlings. After ravaging every outpost, he went after the Constellation Lunanoff, determined to turn their son, who had never had a nightmare, into his Prince of Nightmares. During this time, Pitch and his fearling fought in the battle were he almost lost against the Pooka resulting in Bunnymund becoming the last of his race.

The Lunanoffs boarded their airship, the Moon Clipper, and set sail for the distant planet of Earth.

Centuries later, Hazel Keeper (Jamie's only friend or so he thinks) discovers that Jamie has many friends when a freak sledding accident involving him and Jack Frost occurs. As a result, a psychiatrist erases him from Hazel Keeper's memory.

Several months later at the North Pole, the Man in the Moon warns Nicholas St. North that Pitch Black and his new friend (Heat Miser) will be threatening children of the world with a weapon. He calls Bunnymund, Toothiana, Sandy, and Jack Frost to arms. They learn from the Man in the Moon that they are to induct JB as their new member. At first, they don't completely get the message right or who the guardian is... However, when Jack Frost recalls memories of his first believer, Jamie Bennett, they end up thinking that he is the sixth guardian. They arrive at his house late at night only to discover that Pitch Black has lured the boy and struck him in the back with an arrow made of black sand. The Guardians then escape with an unconscious Jamie in tow and resurrect him.

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