Kony 2012 Sequel Released

The sequel to viral video sensation Kony 2012 is here, and it's lacking a pretty big component of the first video: Jason Russell. Russell, the Invisible Children co-founder who narrated the first video, was hospitalized after an outburst in San Diego last month. As a result of his absence, the AP notes, Kony 2012: Part II is also lacking the unique narrative "from a child's eyes" structure of the first video, in which Russell's son Gavin plays a large role. Part II is also significantly shorter than the first video about the African warlord, Mashable notes.

Even so, Julie Watson writes, the sequel includes "the same slick, inspiring shots as the original of a young global community mobilizing into action." It's "traditional—albeit hip," and it also addresses criticisms of the Invisible Children nonprofit. Will it have the same impact? "The fact is, the story has developed in so many odd ways with all the controversy, and the sequel can't really promise the bang of that first video—which is informing people of something they did not know before," says one pop culture expert. "Now we're getting into the details, which is never that thrilling." (More Lord's Resistance Army stories.)