RUGRATS GO WILD — *** — Animated feature based on the "Rugrats" and "Wild Thornberrys" television series; starring the voices of Elizabeth Daily, Bruce Willis, Lacey Chabert, Tim Curry, Cheryl Chase and others; rated PG (mild vulgarity, animated violence); see "Playing at local movie theaters" for complete listing of local theaters.
The use of the old scratch-and-sniff gimmick in "Rugrats Go Wild" seems to indicate a certain lack of confidence about the material on the part of the filmmakers and the studio. That's something of a surprise, as both "Rugrats" movies and "The Wild Thornberrys" feature have been successes, so the big-screen pairing of the two animated franchises seems like a no-lose proposition.
Still, this animated adventure/comedy gets off to a pretty slow start, and there's a certain amount of "padding" (including the use of "guest voices" and some rather pointless musical interludes). But it does recover quickly, and the whole thing moves at a brisk pace. And while this isn't exactly great filmmaking, it is amusing and is better than anything outside of the Disney-Pixar collaborations.
The film's title refers to the "Rugrats" gang — the Pickles, Finster and DeVille families — who all find themselves stranded on a desert island after Stu Pickles takes them on a cruise in a less-than-seaworthy vessel.
While the adults are busy bickering about how they're getting back to civilization, Tommy Pickles (the voice of Elizabeth Daily) and the other kids manage to find fun — as well as danger — on the island. As it turns out, they're not alone; the adventuring Thornberry family has made camp on the island, as intrepid Nigel Thornberry (voiced by Tim Curry) tries to get footage of a rare species of leopard.
Meanwhile, Eliza Thornberry (Lacey Chabert) has used her ability to speak with animals, conversing with the Pickles family pet, Spike the Dog (Bruce Willis), who fills her in on the situation. The resulting parodies of "The Poseidon Adventure," "Planet of the Apes" and other older movies are sure to go over the heads of the young target audiences. But then again, some of the more juvenile jokes here are clearly aimed at them and not their parents.
Actually, the colorful animation and resulting silliness should please both young and old. And speaking of enjoying things, the voice cast sounds inspired — especially Willis, who is clearly having a blast. Although . . . did we really need to hear him sing?
"Rugrats Go Wild" is rated PG for mildly vulgar humor (gags about and references to bodily functions), scenes of animated violence and peril, and glimpses of animated baby backsides. Running time: 81 minutes.
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