Strange Magic
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Release Date
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February 24, 2021
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Running Time
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25:23
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Link
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Video
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(The Channel Awesome logo is shown, followed by the Nostalgia Critic title sequence. We then open on George Lucas (played by Rob), who laughs as he talks on his cell phone while soothing, childish music plays)
Lucas: And then he says "Pediosa!" (laughs)
(We then cut to who he is talking to: a young girl (played by Tamara) wearing pajamas and holding a Baby Yoda doll. She laughs as she talks on her own cell phone)
Girl: Oh, Daddy, it's just like you said: Jar Jar is the key.
Lucas: Well he literally was a key made out of petrified bantha pudu, but we changed that in the rewrites.
Girl: I wish you could be here to tuck me into bed.
Lucas: Oh, I know, sweetie, but I'm on set ruining something.
Girl: Can you read me a bedtime story?
Lucas: Oh boy, do I have the perfect one for you.
Girl: Not the one with the duck!
Lucas: Oh. Well how about-
Girl: Not the one with the wookie porn!
Lucas: But I had a trilogy based around that.
Girl: Daddy...
Lucas: Revenge of the Tits, the Condom Menace, and Chewie Does Dallas.
Girl: Daddy!
Lucas: Oh all right, uh... wait, I've got one about a fairy princess.
Girl: Oh, that sounds nice!
Lucas: And it's based on A Midsummer Night's Dream!
Girl: I don't know what that is.
Lucas: Even if you did, you wouldn't recognize any of it.
Girl: Oh.
Lucas: It's called... Red Tails.
(The title screen is shown)
Lucas: Oh, Strange Magic. That makes a lot more sense.
(The title screen is shown again, then clips of the movie play as NC introduces the movie)
NC (vo): Based on a concept fifteen years in development, Lucas said he wanted to make a story for his daughters. Figuring he did such a good job making a fantasy for (The poster for the original Star Wars movie is superimposed) twelve-year-old boys, he could make a fantasy for twelve-year-old girls. Because yeah, he understands the female mind just as much as the male mind.
(A clip of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith is shown, involving Anakin Skywalker)
Anakin: You're so beautiful.
Padmé Amidala: It's only because I'm so in love.
Anakin: No, it's because I'm so in love with you.
Padmé: So love has blinded you?
(Suddenly, a clip of EDP445 is shown in the corner)
EDP445: WHAT THE FUCK?!?!
(Cut back to Strange Magic)
NC (vo): There's a couple interesting notes about this production. One is, it was the first Lucasfilm Production to be distributed by Disney. (The film's box office numbers are superimposed, which shows that it only made $13.6 million against a $70-100 million budget) Talk about a great start! Another is, it's the only Lucasfilm animation that has nothing to do with Star Wars or Indiana Jones. (The Rotten Tomatoes score is superimposed, which shows that the score got 18% from critics and 52% from audiences) I'm just gonna jump the gun and say it's the last one, too. And finally, it was directed by a man who made his living in sound design. Actually, he's (An image of Gary Rydstrom is superimposed with his name in yellow text on the bottom) a little bit of a legend in that department. Remember this sound?
(We see the scene in Jurassic Park where the T-Rex roars, then the image of Rydstrom is shown again)
NC (vo): He made that. How about this classic?
(We see the scene in Terminator 2: Judgment Day where the T-1000 morphs his way through a barred door. Again, the Rydstrom image is shown)
NC (vo): Also him.
(We see the Pixar logo play)
NC (vo): Can't forget this one...
(The lamp stomps down on the letter I in "Pixar", taking its place. Then cut back to Strange Magic again)
NC (vo): Yeah, this guy pretty much gave you the holy soundtrack of your childhood. And when it came to animation he directed... (The poster for the Toy Story short Hawaiian Vacation is superimposed) a short. Give him a movie! Honestly, when you consider it's from a (Images of George Lucas, the Walt Disney Pictures logo, and Gary Rydstrom are superimposed, in that order) guy whose ideas have become poison, a company in the middle of a transition, and a director who had never done an animated film in his life, it's kind of amazing this film is as coherent as it is. That is to say, not very, but it's still better than the assumed none at all. So, is it warranting of all the rotten scores and such lack of interest there's not even a Blu-Ray release of it?
