I teach 4th grade and have opportunities to treat my class to down-time in form of "video afternoons" about once each month. When I screened this "comedy" for possible viewing in my classroom (I can't afford unpleasant surprises), I was soon convinced that 10 year olds' intelligence would be insulted if presented with this nonsense.
This "big budget" film version can't hold a candle to the cartoon series I remember from my childhood. What happened? Why do Hollywood executives assume that today's kids are a few notches behind their parents? The jokes seemed "dummied down", which makes them appear "forced" and completely unfunny.
This film, obviously, did not "make it" to the show. The only film I've "screened" lately even worse than this one was "Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls". Destroy that one on sight! This year's biggest hit with my 4th graders: "Dennis The Menace" (with Walter Matthau) and anything starring the character "Mr. Bean" (available in bite-size TV show format, 2 30 min. episodes per video).
This "big budget" film version can't hold a candle to the cartoon series I remember from my childhood. What happened? Why do Hollywood executives assume that today's kids are a few notches behind their parents? The jokes seemed "dummied down", which makes them appear "forced" and completely unfunny.
This film, obviously, did not "make it" to the show. The only film I've "screened" lately even worse than this one was "Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls". Destroy that one on sight! This year's biggest hit with my 4th graders: "Dennis The Menace" (with Walter Matthau) and anything starring the character "Mr. Bean" (available in bite-size TV show format, 2 30 min. episodes per video).