THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 2 (U)

★★★ ★★

THIS computer-animated sequel feathers its nest with an achingly predictable journey of self-discovery.

Residents of Bird Island and Pig Island are locked in a war of attrition and pranks.

Feathered heroes use a giant slingshot to propel a bottle of hot sauce across the sea that separates the two communities.

Their porcine adversaries retaliate by dropping hundreds of angry crabs from a flotilla of airships.

Red (voiced by Jason Sudeikis), speedy livewire Chuck (Josh Gad) and self-combusting worrywart Bomb (Danny McBride) spearhead the birds’ efforts to stay one cluck ahead of the pigs’ rotund leader, Leonard (Bill Hader), and his secondin-command Courtney (Awkwafina).

These frenemies are shocked to discover the existence of a third colony, the frozen wasteland of Eagle Island, where embittered ruler Zeta (Leslie Jones) and her daughter Debbie (Tiffany Haddish) plot to overthrow birds and pigs using a steam-powered superweapon.

“We need to put our differences aside and work together,” Leonard implores the birds.

Red assembles a crack team for a daring mission to Eagle Island, which includes Chuck’s inventor sister Silver (Rachel Bloom) and Mighty Eagle (Peter Dinklage).

The Angry Birds Movie 2 is punctuated sparingly with broad slapstick but there are noticeably fewer giggles than the first film.