Woody Woodpecker

Movie review by Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media
Woody Woodpecker Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 7+

Awful live-action/animation has cartoon mayhem, potty humor.

PG 2018 91 minutes
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Parents say

age 9+

Based on 20 reviews

Kids say

age 8+

Based on 29 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Woody Woodpecker, a 2017 release, brings back a popular Walter Lantz character from the annals of mid-20th-century cartoon shorts. The noisy, chaos-causing bird has maintained a strong fan base in South America, particularly Brazil. This film was made to capitalize on that audience, as well as to resurrect him for U.S. audiences. Combining live-action human characters with an animated Woody finds the woodpecker's usual cartoon violence wreaking havoc on real people. Still overblown, as cartoons are, and with no injuries, the destruction (falls, crashes, explosions, gunfire, chases) comes with wild abandon. As an example, a motor home blows up with a live human woman inside; she appears afterward as charred and disheveled as a cartoon coyote or cat. Real-life villains menace Woody and his human friends with a shotgun, knife, poison, and caging. When the movie isn't action-packed, it relies on the bird pooping, farting, and burping for laughs. Language includes "hell" and "butt." A developing father-son relationship is given screen time, an attempt to add heart to the otherwise slapstick conventions. While it's OK for kids who are comfortable with real versus movie action, it's substandard fare.

Community Reviews

Lake L.
Lake L. Adult
February 28, 2023
age 18+

Another Classic Ruined

I used to enjoy Woody Woodpecker a lot growing up, as his Silly Antics were rather pleasing to watch. Here, however, they've turned Woody into a Selfish Psychopath who Poops on people and Manipulates people for Snacks. The other characters in the film are Generic and in the case of one, outright Racist and Sexist, as she's seen as a Whiny and a Gold-Digging Latin American Women who dumps the Father in the film halfway through because Woody burns up her Clothes. He also destroys the clothes of two Random Kids and threatens to go "Commando Mode" on them. There's a lot of disturbing scenes too, such as kids being locked in cages, fires, and physical abuse too. One of my assistants warned me about this film and how it affected one of their students, and after watching the film, I can see why. We will be discussing this film during our next PTA session. As a final insult to the classics, none of Woody's friends like Chilly Willy, Andy The Panda, or even Wally The Walrus appear. Stick to the classic Cartoons if you want to enjoy Woody Woodpecker properly. Alternatively, there are the other classics like Bugs Bunny and Tom & Jerry. Just stay clear of this film. Banned from the classroom.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
Minisu
Minisu Adult
January 2, 2022
age 2+

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 20 parent reviews

What's the Story?

WOODY WOODPECKER (voiced by Eric Bauza) is happily living in a tree in the majestic Pacific Northwest wilderness. His idyllic life is about to change. A Big Oil Seattle lawyer, Lance Walters (Timothy Omundson), who has just lost his job, has other ideas for the bucolic setting. He's going to build an enormous house on property his grandfather left him, fill the place with modern conveniences, and then "flip it" and make a fortune. With his empty-headed fiancée (Thaila Ayala) at his side, and his mostly estranged teen son, Tommy (Graham Verchere), grudgingly accompanying him, Lance sets out to bring his crass values and overblown ego to the forest. Woody is devastated. Not only are these humans encroaching on his territory, it looks like they might be there permanently. So the noisy, aggressive bird with a talent for chaos plots and executes a campaign of destruction. Complicating the already charged situation are two bumbling poachers out to get Woody. It seems they have identified him as a nearly extinct "pileated red-crowned woodpecker," so he's worth a lot -- stuffed. It's only Woody's budding friendship with young Tommy and Lance's growing awareness of right and wrong that may save the woodpecker's home, and even the forest itself.

Is It Any Good?

Inanely cruel villains, an unoriginal story, ham-handed performances, and reliance on farts and burps are the low lights of this awkward effort to bring back a less-than-engaging cartoon bird. The filmmakers' efforts at "homage" are restricted to naming the adult lead "Lance Walters" (Walter Lantz, get it?). Woody Woodpecker (2017) has none of the cleverness, satire, or appealing characters associated with Looney Tunes, The Muppets, and other surviving franchises from decades earlier. Other than a nice performance from Graham Verchere, whose down-to-earth Tommy seems to have stepped in from another movie, there's little to recommend.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence in animated movies. In Woody Woodpecker, the cartoon action happens to live people. In what ways, if any, does this change your response? Does a cartoon animal exploding seem funnier or less scary than a real person exploding? Why is it important for families to understand the impact of violence on kids?

  • What is the meaning of the word "stereotype"? Which of the characters in this movie are stereotypes (or stereotypical) and in what way? Which of the characters of the movie felt real and which felt like cartoons?

  • Hearing farts and burps and seeing poop are easy laugh-getters. Why are such actions and sounds so funny? Is it always OK for filmmakers and/or storytellers to rely on such lowbrow humor?

Movie Details

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