NC: Well, let's take a closer look to find out. This is–
Girl: (interrupting NC) Wait, you're in my daddy's bedtime story?
NC: I had a day to write this; I can't be interwoven into everything.
Girl: Understood.
NC: Let's take a look at Strange Magic.
(The movie begins)
NC (vo): It opens with two magic lands, Fairy Kingdom and Dark Forest...
NC: Tolkien, (Image of J.R.R. Tolkien appears in the upper-left corner) you are a linguist for nothing against (The map from Strange Magic appears in the upper-right corner) Lucas originality!
NC (vo): ...and – big surprise – the two sides don't get along. We'll get to that in a little bit as our main character, Princess Marianne, voice by Evan Rachel Wood...
NC: Who I guess has a history of (an image of Marilyn Manson is superimposed) fighting off dark things...
NC (vo): ...is super happy because she's about to be married. And I gotta say, for 2008, this is actually pretty good animation- (yellow text "2015" is shown) Oh, it's 2015? Yeah, this sucks... Okay, don't get me wrong, the textures are pretty good and some of the movements can be very elegant or very funny, but... look at these faces! They look like the recycling bin of (an image of one of the aliens from Mars Needs Moms is superimposed) Mars Needs Moms! They're so weirdly designed, I keep expecting (a scene in Shrek 2 is superimposed in the bottom right) Shrek and Fiona to trap them in jars for a throwaway joke! They don't even look like main characters! But who needs great when you can be confused for characters from (superimpose a poster for Epic) Epic?
Princess Marianne: How about a princess that can do THIS?! (takes Roland's sword)
Roland: (as Marianne struggles with the sword) Who's the big girl? You got a sword, (catches sword that falls out of her hand) yep.
NC (vo): She's marrying a knight named Roland, played by Sam Palladio, who I swear is (an image of Prince Charming from Shrek the Third is superimposed on the top left) Prince Charming with a shrink-wrapped face. Seriously, everybody in this looks like a Shrek coloring book!
Princess Marianne: Cause when I rule this kingdom, I'll go into that dark forest to talk to them. To have fun! To see things! To have adventures!
NC: Not enough governments have policies that are adventure-based, though maybe (an image of the January 6, 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol is superimposed on the top right) they just occur naturally...
NC (vo): Marianne's sister Dawn tries to prepare her for the wedding, but she...
(We see Dawn reach for Princess Marianne who is singing and flying away)
Dawn: But what if he sees you?
Princess Marianne: (singing) But I can't help falling in love with-
NC (vo): (speaking over Marianne's singing) Oh, did I forget to mention this is a jukebox musical?
Princess Marianne and Roland: (singing) I can't help it...
NC: He [Lucas] came up with that choice the same day he wrote the (a photo of R2D2 is superimposed on the top right) "What a drag!" line, didn't he?
NC (vo): Okay, so a lot of you probably know I'm not the biggest fan of jukebox musicals. But, even I can acknowledge there's a (posters for American Pop and Blues Brothers are superimposed, then the same happens to the posters of Mamma Mia! and Blues Brothers 2000) right way and a wrong way to do it. The songs have to further something. They have to give the story even more meaning. In this, you could completely cut them out, and miss nothing. They're all just pop love songs, and what do most pop love songs have to say? (an image of a woman giving a thumbs up is superimposed) Love is awesome! The end. Nothing is sung that couldn't be summed up in one sentence. In fact, I'm kinda fascinated how they came to the conclusion this should be a jukebox musical.
Girl: Daddy, you've been talking for 10 minutes, and nothing has happened yet.
Lucas: Um...
(Lucas then pulls out a CD player playing a generic pop love song, sung by Malcolm)
Singer: Pop love song! Pop love song! O-ohhh-oh.
(Cut to the girl, who is laughing)
Girl: I love this song! This story is good now!
Singer: It's bouncy and nice, and we'll shut you up for a minute!
Lucas: George, you master...
(Back to the movie, where Princess Marianne is still flying with others)
Singer: (singing) Oh, you're looking crazy in love...
Princess Marianne: I'm looking so crazy, got me looking so crazy in loooooooooove...
