Genre: Animated
Running Length: 1:28
Cast (Voices): Noah Schnapp, Alexander Garfin, Hadley Belle Miller, Francesca Capaldi, Venus Schultheis, Mariel Sheets
Director: Steve Martino
I never really grew up with the Snoopy comic strip so it was a good introduction to the world of Charlie Brown and his best pal in THE PEANUTS MOVIE. From what I gather, this animated flick was made for fans to walk down the nostalgia road as it doesn't offer anything new or updated eg. you don't see the gang on mobile phones or selfie-ying.
The only thing "modern" this film did was to use computer generated images rather than hand-drawn representations of the beloved characters, while still retaining the overall look and feel of the late Schulz' strips. As a result, it looks really refreshing. And another highlight is the voice work. The child actors (many of whom have limited professional experience) did a great job because the gang sounds just like what we expect them to sound. It just fits. (On a side note, the sounds made by Snoopy and Woodstock are provided by the original voice artist ie. the late Bill Melendez, via archived sounds.)
Is there a storyline? Of course. It's about the infatuation of Charlie Brown with The Little Red-Haired Girl and the lessons he learns about self-worth as he tries to get her attention. There is one really touching scene (two actually, the last sequence was the most moving) involving a talent show and a difficult choice Charlie had to make.
Although this good family film feels a little long at times, I'm curious to find out whether today's young audience will appreciate such good old-fashioned animated flick or they will approach it with cynicism. I suspect it will play better to their parents.
(And I didn't know Snoopy is so adorable. He's cheeky, loves sleeping, smart, imaginative and loyal. Snoopy is a genuinely happy dog.)
Rating: 7/10
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