'Dolphin Tale 2' review

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A new movie called "Dolphin Tale 2" just isn't as good as the original and isn't as good as it should be, but it may be perfect for pre-teens.

There haven't been a lot of movies for the junior high school set recently so parents of kids younger than 14 should be happy this picture is in theaters now.

A lyrical scene near the start of the 2nd "Dolphin Tale" made my heart soar along with the music.

There was something very powerful about watching surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost an arm, and a dolphin named "Winter" who lost a fin, swimming side-by-side.

And I liked what it said to kids watching this movie about overcoming challenges, but the rest of the film never fulfills the promise of those early few minutes.

The boy "Sawyer" from the first tale is older now and he's the focus of a rather contrived story: that has a government bureaucrat trying to shut down the aquarium where Winter has become a big draw.

"Winter needs to be paired with another female soon. I'm giving you 30 days to correct the problem," the character says in the movie.

Actor Charles Martin Smith, who directed both "Dolphin Tales" and put himself in this one, relegates the adults to the sidelines.

So Harry Connick, Jr. as Sawyer's boss and Ashley Judd as his mom don't have enough to do.

Morgan Freeman's character, who makes the prosthetic fins, is barely seen at all.

The lovable creatures enchanted kids at one screening and there was some applause at the end from the tween set, but if your kids are older than 14, you risk them being bored.

For more information please visit: http://www.dolphintale2.com/