NC: (shaking his head) God, this is cheesy, and so behind the times, I keep expecting her to be pushed down...
(Cut back to the movie)
NC (vo): ...a well and come out the other end as (the poster for Enchanted is superimposed in the center) Amy Adams! Gotta give it to him, though, this shot's pretty cool.
(We see Princess Marianne and Roland dancing around a flower while singing, in while they fade to each other as they spin, as if they were one entity)
Princess Marianne: (singing) Take my whole life...
Roland: (singing) Take my whole life...
Princess Marianne: (singing) Too...
NC (vo): (as Marianne) Whoa, did I just break the Matrix? (Back to normal voice) Marianne discovers though that Roland is cheating on her... in the open... on his wedding day - (chuckling) Seriously, you couldn't hold off a little bit? - and she's naturally heartbroken.
Dawn: (arriving at her room) Marianne? What happened?
NC (vo): (singing; as Dawn) Do you wanna make a dead man?
Princess Marianne: (singing) What do you get when you kiss a boy?
NC (vo): Okay, someone made a mixtape first and then wrote a story around it. This is Walmart Fantasia!
Sunny: I made it so when the music starts, you'll (in finger quotes) "accidentally" bump into Hadrian.
NC: Ladies and gentlemen, George...
(Cut back to the movie with an image of George Lopez superimposed on the top left as well as an image of Deep Roy on the top right)
NC (vo): ...Lopez in the Deep Roy Story! Actually, this is Sunny, voiced by Elijah Kelley, who seems to have the hots for Dawn, even though he's never confessed it.
Dawn: She's always hovering, watching, worried. What's she trying to protect me from?
Sunny: (laughing) You can take care of yourself!
Dawn: Yeah!
NC: Mm-hmm... how long until she gets kidnapped? (yellow text that says "27 MINUTES" is shown on the bottom) Okay.
Dawn: What if he doesn't like me?
Sunny: (singing) Don't worry...
Dawn: Maybe he thinks I'm too perky?
Sunny: (singing) About a thing...
NC (vo): Oh my god, a minute and a half ago, we wrapped up the previous song. No, excuse me, songs! There were two in a row! And they're literally starting another one! Christ, how insecure are you about your story that you have to play three pop songs back to back?
Girl: Daddy, I do not care about the taxation of the goblin separatists.
Lucas: Uhhhhh....
(Lucas pulls up the CD player once more)
Singer: Dance to this fluff, this fluff is nice! (distant) It's nice. It's nice.
Girl: (laughing) I'll fall for this again!
Singer: It has a nice beat! And means nothing!
NC (vo): Sunny is interrupted by a lizard... yeah, you sure he doesn't have a song in him?
(The scene of Sunny being chased plays as Goanna from Ferngully: The Last Rain Forest sings in the background)
Goanna: (singing) If I'm gonna eat somebody...
NC (vo): But Marianne flies in to save the day. Because she is a completely different character now. No, seriously, remember how she was all lovey-dovey and clumsy and couldn't even hold a sword? The kind of rom-com character even Bridget Jones would be laughing at? Now she's Michelle Rodriguez, always ready for action and holds a sword like it's NERF fencing!
Dawn: We gotta get help!
Princess Marianne: You're looking at it!
NC (vo): Look, I get the idea that her heart is broken, so she toughens up. But this all happens through such a short song number and it's not made clear how much time has passed. Honestly, it's shot like it's all the same day. There's no cuts to night or the weather changing or the location changing. Half of them even wear the same clothes! (Cut to images of Sarah Connor and the Terminator from said movie, then images of Anakin Skywalker) It'd be like if Sarah Connor as a waitress saw the The Terminator once and became G.I. Jane two minutes later. Or if someone went from emotionally bland to killing younglings- you knew I was heading that direction.
(We then see a scene where Princess Marianne uses a blueberry to hit the lizard)
NC (vo): Marianne defeats the lizard in a pretty funny way...
(Princess Marianne growls at the lizard, causing him to whimper and walk away)
NC: I can't help it. I'm a sucker for that cliché.
NC (vo): ...and Dawn reminds her they're going to be late for the spring ball.
Fairy King: Smile, my dear.
(Princess Marianne smiles, albeit in a creepy way)
Fairy King: A real smile.
