Doogal (G)

So-so kids' movie about animals saving the world.

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About Our Ratings
Common Sense rates it
2
Seen the movie? Review it
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Movie details
  • Studio: Weinstein Co., Weinstein Co.
  • Directed By: Frank Passingham, Dave Borthwick, Jean Duval
  • Cast: Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Fallon, Jon Stewart
  • Running Time: 85 minutes
  • Release Date: 02/24/2006
  • Video/DVD Release Date: 05/16/2006
  • Genre: Family and Kids
  • MPAA Rating: G
  • MPAA Explanation: all audiences

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this film features an evil wizard (a jack-in-the-box without his box, bouncing on a spring), who wants to freeze the world and rule it, by means of gathering together three magical diamonds. Characters are afraid, fall off cliffs, crash vehicles, fight skeletons with glowing eyes, face scary situations (and say they have "pooped" or "slimed" themselves when frightened), and occasionally carp at one another. Crude humor includes farting and slapstick violence.

Families can talk about the primary lesson learned by Doogal, that friendships are more important than his desire for candy. How do his friends, who help him save the world and Florence, show their loyalty to him even when he seems lazy or selfish?

Message

Social Behavior:

Puppy learns that friendship and loyalty are most important, even more than candy.

Consumerism:

Jokey references to candies, characters, and texts (e.g., Three Musketeers, Harry Potter, "Thriller," Lord of the Rings, Wutang Clan, CSI).

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Violence

Animated crashes, falls, explosions, and a diabolical plot to rule the world.

Sex

Language

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Cynthia Fuchs

Narrated by Judi Dench, this U.S. remake of the animated 1960s-70s British series The Magic Roundabout tells the story of a careless puppy named Doogal (Daniel Tay). When Doogal crashes a candy cart into the frozen chamber of evil Zeebad (Jon Stewart), the wicked wizard is released and sets out to rule and also freeze the world. Zeebad imprisons Doogal's girl, Florence (Kylie Minogue), along with some other children, recruits a wooden soldier, Sam (Bill Hader), as his sidekick, and sets off to find the magic diamonds that will grant him unending power. The rescue is left to Doogal and his friends, including the opera-singing, disco-dancing cow Ermintrude (Whoopi Goldberg), determined snail Brian (William H. Macy), laidback bunny Dylan (Jimmy Fallon), and convenient vehicle Train (Chevy Chase). They set out to find Zeebad and the diamonds.

Is it any good?

2
Unoriginal and only sometimes cute, DOOGAL is mostly harmless, but dull. The current version features the original's so-so animation and storyline, and ongoing pop cultural references that don't build narrative or character relationships, but only provide punch-lines for jokes never initiated.

The film is preceded by a short, Gopher Broke, in which a gopher tries to pick up vegetables dropped of passing pickup trucks, only to have every tidbit stolen by other creatures (squirrel, chickens, crows) and also be run down by trucks, smacked by a road sign, and smashed by a falling cow.

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Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 12 reviews.

Age 2+
1

Posted on 08/01/07 by Anonymous Adult contributor

I thought this movie would NEVER end!

I read the reviews listed before we went to see this movie and I was foolish enough not to heed the advice. STAY HOME!!!!!!!! My 6 y.o. daughter did not get the references to Indiana Jones, Karate Kid or most of the rest of the stolen moments (she didn't even recognize the scene from "Spirit" where he jumped the canyon) and thought it was a great movie. I didn't get why the bad guy became bad or why he wanted to rule the world so badly. The dog wanting candy all the time and being a lazy good-for-nothing also was lame. Pluck out all your eyebrows before you watch this! It will be less painful!
Age 8+
1


Posted on 06/26/07 by Sulyn Adult contributor

Poor story line :(

Cute characters, poor storyline.
Age 5+
1


Posted on 08/29/06 by heatherdono Adult contributor

1

Posted on 07/31/06 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 11

stupid

baaaaaaaaaaaaaad this movie sucks. the commercials make it look cool but it isnt. they make mindless pop culture reefrences about crap out of younger kids' eras. It isnt even funny
Age 5+
0


Posted on 05/29/06 by MomsWorld Adult contributor

Don't waste your time

Doogal appears to be cute animation, but is a mess of a story, a mess of voice acting and just plain bad. Not only is it scary for little ones (skeletons chasing the characters), but there's not real point to it. Don't be seduced by the acting talent for this - just say NO!
Age 5+
3


Posted on 05/25/06 by jakeandjonathansmom Adult contributor

Age 8+
2


Posted on 03/21/06 by bethlthomson Adult contributor

this is very cute movie
Age 2+
0


Posted on 03/14/06 by Tryg Adult contributor

What idiot dreamed up this innane movie?

