 |
Friday, December 20, 2002
'Thornberrys' is a refreshingly pleasant animated journey
"The Wild Thornberrys Movie" is a sweet-natured adaptation of the animated Nickelodeon TV series, which sees the world from a youthful perspective.
| MOVIE REVIEW | |
|
Call it "Rugrats" for the preteen set, meaning its themes are more socially relevant than usual -- and that there are slightly less poop and flatulence gags.
The film features a refreshing original, Eliza Thornberry (voice of Lacey Chabert), the freckled, pig-tailed, bespectacled and highly precocious 12-year-old in a globetrotting family. It's composed of nature filmmaker parents, Nigel and Marianne (Tim Curry and Jodi Carlisle); bratty teenage sister Debbie (Danielle Harris); adopted jungle boy Donnie (Flea); doting grandmother Cordelia (Lynn Redgrave); and humorously named chimpanzee Darwin (Tom Kane).
Like Dr. Dolittle, Eliza has a rare gift: She talks to the animals -- literally -- and tries to save them from extinction. Here, she searches for a cheetah cub stolen by ivory poachers Sloan and Bree Blackburn (Rupert Everett and Marisa Tomei).
And the plot thickens: Eliza ventures to a London boarding school (the film's best segment) and, after a calamitous stay, resourcefully escapes back to the African Serengeti, where her parents plan to film an elephant stampede at the height of a solar eclipse. Of course, the nefarious Blackburns plan to foil the Thornberrys' plans.
This is all pretty serious stuff, and "The Wild Thornberrys Movie" walks a tightrope of slapstick humor, adventure sequences and serious drama.
Younger children will identify with the antics of Eliza, Darwin and her siblings. The steady stream of in-jokes (like using Tom Jones' "She's a Lady" when Darwin dresses in drag) and charming voice work from an A-list cast should please parents. Both age groups will appreciate the film's mature themes, although too little is done with the satirical concept of the Thornberrys' documentary series.
The simple, uncluttered visual style hearkens back to the distinctive look of Nickelodeon television, with Charles Schulz-size heads resting upon beanpole necks, although the color scheme used to suggest the magnificence of the Serengeti lacks the vibrancy of Disney's "The Lion King."
While never as whimsical as "Rugrats" (who will team up with the Thornberrys next year in a crossover feature film) or as hip as "Jimmy Neutron," the film is refreshingly calm and good-spirited. Never more than an extended TV episode, the originality of its heroine and messages merit a recommendation for families seeking slightly more thoughtful animated fare.
My web site
My Yahoo!
Google
· DVDs: 'Anglo-Saxon Attitudes'
· DVDs: '21'
· Getting spooky with the latest 'X-Files' movie
· Family unveils plans for Bruce Lee museum in Seattle
· DVDs: 'Aria'
· Bruce Lee family looks for museum sites in Seattle
· On DVD: 'Penelope'
· Bruce Lee: His legacy lives
· AMC opening Northwest's first all-digital cineplex at Southcenter
· 48 hours of moviemaking is a success for Team Juicebox
· 'Mamma Mia!' is big fat Greek wedding
· Quality of jokes lost in space on apes' bland mission to Malgor
more· Dissident actors could sway outcome of SAG talks
· Bale attends 'Dark Knight' premiere in Spain
· Ferrell and Reilly step down with 'Brothers'
· Ethan Hawke and wife welcome daughter Clementine
· Comics, film and figurine fans flock to Comic-Con
more
101 Elliott Ave. W.
Seattle, WA 98119
(206) 448-8000
Home Delivery: (206) 464-2121 or (800) 542-0820
seattlepi.com serves about 1.7 million unique visitors
and 30 million page views each month.
Send comments to newmedia@seattlepi.com
Send investigative tips to iteam@seattlepi.com
©1996-2008 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Terms of Use/Privacy Policy