Princess Marianne: This is one of my better ones.
NC: You know, this animation's not scary, but it's just exaggerated enough to be disturbing.
NC (vo): Roland approaches Marianne, and in hindsight, I really should have seen this song coming.
Roland: (singing) Come on, Marianne. No matter what people say! It did...
NC: How much Shrek (four scenes, two from Strange Magic and two from Shrek are superimposed) are they going to rip off?
Princess Marianne: You... got a lot of nerve walking in here! (song then starts) Think you got the best of me...
NC: Okay, did Lucas want to make an opera? How many songs are there back to back?!
Roland: (singing) Here I am!
Princess Marianne: Ah, there you go.
Roland: (singing) On my knees again!
Princess Marianne: On your knees again.
(Cut to a scene in Archer)
Sterling Archer: Are we not saying phrasing anymore?
NC: If you didn't want me to take that lyric that way, you wouldn't have...
(Cut back to the movie)
NC (vo): ...had her roll her eyes in that moment.
NC: That's on you!
NC (vo): Roland sees Sunny has a crush on Dawn, so he convinces him to get a love potion from the dark forest so both of them can use it on who they desire.
Mushroom 1: (whispering) A small elf is in the dark forest.
Mushroom 2: (whispering) A small elf is in the dark forest.
(Cut to Stan Lee in Ant-Man and the Wasp, who's speaking as the mushrooms are whispering in the background)
Stan Lee: Well, the 60s were fun, but now I'm paying for it.
NC (vo): Word gets to the Bog King, voiced by Alan Cumming, who naturally has a song to sing about it. And I don't know why, but this part cracks me up.
Bog King: (singing) Take a look at this... faaaaaaaaace!
NC: I know why your name's Cumming, because every scene with you is a climax!
Imp: (in a high-pitched voice and fast by NC) Hi, I'm trying to be that thing from (an image of Scrat from Ice Age is superimposed on the top right, then an image for Heather from Over the Hedge follows) Ice Age, but I'm more the possum from Over the Hedge! You forgot there was a possum in Over the Hedge? Well, then we share the same legacy!
NC (vo): Pinky Jack Skellington says it can take Sunny to the Sugar Plum Fairy who creates the love potions he's searching for. Meanwhile, Marianne continues being the badass with the sword she always never was.
(We see Princess Marianne is blindfolded and using a sword to cut up bugs)
Princess Marianne: I'm kinda busy! (gasps as she gets hit) I deserved that one.
NC: Oh here's the problem, I had a goddamn blindfold on! (NC begins to slash things up with an imaginary sword as blood splatters up the screen)
Luke Skywalker (vo): With the blast shield down, I can't even see! How am I supposed to fight?
NC: Sorry, I had a (an image for a ticket that says "2 FOR 1 EASY RIFFS" is superimposed on the bottom) two-for-one on those jokes.
Fairy King: Maybe if she got out more often...
Princess Marianne: Let it go, dad!
(Suddenly, Let it Go starts to play)
Elsa (vo): (singing) Let it go!
NC: You know if Disney got to them faster, that would be in this movie!
NC: Alfred Molina plays the king... looking weirdly like (an image of George Lucas is superimposed on the top right, followed by an image of King Harkinian from the Legend of Zelda CDI game on the bottom right) Lucas if he ate Zelda CDI animations... which is nothing compared to the little too happy reaction Marianne has to his hugs.
(Fairy King hugs Marianne, which makes her grumpy at first, but then she sighs happily and smiles pleasantly)
NC: (drumroll) Are there any jokes I can make that won't get me flagged on YouTube? Judges say... (yellow text that says "YOU ALREADY MADE THEM IN YOUR MIND" is shown on the bottom) That's fair.
NC (vo): Sunny makes his way to the Sugar Plum Fairy, voiced by Kristin "movies are what I do when I'm not acting" Chenoweth, who's trapped inside Shelob's clitoris.
Sugar Plum Fairy: (singing) Love... love is strange...
Sunny: Now's not the time for a concert!
NC: One-third in and now we're concluding that?
(The Sugar Plum Fairy continues to sing as Chewbacca from the Star Wars Holiday Special screeches along with her)
NC: Hey hey hey, we had a deal! You never play that again, and... that was the deal!
