Re-Animated (NR)

Brain-swap tale will have tweens' eyes rolling.

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Common Sense rates it
2
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Movie details
  • Studio: Turner Entertainment
  • Directed By: Bruce Hurwit
  • Cast: Dominic Janes, Micah Karns, Eunice Cho
  • Running Time: 78 minutes
  • Release Date: 12/07/2006
  • Video/DVD Release Date: 09/11/2007
  • Genre: Family and Kids
  • MPAA Rating: NR

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this made-for-TV movie combines live action and animation (it's the Cartoon Network's first original live-action film). Most of the goofy humor is based on characters' wacky personalities -- like the oddball dad who puts his pants on in the car, or the green-skinned sister who Mom brought home from her space travels. Peer pressure is an ongoing theme; the main character routinely succumbs to it from the "in" crowd at school, the cartoon characters, and even his best friend. (It's a problem he hastily resolves in the end.) Most violence is either of the "crash-bang" cartoon type or exaggerated live-action peril played for laughs, but it's prevalent enough to make this better for tweens than young kids. That said, the story's overall silliness might even have tweens rolling their eyes. If nothing else, adults will get a giggle out of the blatant spoofs on the Disney conglomerate.

Families can talk about peer pressure. Have kids ever been the victims of peer pressure? How did they handle the situation? How do they feel being drawn into something they're not comfortable with? Why is it difficult to say "no" to their friends? When they face tough choices, whom do they turn to for advice? Families can also discuss the fact that this live-action movie is being shown on the Cartoon Network -- does that make sense? Does the movie fit with the rest of their programming? Why do you think they decided to produce this movie?

Message

Social Behavior:

Jimmy's parents are often absent (especially the space-traveling mom), and neither offers much in the way of guidance to their kids. (They even invite a complete stranger with obviously sinister intentions to live in their house.) The dad is so goofy most of the time that his 11-year-old son often rolls his eyes at his father's spaciness. Jimmy succumbs to peer pressure time and time again. The multicultural cast includes two main characters who are Asian.

Consumerism:

One scene includes a mention of brandless soda. Obvious Disney spoofs.

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Violence

Cartoon scenes sometimes have flashy explosions or characters smashed by falling objects or bumping into things. Live-action scenes also include mild peril played for humor -- like electrocution, a knife thrown at a girl (it misses), a fall from a rooftop, and a girl tied to a track in front of an oncoming train. No injuries result from any of the above.

Sex

A budding boy/girl relationship includes flirting as well as one slow-dancing scene with a quick peck on the cheek.

Language

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Emily Ashby

In RE-ANIMATED, seventh-grader Jimmy Roberts' (Dominic Janes) life is changed forever when an amusement park accident necessitates a brain transplant and he's given the one frozen after cartoon mogul Milt Appleday's death 30 years ago. Jimmy awakens from surgery able to see and communicate with the cartoon characters born in Milt's mind. When word gets out about Jimmy's newfound ability, the fledgling Appleday Studio board names him the new president, much to the chagrin of the newly ex-CEO, Appleday's son, Sonny. Severely lacking his father's talent, Sonny had spent years searching for Milt's brain. Now that he knows the brain's whereabouts, he sets his sites on stealing it from Jimmy. Meanwhile, Jimmy is enjoying the popularity perks that have accompanied his newfound fame. But once the novelty wears off, Jimmy realizes that the pressures of the job are making him lose touch with his friends and himself. Eventually he must choose between rebuilding the Appleday megastructure and being true to himself.

Is it any good?

2

The high point of Re-Animated is the seamless meshing of animation and live action. While this quality will grab viewers' attention for a while, it's not enough to overcome the movie's goofy plot, lackluster writing, and outright silly characters. There's too much violence (albeit mostly exaggerated for humor) here to make it an option for young viewers, and tweens may find the crazy story a bit too juvenile for their liking. But parents who sit through it will get some wry grins and giggles from the many likenesses to the Disney conglomerate (including the elaborate theme park) and the urban legend about the cryogenically preserved founder.

The main concern for parents likely will be the overwhelming presence of peer pressure -- from friends, acquaintances, and cartoon characters -- to which Jimmy succumbs time and time again. It does offer a good example of why it's important to trust your own judgment in such cases, though, as parents should remind their kids.

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Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 3 reviews.

0


Posted on 10/30/07 by halonerd Kid contributor, age 14

Awful

this is one of the worst movies iv ever seen. most kids around 9 and up will hate it.
5

Posted on 09/15/07 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 9

tween heven

its a great movie with mild cusing such as crap and mild violence,but just the tom & jerry type of violence
0


Posted on 09/15/07 by mirokugirl Kid contributor, age 12

Adult Reviews

There are 0 reviews.

There are no adult reviews.

Kids Reviews

There are 3 reviews.

0


Posted on 10/30/07 by halonerd Kid contributor, age 14

Awful

this is one of the worst movies iv ever seen. most kids around 9 and up will hate it.
5

Posted on 09/15/07 by Anonymous Kid contributor, age 9

tween heven

its a great movie with mild cusing such as crap and mild violence,but just the tom & jerry type of violence
0


Posted on 09/15/07 by mirokugirl Kid contributor, age 12
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