Ted & The Secret of King Midas – Tadeo Jones 2: El secreto del Rey Midas (2017)

Directed by: David Alonso, Enrique Gato | 85 minutes | animation, adventure | Dutch voice cast: Jan Kooijman, Yvonne Coldeweijer, Pip Pellens, Charly Luske, Ferry Doedens, Murth Mossel | Original voice cast: Óscar Barberán, Michelle Jenner, Adriana Ugarte, Luis Posada, Miguel ´Angel Jenner, José Corbacho, Roser Batalla, Rafael Calvo, David Brau

Apart from a well-explained name change (in the first animated film he was still called Jones, the link with inspiration source Indiana is apparently too clear), Ted Stones hasn’t changed a bit since his first full-length film ‘Ted & the Mummy’s Treasure’ (2012). Okay, he might be a little more confident about his great love Sara – who the film opens with. But when his fellow construction workers let him know that he doesn’t believe he knows the now famous Sara personally, he takes it to heart.

After an exciting and quite funny scene in which Ted – now also a part-time archeology student – has to save a box that is important to him from an eternal stay in a container of cement, the story really starts. Ted is invited to Sara’s lecture on her groundbreaking discovery that proves the existence of the legendary King Midas’s necklace. But just before he leaves for Las Vegas, he receives an unexpected visitor: Mummy – from the previous film – is at the door!

The chatty Mummy is not easy to shake off, so the two head to Vegas together. During the ride, Ted has to do everything he can to keep Mummy from being noticed too much, but of course things go wrong. Once at the location where Sara is going to announce her earth-shattering findings, Ted meets Tiffany, Sara’s intern, who shares Ted’s admiration for Sara’s prowess. But, as the opening scene has already informed us, there are hijackers on the shore and Sara’s safety is in serious jeopardy. Ted, Tiffany, dog Bieber, Sara’s parrot Belzoni and, of course, Mummy, must team up quickly to save both Sara and the necklace from King Midas.

‘Ted & the secret of King Midas’ is – just like part 1, which you actually have to see to enjoy this sequel to the fullest – a skillfully made animation film full of humor and witticisms to adventure films of the eighties. The film has all the ingredients for a successful adventure: a mysterious legend, two sympathetic main characters who are meant for each other (where the girl power of Sara should not go unnoticed); funny sidekicks (the battle between Bieber and Belzoni is really hilarious) and some appealing locations. Ted travels to the country where his creator lives. Yes, it will come as a surprise to many people that it was not a big American studio that was behind Ted and his friends, but a Spanish one. The film looks slick – better than the first – and although the style may resemble that of competing animated films, it doesn’t bother at all.

What is most striking about ‘Ted & the secret of King Midas’ is that the film is truly family-friendly; the villains are not really scary and – also important – the usual shit and pee jokes in the genre are omitted. For adult viewers, the predictability of the plot is probably a reason to doze off, but for the target audience this second animated film about Ted is thoroughly enjoyed. A film to close to your heart and a third part is very welcome.