Starring: Noah Schnapp, Bill Melendez, Hadley Belle Miller
Directed By: Steve Martino
Running Time: 93 Minutes
BBFC Certificate: U
UK Release Date: 21st December 2015
It’s commercially viable and common place for beloved franchises of the youth of yesteryear to be revitalised for the modern day big screen, and I have no problem with this as long as the new versions are made with care and an appreciation of the original source material, whilst retaining the spirit of its predecessors (21 Jump Street (2012) being an enjoyable exception).
Parents are able to introduce their children to the franchises that they loved in the hope that their kids will get the same enjoyment. However, times do change and the magic is more often than not lost and not relatable in the modern world. This is not the case with this film.
Whether you’re an old fan or new the team behind this film have successfully captured the essence of all of the characters and what makes Snoopy great and timeless.
The plot involves a new girl in school who captivates Charlie Brown (Schnapp). He goes on a journey of self-improvement to get her attention, whilst his faithful dog Snoopy (Melendez) is writing a parallel story of a World War I Flying Ace saving the canine girl he loves from the Red Baron.
This film plays out more like series of interconnected sketches and is great for those with short attention spans – i.e. children – and has a balanced run time. It isn’t heavy on plot but instead concentrates more on character interactions and events, most of which fans have seen before. All of the gang is here and given enough screen time to get their personalities and character traits across, whether it is Schroeder playing piano, Lucy being a psychiatrist or Peppermint Patty being a tomboy.
Snoopy and Woodstock also get to have their moments and we take a trip into Snoopy’s imagination as a pilot trying to rescue a poodle named Fifi from the clutches of the faceless Red Baron. These fantasy sections serve as the film’s main action set pieces and look great in 3D, and we also get an appearance from Joe Cool.
However, the star is Charlie Brown, who seems always at odds with the world but won’t give up. This is a great message to audiences of all ages and he makes a great protagonist teaching simple life lessons to kids.
I wonder what has taken so long for the Peanuts gang make their CGI film debut but credit to Blue Sky Studios for delivering a faithful animation style which fits perfectly with the world. It’s hard to describe as at points the animation seems 2D and is jilted with a low frame rate, but it’s the natural evolution from the old cartoons and perfectly retains the look. The 3D isn’t as bold as Blu Sky’s Ice Age films (2002 – who knows) and is more immersive, but works great.
This film is packed with laughs from the characters and the silly visual gags had me chuckling throughout. Keep your eyes peeled as there is a lot going on here.
For me this film was a nice nostalgic trip and thankfully retains the same charm that I remember from the old cartoons. They used child actors to voice the characters which adds an air of authenticity and I’m glad to hear that Charles M. Schulz’ sons Bryan and Craig co-wrote the movie; which probably explains why it’s so faithful to the source material.
We also have the familiar jazzy piano soundtrack, adults sounding like trumpets and a great pre end-credits moment that fans will love.
While this is a good family movie it didn’t have anything that made it stand out from the crowd but that’s not a bad thing as the children in the review screening loved it and so did their parents. It’s the family film to see this Christmas which doesn’t involve light sabres.
Overall Verdict: A fitting and faithful big screen outing full of laughs and heart that retains the spirit of the cartoons and comic strips. Great for kids and adults alike and a must see for the fans.
Reviewer: George Elcombe
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