The Wild Thornberrys Movie | |
---|---|
Directed by |
|
Written by | Kate Boutilier |
Based on | The Wild Thornberrys by Arlene Klasky Gábor Csupó Steve Pepoon David Silverman Stephen Sustarsic |
Produced by |
|
Starring | |
Edited by | John Bryant |
Music by | Drew Neumann [1] |
Production company | |
Distributed by | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 85 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $25 million [2] |
Box office | $60.7 million [2] |
The Wild Thornberrys Movie (or just The Wild Thornberrys) is a 2002 American animated adventure film based on the television series of the same name. [3] It was produced by Klasky Csupo and distributed by Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies. Directed by Jeff McGrath and Cathy Malkasian, the film follows the show's protagonist, Eliza Thornberry as she goes on a quest to save a cheetah cub from ruthless poachers. The film was released on December 20, 2002, to mostly positive reviews and grossed more than $60 million worldwide. It is the first installment in The Wild Thornberrys film series.
The film was nominated for Best Original Song at the 75th Academy Awards for Paul Simon's "Father and Daughter", making it the first film based on a Nickelodeon series to receive an Academy Award nomination. A sequel to the film, as well as a crossover with characters from Rugrats titled Rugrats Go Wild , was released on June 13, 2003.
Eliza Thornberry plays with a family of cheetahs in East Africa's Kenya after being left in charge of the cubs by their mother, Akela. When Eliza strays far from the cheetahs' home, one of the cheetah cubs, Tally, is kidnapped by poachers. Eliza is determined to save the cub, which prompts her grandmother Cordelia to bring her to a boarding school in London for her safety. Upon arriving, Eliza discovers that her pet chimpanzee, Darwin, stowed away in her suitcase. He attempts to blend in but gets both him and Eliza in trouble.
After having a dream in which Shaman Mnyambo tells her to save Tally, Eliza and Darwin return to Africa. While taking a train from Nairobi, they encounter an injured male rhinoceros, who was shot at the river by the same poachers who kidnapped Tally. They save the rhino with the help of veterinarians Bree and Sloan Blackburn. Meanwhile, Eliza's older sister Debbie is left alone with her feral adoptive younger brother Donnie at their RV, the Comvee, while their parents, Nigel and Marianne, go to film a solar eclipse at Tempo Valley. Eliza returns to the Comvee for supplies; after a small confrontation, Debbie pursues her, Darwin, and Donnie. Cordelia and her husband, Colonel Radcliffe, meet up with Nigel and Marianne to inform them of Eliza's escape, and they also begin searching for Eliza.
Darwin, Eliza, and Donnie meet a gorilla who mentions seeing people setting up a fence across Tempo Valley. Then, they run into the Blackburns again. Eliza concludes that the poachers are targeting the elephant herd traveling through the valley. Later, the trio finds Tally in the Blackburns' RV, exposing their true nature as the poachers. The Blackburns capture them and reveal the fence is electrified. Meanwhile, Debbie meets a local Mbuti boy named Boko, who is sent by his village elders to assist her. The two reach the Blackburns' RV, but Sloan holds Debbie hostage after she reveals she is Eliza's sister. When Sloan threatens to kill Debbie if Eliza doesn't tell him how she found out their plan, Eliza admits it was because of her ability to talk to animals. A storm comes and takes away Eliza's powers while the Blackburns flee.
They reach Tempo Valley in time to see the elephant herd heading for the electric fence. When Eliza becomes doubtful of herself, Debbie reminds her that she has been helping animals long before gaining her powers, restoring her confidence. The Blackburns, riding a helicopter, order their men to set off explosives, scaring the elephants and making them charge toward the fence. Eliza triggers the fence's electricity prematurely, causing the herd to stop temporarily, and then convinces the lead elephant to turn around. Infuriated by this, Sloan throws Eliza into a river. He then attempts to shoot the elephants, but they pull the Blackburns' helicopter out of the air by its rope ladder and destroy it, causing him and Bree to fall. They survive the fall but are arrested by rangers soon after as the eclipse ends. Eliza nearly drowns until she is saved by Shaman Mnyambo, who tells her she saved the elephants using her heart instead of her powers. As a reward, he gives her back her powers.
