The Peanuts Movie Review

2015 in film

Nov 8

Written By Rendy Jones

Preview

20th Century Fox, Blue Sky Studios

1 hr and 86 Minutes (+5 because of New Ice Age 5 Short)

Voice Cast: Noah Schnapp, Hadley Belle Miller, Mariel Sheets, Alex Garfin ,Venus Omega Schultheis, Rebecca Bloom, William "Alex" Wunsch, Noah Johnston, Anastasia Bredikhina, Marelik "Mar Mar" Walker, AJ Teece, Madisyn Shipman, Francesca Angelucci Capaldi, with Kristin Chenoweth, and Bill Meléndez

Editor’s Note: This review was originally published during my adolescence. Outdated language might be seen in these old posts. Since then, my thoughts and values have grown. This review is being presented as they were originally written, grammatical errors and typos and all. Because to do otherwise would be that same as claiming these flaws has never existed.

BACKSTORY: I didn't go to a screening for this film. I really wanted to, but decided not to because I really wanted to put my money to Peanuts. Since the announcement in 2013 I've been hyping myself up for the release of the Peanuts Movie. Growing up with Charlie Brown and Snoopy really got me through tough times and actually gave me knowledge about different aspects in the world. My only fear about the movie was Blue Sky Studio creating it, because I'm not really fond of their animated films since Horton Hears a Who in 2008. If you remember any of my old reviews I haven't given anything Blue Sky released above a 2.5 rating. So my paranoia was hitting me hard. But knowing that Charles Schulz's son and grandson were both at helm writing the script for the film that I was relieved. If the creator can't oversee the project might as well be his own family blood. It was pretty much a family film affair. So November 8th I paid a great 8 bucks to see the Peanuts Movie at 11 in the morning and shed a tear of joy knowing my childhood was saved.

STORYLINE: Charlie Brown, the world's most beloved underdog, embarks upon an epic and heroic quest, while his best pal, the lovable beagle Snoopy, takes to the skies to pursue his arch-nemesis, the Red Baron.

3D: Animated movies in 3D are always amazing but especially Dreamworks and Blue Sky films are amazing in 3D. The Peanuts Movie in 3D on the other hand is pretty unnecessary. The idea of putting in 3D is unnecessary, and the execution is also proof. It starts off with a cool sequence in 3D, but as the film progresses, the 3D just says "okay I did my duty okay bye." It's only used every here and there and when it does it's mainly for the Snoopy Vs. Red Baron sequences.

REVIEW: As the first frame began with Schroeder playing piano to the 20th Century Fox Logo, a grin appeared on my face. As the film opened with a comic strip drawing similar to Schulz's and color began to seep into the background that little grin turned into a full on smile and it never left for the remainder of the movie. Watching this movie play out didn't bring me back to my childhood to the consecutive years I spent watching the TV specials for each holiday. It didn't even bring me back to my home videos of me watching the Charlie Brown & Snoopy show when I was 2 years old. The Peanuts Movie brought me back to the days I spent in Barnes & Noble when I was 7 years old reading Peanuts Comics dating back from 1950 and then eventually begging my mom to buy me several comic books. Watching this film is really the equivalent to reading one entire year of Peanuts Comics and just seeing all of the story arcs, all of the vignettes from Winter to Summer come to life. In a CG centric time we live in now you would expect all of the characters be redesigned and not true to the characters at all. Thankfully Blue Sky Studios did a phenomenal job on staying as true to the comic as possible by creating new elements for a CG film. I mean you got to hand it to them Blue Sky sucks at originality because they always stretch that shit out to so many sequels but when Blue Sky is given a popular property to adapt into a film, they succeed to greatly (mainly because of this and Horton Hears a Who). The film incorporates 2D looking detailing on a 3D back drop they give to the world Schulz created. Every motion a character had is so similar to any given television special, but it uses other elements from the strips that even if the film was animated in 2D it wouldn't be as effective as the animation here. Even on closeups of Snoopy and Charlie Brown, you see how 3D they made the 2D eyes look and it's breathtakingly amazing. The story is very simplistic too since it's just Charlie Brown trying to get the attention of the Little Red Haired Girl while Snoopy has his own adventure. Most of the humor here is pretty much notable quotes that are so beloved in the specials and in the comics. Hell most of the sequences are taken from the page, but they deliver clever and new twists on them that its thoroughly entertaining and refreshing. It's so great to hear the cast voiced by young talent instead some attempt of getting big celebrity names, but at the same time sound like the original characters of all those years. Like Charlie Brown sounds like all the other Charlie Browns and so does the rest of the characters. I mean knowing they used the archived recordings of Snoopy and Woodstock from a prometheus Bill Melendez is so fantastic. Seeing Charlie Brown fail resonates to all the underdogs out there and they don't shy away of displaying that especially in an age where parents dumb things down to their children in a very coddling manner. It shows that not everyone is perfect and people treat each other like shit. As much as I do love this film the one major annoyance I did have was Snoopy Vs. the Red Baron subplot. I love what they do with it, but the way it's executed in the film is so non linear to the main story that it's pretty forced. When a chapter in Charlie Brown's story is over, a new one begins with Snoopy daydreaming about the Red Baron. It's cute at first, but when they try to tie up in the last act there is barely any transition to a point they just say "fuck it." They really just put Snoopy into overdrive with the film and for the first time, I really got annoyed by it. But the the last 10 minutes of the film ties up everything that Charles Schulz built up for 50 years with Charlie Brown's most infamous story arcs and bringing them to such a satisfying and inspirational conclusion that made me shed a tear in sheer happiness. If creator Charles Schulz was still alive, he would be so proud that his property was handled with so care by his own son and his son. Since Blue Sky is a moneymaking whore at making animated sequels, I would really want one to this to be truthfully honest.

LAST STATEMENT: Though it's story may go off track at times, The Peanuts Movie is a film that breaks new ground of animation storytelling that is so breathtaking. By succeeding so high at maintaining true to Charles Schulz's imagination from characters, story, and most of all humor, not only fans of this iconic property will be fulfilled but will convert some new ones being that are introduced to it.