APPEARANCES can be deceiving.

He may look like the embodiment of cuteness, but the cute and cuddly looking star of Ted 2 has a potty mouth and a penchant for partying and hard drugs.

Sequels are often invariably inferior to the movies that go before them but Ted 2 is far funnier than our foul mouthed furry friend's first outing, thanks to a stronger script from Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane.

While I've always found Family Guy something of a mixed bag, this is MacFarlane's finest hour for me.

There are some memorable verbal and visual jokes and the humour rages from crude to clever, making this orgy of daftness a hugely enjoyable watch from start to finish.

On this occasion, our tiny hero has a fight on his hands to prove he's a person rather than property, because he wants to adopt a baby with his trailer trash wife Tam-Lynn (Jessica Barth).

There's a brilliant parody of that movie staple, the show trial, in which Ted and Tami-Lynn enlist the services of rookie lawyer Samantha Jackson, played by the gorgeous Amanda Seyfried, to handle their case.

Seyfried may be as pretty as a picture but she's also a very fine actress and really comes into her own when Samantha's subjected to a cruel prank near the end of the film.

Ted 2, despite its coarseness at times, has the feel of a modern fairytale about it, due in part to the velvety voiced narration of Patrick Stewart at the beginning and end of the movie.

So, you do find yourself hoping Samantha ends up in the arms of Ted's buddy and soul mate John, another memorable performance by Mark Wahlberg.

It may sound weird to say this because Ted's not real but there is a strong chemistry between this bear with attitude and John, or Johnny, as Ted affectionately calls him.

While Johnny has plenty of flaws and seems forever destined to be on the losing side, it's impossible not to warm to him.

While Ted 2 has more laugh out loud moments than the original, I would resist the temptation to make another Ted flick and leave them wanting more.

For the unconverted, it may sound very daft indeed, a story about a drug using bear who swears like a trooper and has a human wife, but if you can buy into it, this film is an absolute hoot from start to finish.

My favourite scene? The one in the sperm bank. Hilarious and unmissable.

RATING: 8/10