Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Stylish 3-D computer animation, good characters.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 6 and Up
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness:
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Sexy stuff:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius was written by Nell Minow
Parents need to know that this movie, while rated G, may be too scary for younger kids. It also has some crude bodily function jokes which were a big hit with the kids at the screening I attended. I asked a bunch of them after the movie what they liked best, and all agreed that it was the scene with all the burping. The movie has some smart female characters, including Jimmy's mechanic mother, and kids of different races are friends and support each other.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about why kids make fun of each other for being different. If the parents in your family disappeared for a day, which rules would your children break? How does Jimmy learn from his mistakes?
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More on Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
What’s the Story?
When other kids bring toys for show and tell, Jimmy Neutron brings a shrinking ray. The kids at school laugh at him and tease him about being short, except for his friends, Carl (overweight and asthmatic) and Shane (a passionate fan of some action heroes called Ultra Lords). When their parents forbid them to go to a theme park on a school night, Jimmy and his friends sneak out. The next morning, their parents are gone, leaving mysteriously identical notes saying that they've gone to Florida. At first, the kids are thrilled. But after a day of doing everything they are not allowed to do, the kids are scared and lonely. Some slimy green aliens encased in egg-shaped flying capsules kidnap all the kids' parents so they can feed them to a monster shaped like a chicken with three eyes. Jimmy builds rockets to take them all into space, rescues the kids when they are captured and put in the dungeon, frees the parents, and arranges their escape.
Is It Any Good?
Style and substance are well-suited in JIMMY NEUTRON: BOY GENIUS, a 3-D computer animation story about a 6th grade whiz kid who can build a satellite communications system out of a toaster and create a robot dog that when told to "play dead" blows itself up and then puts itself back together. The animation is done by computer. Instead of going for the more lifelike textures of the Pixar movies, this has the intentionally stylized feel of a computer game. That fits the story's tone, somewhere between the "Tomorrowland" 1950's ideal of the future and today's world of cell phones and headphones. Jimmy's spaceship and the alien planet owe more to Flash Gordon and the Jetsons than to contemporary rocket science and astronomy.
The music, too, has songs that will be familiar to parents (The Ramones and The Go-Go's) along with today's teen dreams (N'Sync, The Backstreet Boys, and Aaron Carter). The movie drags a bit in the middle, and adults may find themselves checking their watches. But most kids, especially those from 8-12, will find it fun, if forgettable.
Movie Details
Studio: Paramount Pictures, Director: John A. Davis
Run time: 82 minutes
Theatrical release: 12/21/2001
MPAA Rating: G for some potty humor and peril
Run time: 82 minutes
Theatrical release: 12/21/2001
MPAA Rating: G for some potty humor and peril
Our Members Say
See all 33 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title iffy for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
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I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
perfect ages
this is to vilont and too vilont for kids ages 1-4. But if your child is atleast five and likes jimmy neutron to some degree you should defenetly suggest this movie to them. But kids who are 10 and older wont enjoy it all that much enless they love jimmy neutron.
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
I thought that this was a very cute movie. There is silly bodily humor, but kids love that stuff. Jimmy Neutron is a boy genius and he's very fascinated with science and inventing new gadgets and machines. Aliens from outer space have contacted him and they kidnapped all their parents! After the kids find out they celebrate and wreak havoc all day long and then when night time comes along they realize that they miss their parents and want to devise a plan to get them back. I like the message that even though mom makes you eat your vegetables, it's still always nice to have her take care of you when you tummy hurts, and even if dad makes you get your homework done, he'll come to tuck you in and read you a bedtime story before you go to bed.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give itFun for Parents and Kids
Very cute movie. Lots of action, not really violent. A four year old could watch this. A forty year old could watch this.
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Parents enjoyed watching it
The day my 3 year old son came home running around acting like some crazed boy, I said we have to go get this movie. I had no idea what he was saying, but after watching the movie with him, I realized he had the entire movie memorized! And, my husband and I found the movie funny and entertaining with some adult humor. Yes, there are a few name calling lines, etc in the movie, but remind your kids that this is only a movie and that language is not appropriate in real life! We are now Big JN fans and look for everything that has to do with "Boy Genius".
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
Entertaining for kids and parents.
Great family film. wonderfully artistic, humorous, and appropriate. Entertaining for kids and adults.
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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Ratings at a Glance
| 50% | of parents say it's too violent |
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