Eliza reunites with her family, who decide not to send her back to boarding school, while Boko returns to his village, keeping Debbie's watch as a memento. The Thornberrys return to the Savannah, where Eliza reunites Tally with his family. Debbie is angered when Eliza tells her that she will turn into a baboon if she reveals her secret, and in the process frightens a group of baboons Nigel and Marianne are filming. One of them activates the radio, which plays music that the Thornberrys and the baboons dance to.
The film opened in the U.S. box office on December 20, 2002, and finished at #6 for the weekend, with $6 million for 3,012 theaters, for an average of $1,997 per venue. [4] The film ended up with a modest $40 million domestically, partly because the film came out on the same week as The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers . But, in light of generally favorable reviews, it managed to out-gross its holiday animated feature behind Treasure Planet , which grossed about $38 million domestically. [5]
It is one of a limited number of feature films to be released in over 3,000 theaters, and still improve on its box office performance in its second weekend, increasing 22.5% from $6 million to $7.4 million. [6]
Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, reports that 80% of 89 critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating is 6.7/10. The site's consensus states: "The Wild Thornberrys Movie brings its beloved clan to the big screen for an animated adventure that should prove entertaining for all ages." [7] On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 69 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [8] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale. [9] Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper both praised the film and gave it “Two Thumbs Up” on their television show.
Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times called it "a witty and delightful Christmas present for the entire family". Thomas said it "balances some honest heart-tugging with a sophisticated sense of humor", making it rare among children's films. [10] Writing for The New York Times , Dave Kehr described it as an "extended Saturday morning cartoon" that is "bland but harmless", comparing it negatively to Disney's The Lion King . [11] In USA Today , Claudia Puig rated it 3/4 stars and wrote, "The Wild Thornberrys will no doubt brighten the day of parents looking for family activities during the holidays." [12] It was also reviewed by Boston.com [13] and Film4. [14]
The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Father and Daughter" by Paul Simon, but lost to "Lose Yourself" by Eminem for 8 Mile . [15]
Paramount Home Entertainment released the film on VHS and DVD on April 1, 2003. [16]
A video game based on the movie was released by THQ for the Game Boy Advance [17] and PC. [18] The game's story mode puts players in the role of Eliza in scenarios loosely based on the events of the movie, and contains mini-games that allow the player to control other members of the Thornberrys. [18]
The Wild Thornberrys Movie: Music from the Motion Picture | |
---|---|
Soundtrack album by Various Artists | |
Released | November 26, 2002 |
Recorded | 2002 |
Genre | Hip hop, world music, teen pop, rock |
Length | 58:07 |
Label | Jive Records Nick Records Zomba Music |
Producer | Various Artists |
Singles from The Wild Thornberrys Movie: Music from the Motion Picture | |
|
An original soundtrack for the film was released on November 26, 2002, on compact disc and audio cassette by Zomba Music, Jive Records, and Nick Records. [19] The executive producer was George Acogny. [20] Paul Simon's "Father and Daughter", written for the film, was released as a single. It went on to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song, [15] as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. [21]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [20] |
No. | Title | Artist(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Father and Daughter" | Paul Simon | 4:10 |
2. | "Iwoya" | Angélique Kidjo featuring Dave Matthews | 3:47 |
3. | "Dance with Us" | P. Diddy and Brandy featuring Bow Wow | 4:56 |
4. | "Animal Nation" | Peter Gabriel | 7:20 |
5. | "Happy" | Sita | 4:06 |
6. | "Motla Le Pula (The Rainmaker)" | Hugh Masekela | 5:35 |
7. | "Monkey Man" | Reel Big Fish | 2:36 |
8. | "Don't Walk Away" | Youssou N'Dour featuring Sting | 4:42 |
9. | "Accident" | Baha Men | 2:48 |
10. | "End of Forever" | Nick Carter | 4:05 |
11. | "Shaking the Tree ('02 Remix)" | Peter Gabriel and Youssou N'Dour featuring Shaggy | 5:08 |
12. | "Get Out of London" | The Pretenders | 3:11 |
13. | "Africa (Ila Ra Waisco)" | Las Hijas del Sol | 3:56 |
14. | "Awa Awa" | Wes | 4:27 |
Total length: | 58:07 |
The Wild Thornberrys Movie: Original Motion Picture Score | |
---|---|
Soundtrack album by Drew Neumann | |
Released | April 8, 2003 |
Recorded | 2002 |
Genre | Soundtrack |
Label | Silverline Records/Nick Records |
The score was released on April 8, 2003, from Silverline Records, and includes the theme song "Bridge to the Stars", music by Randy Kerber (who composed the additional music for the score) and J. Peter Robinson, with lyrics by Maribeth Derry and performed by Tracey Amos and Lisa McClowry. The album is currently out of print.
