Las aventuras de Rocky y Bullwinkle

I saw this one with a couple of my friends. They walked out of the theater totally hating the movie and me for suggesting it. I couldn't have hated it as much as they did, but it was really disappointing. The characters were left as shells of their former selves. The movie seemed to suck out the heart and soul that was put into the TV show to make the movie nothing but a series of pathetically bad jokes. Granted, it was really funny to see a live action Boris, Natasha, and Fearless Leader. Jason Alexander, Rene Russo, and Robert DeNiro were the only reason I didn't pull my hair out in sadness and disappointment at seeing some of my favorite TV characters in a piece-of-junk movie.

First and foremost I see that a number of comments on this film have suggested that it was too 'grown-up' for the younger viewers - on this point I couldn't disagree more. I felt the main reason for my lack of enjoyment of this film was that the many gags in it were unintelligent and obviously aimed at children, unlike films such as Toy Story and A Bug's Life which - while being aimed primarily at children - include moments of irony and satire that make the adults laugh too. I believe my nephews and niece would have enjoyed this film much more than I did.

The basic plot was thin and basic (as expected in a film like this) but the jokes did nothing to let you forget this. At the very least the storyline should have been created around well thought-out moments of humour. It wasn't. Robert De Niro was the best part of it but not even he - or the many cameos - could save what was primarily a bad film. The moose was almost as annoying as that God-awful Jar-Jar Binks from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and irritated me throughout. The whole production smelt of a poor man's Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

I've never seen the original cartoon of Rocky & Bullwinkle and after watching the film have no intention too. Expect to see this screened at around lunchtime on Bank Holidays for years to come.

Having enjoyed the original cartoon series, I went into this film with a good attitude. I enjoyed "Airplane!" and am hardly one of those film school arty types who can't take a joke. If Rocky & Bullwinkle had been campy, dumb, but fun, I think I would have enjoyed it.

Unfortunately, the only good thing I can say is that I was hoping to hear a lot of bad puns, and I did. But there the similarity ended.

Taking Rocky & Bullwinkle out of its cartoon format into a 3D realm didn't work for me. The plot stuttered and didn't make any sense. Even starting from the attitude that this is a cartoon, so things will be wacky and nonsensical, it still didn't make any sense.

Worst of all were the syrupy and melodramatic interactions with Karen Sympathy, the FBI agent. The emotions and decisions of the characters didn't make sense.

Finally, there's something about comedy that involves timing. I don't know what it is. But the build-ups and physical pranks didn't work for me. Something was really askew in the presentation.

Who should see this film:

-- nobody, even kids, and especially if you've seen the original series, it will just make you sad

I'm forced to give The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle a 3 out of 10.

First of all, it should be noted that the film makers here had respect and affection for the source material, and it shows. Rather than just enticing audiences with known characters and titles, then assaulting you with a worthless script (as happens all too often in TV show "adaptations"), this movie pays due homage to the irreverent satire that was the original Rocky & Bullwinkle cartoon, by staying close to its theme.

Much of the original schtick is here: the frantic narrator, the inside jokes, the brutal political satire, the cluelessness of "our heroes," and of course, the wonderfully awful puns. The oaf super spies from Potsalvania, Boris and Natasha are here, as is their "Fearless Leader."

On top of that, several celebs drop by for some clever cameos, in a "Muppet Movie" style way. There are some good one-liners, and everybody seems to be having fun doing the movie.

But it just doesn't click. Jokes seem to be presented in an "in your face" manner, slapstick routines are overdone, and end up just looking like pale impressions of the original. The story and script seem contrived just to set up situations for the "comedy." The animation of Rocky, and even more so of Bullwinkle, look awkward, almost eerie. I almost felt like asking Moose and Squirrel: "Wassamatta U?"

Sincere but misguided. Gets lost somewhere between Pottsalvania and Frostbite Falls, and just isn't worth the time to find it again. Rent compilations of the original cartoon series instead.

Underwhelming attempt to capture the fun of the original cartoons. On the other hand, it features some of De Niro's best work ever.