Parental love combined with guilt can make you do anything for your child, even sit through Rugrats Go Wild against your better judgment.
Mind you, the first two Rugrats movies were actually almost enjoyable on an adult level due to clever writing and several jokes that sailed neatly over the heads over the heads of everyone in the audience under the age of twenty-five. The second movie opened with a sidesplitting, almost word for word rendition of a very famous scene from The Godfather. I went into this movie hopeful for much the same thing. I was sadly disappointed.
Tommy Pickles wants to be just like his hero Nigel Thornberry, but he’s just “a baby with diaper full of dreams” according to mean older cousin Angelica. Tommy’s father, well meaning but clumsy in execution, promises to take the entire extended family on an exotic south sea cruise. Imagine their surprise when they show up at the cruise ship dock and find a run down, leaky tugboat as their cruise ship.
A horrible storm blows up, the boat sinks, and the entire group land on an uninhabited island that is actually currently inhabited by the Wild Thornberrys. The one scene that does stand out in my mind as being hilarious involves the family floating in the life raft, and Angelica singing with her Karaoke Cynthia doll. The song, you might ask? “The Morning After”, the theme to the Poseidon Adventure. I giggled like a loon, the only person in the theater to do so and then slumped in my chair as everyone in the theater turned around to stare at me.
The parents show amazing skill as they seem to be capable of turning any substance into a baby gate or enclosure but the kids always escape, so why bother? The children wander off (duh) in search of Nigel Thornberry, have random encounters with various members of the other cast, and a great adventure is had as the children once again save the day.
A high point of the movie is Bruce Willis as the voice of Spike the dog. The only downside is they gave him a musical number. As if “The Return of Bruno” back in the 80’s wasn’t enough to convince people that Bruce singing is Not A Good Thing™.
All in all, the movie wasn’t bad. It wasn’t good, but I didn’t feel the need to stab my leg over and over again with a shrimp fork either. Save it for DVD, when you’ll be forced to view it over and over again anyway. Might as well delay the pain. Shrimp fork, anyone?
