 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
- Review Date: July 19, 2005
- G
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2001
Common Sense Media says
Stylish 3-D computer animation, good characters.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius has lots of cartoon action (explosions, crashes, falls, an alien invasion, air battle, spear-play) and some suspense (adults are abducted from Earth and threatened with being eaten by a dragon-like three-eyed monster), but it's always more humorous than violent. No one is injured or killed -- even the gooey alien life forms simply dissolve into green goo. Only the youngest or most sensitive kids might find it scary. Some comic potty humor (i.e." sugar booger," "holy cow pie," "I peed in the shower"), is heard occasionally, the highlight of which is Jimmy's invention of burping soda. A mechanical dog poops metal nuts, bolts, and other hardware.
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 animated story about a sixth 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. 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" 1950s ideal of the future and today's world of cell phones and headphones. Jimmy's spaceship and the alien planet owe more to the 1930s film serial Flash Gordon and the 1960s TV show 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 teen dreams (*NSYNC, the Backstreet Boys, and Aaron Carter). The movie drags a bit in the middle, but most kids, especially those age 8-12, will find it fun.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about why kids make fun of one another for being different. Have you ever been teased for being smart?
How does this movie compare with The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron TV show?
If the parents in your family disappeared for a day, which rules would you break?
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Adult
July 26, 2009
AGE
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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Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
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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Teen, 14 years old
December 30, 2010
AGE
Almost everyone 7 and older can watch this, but some students do wrong things
I recently saw this movie and liked to repeat some parts over and over because I'm creating a story about my friend. Some role models were not good because one guy went up the down escalator, one kid fat after a cotton candy contest, and another kid having a knee really hurting.
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Kid, 10 years old
November 4, 2010
AGE
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
Not much to talk about. The Yokian King and Ooblar aren't good role models. But the kids have a good message and are good role models. Jimmy Neutron is a brainy kid and he talks about learning as well.
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Parent of 5 year old
March 29, 2010
AGE
OK for 5.5yr old
Watched this with my 5 year old. He liked it. I talked with him about what he thinks the earth would be like with no parents. First he said fun and then said sad.
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Teen, 14 years old
September 24, 2009
AGE
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Teen, 13 years old
March 7, 2011
AGE
Jimmy Neutron: Movie Genius
This is one of the first movies I remember. And frankly, I'm overjoyed that I do! This movie is a classic and is very entertaining, and making this into a show was another smart move by Nickelodeon (back in the days it wasn't like Fox Network). It was creative and I guess I'm glad to hear that Disney is remaking the story, and it's called Mars Needs Moms. I found this movie to be very entertaining and I think kids of this generation will too!
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| Topics: | adventures, friendship, great boy role models, misfits and underdogs, robots, science and nature, space and aliens |
| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Director: | John A. Davis |
| Cast: | Debi Derryberry, Mark DeCarlo, Megan Cavanagh |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 82 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | December 21, 2001 |
| DVD release date: | July 2, 2002 |
| MPAA rating: | G |
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