A sequel and a crossover with Rugrats (another series from Klasky Csupo), titled Rugrats Go Wild , was released on June 13, 2003.
Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series focuses on a group of toddlers, most prominently Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil, and their day-to-day lives, usually involving life experiences that become much greater adventures in the imaginations of the main characters.
The Wild Thornberrys is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, Steve Pepoon, David Silverman, and Stephen Sustarsic for Nickelodeon. The series portrays the zany hijinks of a family of nomadic wildlife documentary filmmakers known as the Thornberrys, which consist of the nature documentary television host Nigel, his wife and camera operator Marianne, their 16-year-old daughter Debbie, their younger daughter Eliza, their adopted son Donnie, and a chimpanzee named Darwin. The series focuses in particular on Eliza, who has a magical ability to communicate with animals. The Thornberry family travels to every continent and wildlife environment in the ComVee, a recreational vehicle equipped with safety mechanisms to handle any terrain or body of water, to document their journeys in detail, with typical episodes involving Eliza befriending an animal and subsequently finding herself in peril.
Klasky-Csupo, Inc. is an American animation studio located in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1982 by producer Arlene Klasky and her then-husband, Hungarian animator Gábor Csupó in a spare room of their apartment and grew to 550 artists, creative workers and staff in an animation facility in Hollywood.
Danielle Harris is an American actress. She is known as a "scream queen" for her roles in multiple horror films, including four entries in the Halloween franchise: Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) and Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989) as Jamie Lloyd, and Halloween (2007) and Halloween II (2009) as Annie Brackett. Other such roles include Tosh in Urban Legend (1998), Belle in Stake Land (2010), and Marybeth Dunston in the Hatchet series (2010–17). In 2012, she was inducted into the Fangoria Hall of Fame.
Rugrats Go Wild is a 2003 American animated crossover adventure film based on the Nickelodeon animated television series Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys. It is the final installment of both the Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys film series and the sequel to both the films Rugrats in Paris: The Movie (2000) and The Wild Thornberrys Movie (2002). The film was the first to feature Nancy Cartwright as the voice of Chuckie Finster following original voice actress Christine Cavanaugh's retirement in 2001. The film follows the Rugrats and their famillies as they prepare for their planned vacation, but eventually get stranded on an uncharted island in the Pacific, where they meet the Wild Thornberrys for the first time.
Charles Michael Adler is an American voice actor and voice director. He is known for his roles as Buster Bunny on Tiny Toon Adventures, the Bigheads on Rocko's Modern Life, Ickis on Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, Doctor Doom, Wrecker, Sabertooth and others in The Super Hero Squad Show, MODOK in various Marvel media, Cobra Commander in GI Joe: Resolute and Renegades, Starscream in the Transformers film series, the titular deuteragonist of Disney's Brandy & Mr. Whiskers, the titular characters of Cartoon Network's Cow and Chicken alongside its main antagonist, The Red Guy, Professor Monkey-for-a-Head in Earthworm Jim, I.R. Baboon in I Am Weasel, T-Bone in SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron and Tex Hex in Bravestarr.
