The Rugrats meet Wild Thornberrys
Around our house, the two must-watch shows are Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys. So you can imagine the insanely high hopes greeting Rugrats Go Wild, the feature-length animation in which characters from both eccentric family comedies collide (and collude) on a desert isle where the Pickles are castaways and the Thornberrys are trying to capture an elusive white leopard. While we all enjoyed the film in which Spike the dog speaks in the unhousebroken tones of Bruce Willis (who talks because Eliza Thornberry, noted animal whisperer, can converse with animals), the kids enjoyed the film more than the parents. Far more.
Around our house, the two must-watch shows are Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys. So you can imagine the insanely high hopes greeting Rugrats Go Wild, the feature-length animation in which characters from both eccentric family comedies collide (and collude) on a desert isle where the Pickles are castaways and the Thornberrys are trying to capture an elusive white leopard.
While we all enjoyed the film in which Spike the dog speaks in the unhousebroken tones of Bruce Willis (who talks because Eliza Thornberry, noted animal whisperer, can converse with animals), the kids enjoyed the film more than the parents. Far more.
Rugrats Go Wild, painted in the mud, orange and purple hues of the beloved Nickelodeon shows, has the misfortune of being released in very close proximity to Finding Nemo, one of the most ravishing animations ever. While Nemo's story line is as clear as its pellucid blues, Wild's narrative is as muddy as its colors.
The Pickles clans think they are going on a luxury cruise - scatterbrained Stu has neglected to tell them they're taking a tugboat to the high seas from the same pier that the luxury cruise leaves from. They promptly shipwreck, providing ample opportunities for clever parodies of lost-at-sea movies such as Titanic and The Poseidon Adventure and every castaway story from Swiss Family Robinson to . . . Castaway.
Adults did howl with laughter when Betty, the feminista mom of Phil and Lil, draws a "Circle of Chaos" in the sand in order to focus the adults on the serious projects of gathering food and building shelter. Kids delighted at the empowerment scenario of Tommy, Chuckie, Kimi, et al. leaving parental care and exploring the island on their own. Tweens screamed at the meeting of the divas, 5-year-old Angelica and 16-year-old Debbie, the two bossiest babes in cartoonland. And an OK time was had by all.
Contact movie critic Carrie Rickey at 215-854-5402 or crickey@phillynews.com.
Rugrats Go Wild ** 1/2 (out of four stars)
Produced by Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo, directed by Norton Virgien and John Eng, written by Kate Boutilier, music by Mark Mothersbaugh, distributed by Paramount Pictures.
Running time: 1 hour, 21 mins.
Voice of Spike. . . Bruce Willis
Voice of Tommy. . . E.G. Daily
Voice of Chuckie. . . Nancy Cartwright
Voice of Eliza. . . Lacey Chabert
Voice of Sir Nigel. . . Tim Curry
Parent's guide: PG (bathroom humor)
Showing at: area theaters