A "SPRING?" that shoot ice-balls from his moustasche? This is a brazen robbery of any parent's wallet and intellect. It is beyond belief that adults (I think) made this movie and put their names to it. Wow. I only read the review (NYTimes) "after" the assault. Boy, was THAT a mistake. My kids tolerated it, but you know what, I slept through the last third. Now THERE'S a blessing!
Age 8+
0


Posted on 03/14/06 by paetonandbria Adult contributor

I hated it!

I took my 4-year-old twin daughters to this movie and they didn't like the movie and neither did I. There was a lot of farting and commercialism and it was pointless to have a character be obsessed with candy. The good point in the movie was the lesson to not be greedy but, it was a pointless movie otherwise
0


Posted on 03/14/06 by angel10 Kid contributor, age 10

See all 12 reviews >

Adult Reviews

There are 10 reviews.

Age 2+
1

Posted on 08/01/07 by Anonymous Adult contributor

I thought this movie would NEVER end!

I read the reviews listed before we went to see this movie and I was foolish enough not to heed the advice. STAY HOME!!!!!!!! My 6 y.o. daughter did not get the references to Indiana Jones, Karate Kid or most of the rest of the stolen moments (she didn't even recognize the scene from "Spirit" where he jumped the canyon) and thought it was a great movie. I didn't get why the bad guy became bad or why he wanted to rule the world so badly. The dog wanting candy all the time and being a lazy good-for-nothing also was lame. Pluck out all your eyebrows before you watch this! It will be less painful!
Age 8+
1


Posted on 06/26/07 by Sulyn Adult contributor

Poor story line :(

Cute characters, poor storyline.
Age 5+
1


Posted on 08/29/06 by heatherdono Adult contributor

Age 5+
0


Posted on 05/29/06 by MomsWorld Adult contributor

Don't waste your time

Doogal appears to be cute animation, but is a mess of a story, a mess of voice acting and just plain bad. Not only is it scary for little ones (skeletons chasing the characters), but there's not real point to it. Don't be seduced by the acting talent for this - just say NO!
Age 5+
3


Posted on 05/25/06 by jakeandjonathansmom Adult contributor

Age 8+
2


Posted on 03/21/06 by bethlthomson Adult contributor

this is very cute movie
Age 2+
0


Posted on 03/14/06 by Tryg Adult contributor

What idiot dreamed up this innane movie?

A "SPRING?" that shoot ice-balls from his moustasche? This is a brazen robbery of any parent's wallet and intellect. It is beyond belief that adults (I think) made this movie and put their names to it. Wow. I only read the review (NYTimes) "after" the assault. Boy, was THAT a mistake. My kids tolerated it, but you know what, I slept through the last third. Now THERE'S a blessing!
Age 8+
0


Posted on 03/14/06 by paetonandbria Adult contributor

I hated it!

I took my 4-year-old twin daughters to this movie and they didn't like the movie and neither did I. There was a lot of farting and commercialism and it was pointless to have a character be obsessed with candy. The good point in the movie was the lesson to not be greedy but, it was a pointless movie otherwise
Age 2+
1


Posted on 03/03/06 by Bitterp99 Adult contributor

Boring!

My 6-year-old wanted to see it because of the preview with the rabbit playing a guitar and singing, "You Really Got Me." However, there wasn't much more to the scene than what was in the preview. My son thought it was ok, but the movie bored me to death. The pop references went over his head, but I didn't find them funny at all. I also didn't understand the point of the wizards with springs instead of legs..???
Age 8+
1

Posted on 02/28/06 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Too many one-liners

It's an animated film, so it will keep young kids' attention. However, the plot and characters are not well developed. The movie is filled with one-liners that will make parents giggle at first, but they get old quite fast. Passing gas happens frequently in this flick. I wouldn't recommend paying full price to see Doogal. We were lucky: due to a damaged speaker in the theater, we received a full refund.
See all 10 adult reviews>

Kids Reviews

There are 2 reviews.

1

Posted on 07/31/06 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 11

stupid

baaaaaaaaaaaaaad this movie sucks. the commercials make it look cool but it isnt. they make mindless pop culture reefrences about crap out of younger kids' eras. It isnt even funny
0


Posted on 03/14/06 by angel10 Kid contributor, age 10

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