Review: The Wild Thornberrys Movie

What if humans could talk to animals? One of two things could happen. The animals would be able to override the humans and come to power, or the two races would have a better understanding of each other, and live in harmony. In The Wild Thornberrys Movie Eliza Thornberry, a nerdy animal lover, has the power to do this. She lives in a powerful convey, and travels far and wide around the continents of Africa and South America. Her parents host a nature show, with dad as the host and mom as the camera-woman. She also has a sister, named Debbie, who is an ignorant teenage rebel into glamour and fashion.

Eliza was granted the ability to talk to animals by a tribal priest, whom of which she saved from a warthog. This is power is given to her upon one condition, however; that she is not tell anyone about it. Over the years, Eliza has come close to revealing the secret, but has always kept her promise to the tribal priest. If she says anything about it to family or friends, the powers will be taken away from her, too. This would leave Eliza at a terrible inconvenience; she would not be able to have conversations with the many animals her family comes upon, or communicate with her pet monkey, Darwin. This ability is one of her most prized possessions, and according to her, without it would just be another face in the crowd.

The script is witty and clever, one thing that the recent Scooby Doo lacked. Eliza’s sister, Debbie’s, dialogue is some of the most colorful in recent memory. Despite the bad reputation of Nickelodeon made films, The Wild Thornberrys Movie is fun for all members of the family. While parents might not find it to be one of the most enriching experiences, it is durable enough. Kids will find it to be colorful and imaginative. The children in the audience that I saw the film with obviously loved it. As the credits began to roll, their small jaws dropped in amazement, which I had never witnessed before. The entire feature is full of comical jokes, touching hardships, and fun and exciting moments.

The animation isn’t any different from that of the cartoon, but the action onscreen is more lively and fast-paced. There is an amazing sense of adventure, which is amusing to watch and very engaging. This concept would make a great live-action movie, because of the intriguing plot and the interesting abilities of Eliza. I for one, am a fan of the show (don’t kill me over this!), and was overjoyed to see that a “Thornberrys” movie was being made. This is a swift and snaky little film with eccentric characters. It should do great business, and is one of the better kids’ movies to reach release this year.

The Wild Thornberrys Movie is a pleasing animated feature. It is chocked full of clever dialogue, beautifully done action sequences, and fun characters. The interesting concept is entertaining to watch, and keeps youngsters on their toes. I was pleasantly to see that it wasn’t a waste, and raised the bar for creativity in children’s films. The voices, animation, and writing are all very unique and thoughtful. The Wild Thornberry’s movie is an animated trip worth taking. Kids and adults will both thoroughly enjoy the ride.

-Danny, Bucket Reviews