The Rugrats Movie is a 1998 American animated comedy film based on the Nickelodeon animated television series Rugrats. It was directed by Igor Kovalyov and Norton Virgien and was written by David N. Weiss & J. David Stem. The film features the voices of E. G. Daily, Tara Strong, Christine Cavanaugh, Kath Soucie, Cheryl Chase, Cree Summer, Jack Riley, Melanie Chartoff, Michael Bell and Joe Alaskey, along with guest stars David Spade, Whoopi Goldberg, Margaret Cho, Busta Rhymes, and Tim Curry. The film takes place between the events of the series' fifth and sixth seasons, and it follows Tommy Pickles as he and the rest of the Rugrats along with his new baby brother, Dil, eventually get lost into the deep wilderness after taking a high-speed ride on the Reptar Wagon, and embark on an adventure to find their way home in the forest while being pursued by circus monkeys and a predatory wolf along the way. The Rugrats Movie is the first feature film based on a Nicktoon and the first installment in the Rugrats film series.
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie is a 2000 animated comedy film based on the Nickelodeon animated television series Rugrats. It is the second installment in the Rugrats film series and the sequel to The Rugrats Movie (1998). This film marks the first appearance of Kimi Watanabe and her mother, Kira. The film also marks the appearance of the first significant villains in the Rugrats franchise, the child-hating Coco LaBouche and her accomplice, Jean-Claude. The events of the film take place before the series' seventh season, and it focuses on Chuckie Finster as he and the rest of the Rugrats embark on an adventure in Paris, France while he is searching for a new mother.
Gábor Csupó is a Hungarian animator, writer, director, producer and graphic designer. He is co-founder of the animation studio Klasky Csupo, which produced the first three years of The Simpsons, as well as episodes of Rugrats, The Wild Thornberries, Duckman, Stressed Eric, Rocket Power, As Told by Ginger, and Aaahh!!! Real Monsters.
Mark Risley is an American writer, animator, storyboard artist, producer and director specializing in children's television. He is best-known for his work on Rugrats, The Wild Thornberrys, The Mr. Men Show, Space Racers, and Yo-kai Watch.
Since the 1990s, Nickelodeon, a worldwide children's television network and franchise, owned by Paramount Global, has had an involvement in the creation and theming of amusement parks rides.
Jodi Carlisle is an American actress who has appeared in a number of television shows, feature films, video games, television films, and stage plays. Carlisle is perhaps best known as one of the principal voice actors on the Nickelodeon animated TV series The Wild Thornberrys.
Cheetah, also known as Cheetah and Friends, is a 1989 American family drama film from Walt Disney Pictures starring Keith Coogan and Lucy Deakins. This motion picture was loosely based on Alan Caillou's novel The Cheetahs. It was shot in Nairobi, Kenya. This motion picture features the phrase "Hakuna matata" which became famous when Disney released The Lion King five years later.
Kate Boutilier is an American screenwriter whose credits include the animated television series Rugrats, The Wild Thornberrys, Holly Hobbie & Friends, and All Grown Up!, and the feature films The Wild Thornberrys Movie, Rugrats Go Wild, and Rugrats in Paris. She co-created and produced the series Poppy Cat and The Mr. Men Show, and is currently co-showrunning the Rugrats reboot.
The Rugrats film series is a series of animated comedy-adventure films based on the popular Nickelodeon animated series, Rugrats, created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain. The three films were released in 1998, 2000, and 2003. The first and third films received mixed reviews, while the second received generally positive reviews. The series also experienced declining commercial success with each film.
The Wild Thornberrys: Rambler is an action adventure game based on Nickelodeon's The Wild Thornberrys animated television series. The game was developed by Vicarious Visions and published by Mattel Interactive. It was released for Microsoft Windows in August 2000 and Game Boy Color in November 2000.
Rugrats is a Nickelodeon media franchise created by Klasky Csupo consisting of television shows, films, video games, and other entries. It commenced in 1991 with the premiere of the television series of the same name. The franchise revolves around the adventures of a group of toddler friends who learn about the world and their relationship to it.
Phoenix Wilder and the Great Elephant Adventure is a 2017 Canadian,South African adventure film, written and directed by Richard Boddington the film stars Elizabeth Hurley, Hlomla Dandala, Sam Ashe Arnold and Tertius Meintjes.
{{cite magazine}}
: Cite magazine requires |magazine=
(help)