🐭 Stuart Little 2 (2002) Review 🐭

“Small Mouse, Big Adventure.”

Let’s start by showing y’all the trailers, shall we? 🎬

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Non-Spoiler Plot Rundown

Our favorite mouse is back, and this time the stakes are higher. Stuart Little 2 brings us into a cozy yet adventurous continuation of the Littles’ story. Stuart, now more confident in his place in the family, faces loneliness when his human brother George starts spending more time with his new friend. Enter Margalo, a charming bird who literally drops into Stuart’s life. Their friendship blossoms… but danger looms in the form of a menacing falcon who has his own sinister plans.

What makes this sequel click is that it expands Stuart’s world while staying true to the cozy, family-centered tone of the first film. The movie isn’t afraid to be whimsical, funny, and heartwarming all at once — but when the Falcon shows up, things take a darker, scarier turn.

Also, huge shoutout: the CGI surprisingly aged really well. Stuart looks expressive, natural, and blends with the live-action setting better than most early-2000s CGI attempts.

✨ The Wedding Ring Subplot
One of the smartest touches in Stuart Little 2 is how the story anchors itself around something as small but meaningful as Eleanor Little’s wedding ring. When Margalo is pressured by Falcon to steal it, the theft doesn’t just set the conflict in motion — it also becomes a symbol of trust, family, and Stuart’s determination to prove himself. The Littles’ growing suspicion, George’s doubts about his brother, and Stuart’s own sense of failure all spiral out from this one missing ring. What could have been just another “pet side adventure” suddenly feels deeply personal — and that emotional weight is exactly why Stuart’s showdown with Falcon hits so hard.



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Character Rundown 📝

Stuart Little (Michael J. Fox, voice) 🐭 – More adventurous than before, Stuart shines as the heart of the film. He’s brave, loyal, and unwilling to let fear stop him from helping a friend.

Margalo (Melanie Griffith, voice) 🐦 – A mysterious bird who crashes (literally) into Stuart’s life. Sweet, warm, and seemingly innocent, she becomes Stuart’s closest friend — though she harbors secrets of her own.

George Little (Jonathan Lipnicki) 👦 – Stuart’s human brother, still close but now more distracted with his new buddy. His arc highlights Stuart’s growth — learning independence and forging his own path.

Mrs. and Mr. Little (Geena Davis & Hugh Laurie) 👨‍👩‍👦 – The ever-supportive parents. Hugh Laurie (yes, Dr. Gregory House himself!) makes Mr. Little feel goofy yet grounded, while Geena Davis brings warmth and humor.

Falcon (James Woods, voice) 🦅 – This is where things get intense. Designed with sharp features, piercing eyes, and a cold, calculating voice, Falcon is terrifying. As a kid, he gave me nightmares. His sleek, predatory design paired with Woods’ menacing delivery made him feel like more than a cartoon villain — he was an apex predator who actually felt dangerous.

🦅 Falcon – The Mafia Boss in Feathers
Voiced with chilling gravitas by James Woods, Falcon is hands down one of the scariest villains in a family film. What makes him stand out isn’t just his sharp design — the piercing eyes, the hulking wingspan, that sleek yet menacing silhouette — but his entire persona. Falcon isn’t written like a cartoon bad guy; he’s staged like a crime boss straight out of a gangster film.

Margalo, the little bird Stuart befriends, is essentially his underling — indebted, trapped, and manipulated into doing his bidding. Falcon treats her the way a mob don would treat someone who “owes him a favor”: with intimidation, conditional “protection,” and threats of brutal consequences if she ever disobeys. His tone is calm, his movements deliberate, and his lines drip with menace, carrying the weight of someone who believes he owns the city skies.

Unlike Snowbell, who’s a bumbling, comedic foil, Falcon’s presence elevates the sequel into something darker, scarier, and infinitely more memorable. He’s not just the villain of a kids’ movie — he’s the Godfather of the skies, a mafia don dressed in feathers.


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Pros ✅

CGI still holds up impressively well.

Michael J. Fox brings so much charm to Stuart.

Margalo’s introduction adds emotional depth.

Falcon as a villain is legit intimidating.

Mixes lighthearted family fun with surprising tension.


Cons ❌

Some human subplots feel a little sidelined.

George doesn’t get as much to do compared to the first film.



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Final Thoughts & Rating 🎯

Stuart Little 2 is a rare sequel that not only matches the heart of the original but, in some ways, surpasses it. It balances whimsy, humor, and actual stakes while making Stuart’s courage feel larger than life. For me, Falcon elevated the whole movie from a simple family comedy into something genuinely thrilling.

Also overall I much prefer this film over the original, this is one of those cases where the sequel was better.

⭐ RATING: 10/10 ⭐

A perfect mix of charm and suspense — and yes, this one still holds up.


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Spoilers Ahead 🚨

Ok, let’s get into the meat of why this film stuck with me.

When Margalo’s secret is revealed, it’s gut-punch storytelling. She’s not just Stuart’s friend — she’s been working for Falcon all along. The reveal hits hard because of how genuine her bond with Stuart feels.

The Empire State Building Showdown 🏙️🦅

One of the most intense and downright gulp-inducing sequences in this movie comes when Stuart tries to save Margalo from Falcon at the top of the Empire State Building. Here, Stuart is absolutely out of his depth — he’s a tiny mouse going up against a predator with razor-sharp talons and a beak that looks like it could snap him in two with a single strike.

The tension skyrockets when Stuart, in desperation, shoots a small arrow at Falcon’s beak. Instead of being fazed, Falcon slowly turns his head toward Stuart and delivers the chilling line:

> “Was that your best shot? Now let me show you mine.”



For a kids’ film, that line goes hard. It lands like something straight out of a mobster movie, and paired with Falcon’s design — sharp beak, hooked talons, piercing eyes — it’s no wonder this character terrified so many kids (myself included).

The terror escalates when Falcon snatches Stuart and dangles him high above the city streets. Margalo pleads, “Don’t hurt him, Falcon!” to which he responds with the most cold-blooded line of the movie:

> “I won’t hurt him! The sidewalk will!”



It’s a moment that makes your stomach drop. The combination of Falcon’s cruel wit and the sheer helplessness of Stuart against such a towering predator cements Falcon as one of the most unexpectedly menacing villains in a children’s film.

Before Stuart ever confronts Falcon, he goes through one of the film’s most memorable detours: being stranded on a garbage barge. After being tossed aside like trash, Stuart wakes up surrounded by heaps of junk floating out to sea. Instead of giving up, he decides to use what’s around him.

Piece by piece, Stuart starts scavenging—broken bottles, old cans, scraps of plastic, even a pair of bent wings from a toy glider. With some quick tinkering (and a lot of courage), he manages to cobble together a makeshift plane entirely out of garbage. It’s rickety, uneven, and looks like it shouldn’t even leave the ground… but somehow, it flies.

The scene is equal parts funny and inspiring, with Stuart fighting through fear and literally building his way out of an impossible situation. It’s also the perfect setup for his later aerial battle with Falcon, showing that Stuart’s greatest strength isn’t size or power — it’s creativity, heart, and refusal to quit.


The climax, though, is one of the best sequences in family films of that era. Stuart, in a tiny toy plane, faces off against Falcon in the skies of New York. The chase is tense, beautifully shot, and ridiculously fun.

In the end, Margalo’s redemption lands emotionally. She finds the strength to defy Falcon, and Stuart proves once again that courage isn’t about size — it’s about heart.

The resolution is tender, uplifting, and leaves you feeling like you’ve been on a real adventure.