Balto II: Wolf Quest

The original Balto (1995), based on a true story about the heroic trek of a sled dog who delivered life-saving medicine to an Alaskan village, was a breed apart and remains one of the best non-Disney animated films in recent years. Unfortunately, this unnecessary produced-for-video sequel is simply an exercise in franchise-building with inferior animation and a less than stellar voice cast that includes none of the original actors. Like father, like daughter, mixed-breed Balto's little girl wrestles with her wolfness. "I know what I am," she states. "I don't know who I am." When she runs away from home, Balto, haunted by nightmares and guided by visions of a raven, follows in pursuit. Boris, the Russian goose, and the two polar bears Muc and Luc, provide the comic relief. Heavy on Native-American mysticism likely to confuse younger viewers, this subpar effort is not recommended. (K. Lee Benson)