Mr. Peabody & Sherman Review

Mr. Peabody &
Sherman: a film with humour for everyone!

Written by- Jay Ward
(based on the series produced by) 

Craig
Wright (screenplay) 

Robert Ben Garant 
(additional dialogue) & 

Thomas Lennon
(additional dialogue) 

  Ted Key (based
upon the characters and format

created by:
"Sherman and Peabody") 

Michael McCullers
(additional screenplay material) 

Directed by- Rob
Minkoff

Main Cast- Ty
Burrell, Max Charles, Stephen Colbert

Certificated- U

Length- 92 minutes

As a person of the age older than the acceptable age
to go to the cinema to see a Disney film, I can't say that I had
thought about the Dream Work animated film Mr. Peabody & Sherman.
I mean, cartoons aren't as good now as the good old days (I mutter
while in the prime of my youth). So I was surprised as anyone when
putting it on, as something in the background as I worked, that I
would actually end up turning the computer off and watching it.

From the opening scene, Mr. Peabody & Sherman
catches your attention almost immediately with its upbeat music and
an introduction to the main character Mr. Peabody (a sarcasm genius
dog and an all-around over achiever) (Voiced by Ty Burrell). You also
learn about his back ground and hints towards the rest of the plot,
but is far from giving it away. Then there's the one thing that
every good si-fi film needs, a time machine that they call the Wabac.
Then all of a sudden you're in the French revolution learning about
Marie Antoinette who was basically obsess with cake while the poor
were hungry. As someone who has interest in history, but actually
knows little about it, the historical idols and references is one of
the biggest charms of the films. The film doesn't hold back, and
shows you the generosity and idiotic moments of history, with
references that older viewers are more likely to understand and laugh
at. From fighting the French to escape back to their time zone, then
next scene of dropping his son off at school.

So when Penny (Ariel Winter) places them in danger,
causing them to get stuck in the past, with no one less than Leonardo
da Vinci and a sassy Mona Lisa. Then as they jump from one time zone
to another, from the Trojan War to Accident Egypt, you realise that
if you were to travel threw time, maybe it wasn't a good idea to do
it with an un-coordinated red head boy. But it's impossible not to
love Sherman (Max Charles) as he grows and ends up being just as
genius as his father/dog. From his inability to understand puns and
jokes to his ruining of priceless artefacts makes you want to laugh
at his innocence. 

But of course, like almost every film these days,
there is a romance. As Sherman succeeds in being the stereotypical
school nerd (there's always that one guy), he automatically makes
Penny into his enemy (a blond girl with a lot of eye makeup) by
saying her answer to what type of tree George Washington cut down was
wrong (as a welsh educated person I have no idea about what their
talking about but can scenes this is a well-known fact among
Americans). With the evil eyes from the girl, the romance begins to
blossom. Well not quite as she turns into the stereotypical mean girl
and causes them to fight, creating her into the bad girl with an
attitude. As the film goes on however, with Mr. Peabody attempting to
amend this by having a dinner party with her and her parents. But
after taking her back to Accident Roma and rescuing her, you start to
see the romance building as Sherman saves her and long gazes into
each other's eyes. So by the end, she turns into one of the key
characters of the film and wins you over as she challenges Mr.
Peabody's partnership. Also places Sherman in life threatening
situations in more than one instant, causing him to go from the
nervous nerd to a confident one.

Then we meet the true bad guy of the film. Mrs.
Grunion the social worker (voiced by Allison Janney). She's
introduced as a powerful woman and the ultimate bully, silencing and
walking over people as she goes. Even as they face the challenge of
rescuing Penny from Accident Rome where she gets betrothed to a young
Ferro (Voiced by Zach Callison) (as you do), which is all well and
fine until she realises that this would result in blood sacrifice.
With the meaning of death till we part taken to another level, Mrs.
Grunion turns out to possess an even worse threat. Then threatens to
break up the father and son/ dog and boy duo. 

I feel obliged to mention that there was some moments
where originality went out the window. An instance of this is when
they rescue Penny from the wedding as Mr. Peabody and Sherman use
fire and a microphone to act as a god and manipulate them. Sound
familiar? That's because the same thing happened in Mulan 2 with
Mushu and the cricket when Mulan has to marry one of the princes
instead of Li Shang. Then there's the fact that the time machine
looks like the red dot of the Star Trek film by J.J. Abrams.

If you're the type of person that losses interest
quickly, then there is no need to worry. If you're not too busy
realising the puns or laughing at the random lines that causes you to
giggle to yourself, then the constant action and events surely will.
In addition, if you have to choose a film to entertain both the kids
and yourself, then this is a film that will truly make your Saturday
night worthwhile.

Showing of Mr. Peabody & Sherman on Sky Demand
until May the 5^th,
2016.