| 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. |
Parents need to know that this film mirrors the TV series in content, and Rugrats cooperate and (usually) support each other.
THE RUGRATS MOVIE takes its toddler heroes through two adventures -- getting lost in the woods and having to share parents with a new baby. Frustrated that his new baby brother is getting all the attention, Tommy Pickles devises a scheme to return the infant to the hospital. But things go awry, and Tommy and the rest of the gang find themselves lost in the woods. Will they make it back to the safety of home?
Fans of the television series will be happily at home with this movie. The children around me at the theater laughed joyously at the potty humor and only a couple of them seemed concerned by the drooling wolf, mischievous monkeys, or the other perils the children face as they try to find their way back home. Their parents smiled at a couple of sly jokes, the use of voice talents like David Spade, Busta Rhymes, and Whoopi Goldberg, and that failsafe bolster of flagging parental attention, baby boomer-friendly music.
The Rugrats' trademark "kid-cam" use of floor- level perspective provides a few bright moments, and the kids' efforts to understand the world around them are occasionally fresh and funny. The movie is not much more than a long version of the television show, but for many in its targeted audience, that is just fine.
Families can talk about Tommy's concerns about his new baby brother, Dylan, and how Tommy, though frustrated, cares for his brother when they are lost. They should also be sensitive to any signs that children are scared when the babies are separated from their parents, though most will be very reassured by the way the Rugrats cooperate and (usually) support each other.
| Topics: | adventures, book characters |
| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Director: | Norton Virgein |
| Cast: | Christine Cavanaugh, David Spade, Whoopi Goldberg |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 79 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | November 20, 1998 |
| DVD release date: | March 30, 1999 |
| MPAA rating: | G |