A disappointing follow up to "Game Plan" which was such a great kids movie breakout for Dwayne Johnson. This movie had a lackluster plot, some mildly amusing gimmicks that had even the youngest of kids in the theatre around us yawning, and had us all wishing we had a visit with our dentist rather than an afternoon at the movies. Pass. Get a cleaning instead.
My daughter (age 9) couldn't wait to see it - I was less optimistic due to reviews. Cast was great, characters were cool for kids in the 9-13 age bracket - just freaky enough to keep them horrified/amazed but nothing too intense. Screenply didn't give enough details for those who don't read the books to follow well, but it was good enough to keep the kids engaged due to the action and those crazy characters. Good movie for a rainy afternoon, better than average.
How much fun can you pack into a movie? Bring some gal pals and prepare to sing along. Fun music, great cast and terrific energy. Meryl may overact a bit, and Pierce is NOT cut out for a musical lead in the future, but it's all about the enjoyment of the movie and not about professional singing that makes it great. Stay for the songs at the end!
Fun movie despite weak trailers that did it no justice. Movie had good action from beginning to end, no "dead spots" to speak of. Some of the humor may be lost on children under 5, but they may still like the characters enough not to notice that the jokes go over their heads. Other kids and the adults in the family will enjoy the laughs, the plot and the likeable chimps. Good summer flick that is underhyped!