By Tanya Batson-Savage, Staff Reporter
From left Lil DeVille, Nigel Thornberry, Angelica Pickles, Dil Pickles, Chuckie Finster and Tommy Pickles in 'Rugrats Go Wild'. - Contributed
RUGRATS GO Wild! continues the series of Rugrats movies based on their vacation adventures. This time around the adventure takes place on an almost deserted island. Although very young children may want to rush in, parents should fear this experience. They might be in the jungle, but it is not a very wild adventure.
As the Rugrats movies have grown, the cast has been expanding. This time around, rather than expand the cast once again, two casts from Nickelodeon cartoons were merged. Rugrats Go Wild! brings the cast of The Rugrats together with The Wild Thornberries. Additionally, this time Spike, the family dog, can speak (voiced by Bruce Willis).
For those who are not aware of either The Rugrats or The Wild Thornberrys, this is the short version. The Rugrats are four babies Tommy Pickles, Chuckie Finster and Phillip and Lillian DeVille. The beauty of the Rugrats cartoon is how it allows the world to be transformed in the mind of a baby, as the world is often seen through there eyes. The humour is also usually peppered with the babies' mispronounciations, and misconceptions of simple things.
The babies were originally quite fun. Tommy is the bold adventurer and his best friend Chuckie is a complete coward. Phill and Lill add their own spice in their quest for bugs and other things gruesome to eat.
Although she is not a rugrat Angelica, Tommy's cousin who is in the throes of her terrible twos, tries to make the lives of the babies hell and their neighbour Susie Carmicheal (also a two-year-old) often comes to their rescue.
Unfortunately, Rugrats Go Wild seems to have forgotten most of what made the early adventures fun. Although it has always been predominantly for children, there are usually some jokes for the adults who have to sit through the series of movies with their children. These are few and far between in this movie. One can merely hope for a few chuckles. For the most part, adults who view this film will have to simply sit and bear it.
Bruce Willis' addition to the cast helped to bring a little life, but it was simply not enough. Spike gets his voice because of the addition of the Wild Thornberrys to the cast. Eliza, the younger daughter, has the gift of speaking to animals, which is the crux of the Wild Thornberry adventures. However, they are largely relegated to a footnote in this movie.
The result is that Rugrats Go Wild is tamer than a romp around the sandbox. This movie is not geared at the young at heart.
Rugrats only, please.
