Mr Peabody and Sherman (2014)
Certified: U
Duration: 92 minutes
Directed by: Rob Minkoff
Voices of: Ty Burrell, Max Charles, Ariel Winter, Stephen Colbert, Leslie Mann, Allison Janney, Stephen Tobolowsky, Stanley Tucci, Patrick Warburton, Zach Callison, Dennis Haysbert, Leila Birch
KRS release
Mr Peabody (Ty Burrell) is a very unusual dog. He is a genius who has been a scientist, inventor, presidential adviser and even won a medal at the Olympics. He is also the father of Sherman (Max Charles), a human boy he has adopted.
He likes to teach Sherman history by using the WABAC (Way Back) time machine he has invented and thus the two travel through time meeting people like Gandhi and George Washington. On his first school day, Sherman is bullied by a girl called Penny (Ariel Winter) who sees Sherman as a threat.
The two’s conflict sees Ms Grunion (Alison Janney) try and get Sherman taken away from Mr Peabody. She thinks the idea of a dog raising a boy is repulsive and not part of the natural order of things.
Mr Peabody organises a dinner party for Penny and her parents in order to patch things up. Sherman wants to impress Penny and ends up taking her on a time-travel trip... but trouble ensues. They not only meet the likes of Leonardo Da Vinci (Stanley Tucci), Agamemnon (Patrick Warburton) and Albert Einstein (Mel Brooks), but they cause the opening of a rift in the time-space continuum.
The origin of Mr Peabody and Sherman goes back to the 1960s cult television show The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show which had segments titled Peabody’s Improbable History. Having never seen the original show, I am not sure if there are any differences or if fans of the original will be pleased.
However, DreamWorks’ decision to have this film directed by Rob Minkoff, who has directed such classic family hits as The Lion King (1994) and Stuart Little (1999), pays off with a hilarious, warm and beautifully animated film that should charm young and adult viewers alike.
The first thing that impresses is the animation which is not only bright and colourful but looks innovative. The production team set up some of the sequences particularly well, especially the time travel moments.
Style is the name of the game here. Combine this with the 3D technology and a number of puns and jokes, and you have a film that is both a comedy and a rollicking adventure, all to the tune of a wonderful Danny Elfman score.
By taking the unusual premise of a dog that adopts a human boy and combining it with a time-travel element, the film is very original.
It’s also fun to see its version of such historical figures such as King Tut and Mona Lisa. The characters, complete with excellent voicing, emerge to be well rounded, likeable and very much real.
It’s one of those few films that manage to balance out well the childish humour that young ones devour so hungrily and also parents’ expectations of what a suitable film for kids should be like. All in all, Mr Peabody and Sherman is heartily recommended viewing.