NC (vo): But don't worry, things get even crazier when the Bog King's mother tries to set him up with somebody.
(The other female bugs try to seduce Bog King, one of which is a female cockroach with lipstick that comes closer to the camera, stunning NC)
NC: There's a line from Hook that I think sums up moments like this.
(Cut to a scene in Hook where Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman) is talking to himself)
Captain Hook: All the jagged parts of my life have come together to form a complete and mystical... hell.
NC: But it's way too optimistic.
NC (vo): The potion is made, and Sunny sets free Casper the Obnoxious Sperm, but she quickly gets recaptured, allowing Sunny to escape. He makes his way that night to the spring dance... they literally just had a spring ball, this film is the (an image of Dory from Finding Nemo is superimposed) Dory of narrative memory loss! ...but Dawn accidentally gets sprayed with the love potion just as the Bog King kidnaps her. I love how many times it looks like the father is about to fly into action, but it's like he realizes he's too heavy for his wings to carry him.
NC: (as Fairy King) Oh, it's like doing a push-up. Simply impossible!
NC (vo): Bog wants the potion returned because he hates love so much, he wants nobody to take part of it. Wonder what the moral's gonna be...
Bog King: Return the love potion by moondown, or you'll never see your sister again.
NC: (as Bog King) I swear by my faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace!
Bog King: By moondown, or all of you will be next!
NC (vo): (as Bog King) I'm so angry, I will only perform one solo! But not two! I'm saving that for when I sing how much I hate songs!
Sunny: I'll rescue her!
Princess Marianne: No! I'm the only one who can.
(Cut back to Lucas and his daughter)
Girl: Why?
Lucas: Huh?
Girl: Why is she the only one who can rescue her? There's like, tons of other options.
Lucas: Honey, you're just not familiar with my style of storytelling.
Girl: Which is?
Lucas: Characters do things because I want them to.
Girl: Well, I want them to turn into interesting people!
Lucas: It doesn't work that way.
Girl: Why not?
Lucas: Because you didn't make Star Wars.
Girl: Is that the only reason people make things for you?
Lucas: (beat) Yeah.
Girl: Okay.
Lucas: Now, where was I in the story?
Girl: I don't know, but it's doing a good job of putting me to sleep!
Lucas: I've been given that compliment a lot.
(We cut to a commercial break. After that, we cut back to the movie)
NC (vo): When the Bog King gets to his castle, he looks at Dawn, who instantly falls in love with him because of the Stockholm- I mean, the potion.
Dawn: (singing) Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch...
Bog King: (confused) What?
NC (vo): I will say the Bog King does surprisingly become kind of funny from here on out. Because he was played as such a standard intimidating threat throughout half the film, this sudden switch he has with being constantly confused and even afraid at times does get a few chuckles.
Dawn: (singing) Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch...
Bog King: Stop that!
Dawn: (singing) You know that I love yoooooooou...
NC: (as Bog King) Have you not seen my faaaaaaaaaaaaace?
NC (vo): Sunny and his friend try to get the potion back from Gizmo's drunk uncle, but that doesn't turn out as well as they'd like.
(The two get themselves tied up in a flower, which is also where they accidently kiss. Sunny stops it in disgust)
NC: (as Sunny) I mean, this is eerily identical to how I spend my Tuesdays, but I barely know you!
NC (vo): Crackhead Bartok decides to help them out, though, once he's snatched up by a lizard.
Sunny: Hand it over!
(Imp's hands come out of the lizard's mouth)
Sunny: Oh yeah, sure, go ahead and think. I'll just wait for you at the other end of the lizard.
(Imp then brings out the love potion)
NC: (shrugs) That's a good line. It's like the Easter Bunny. I'll acknowledge when I actually see one.
(Sunny's friend then whistles for Imp to come with then, causing the sad mouse to scream with joy and goes with the two)
NC (vo): (voiced as the friend) Yeah, come on, we gotta eat something along the way! (back to normal voice) They stumble across Roland's army and tell them they used the potion on the lizard to make it obey.
Sunny: She fell in love with me.
Sunny's Friend: Me too. Is that... wrong?
NC: If it's in this movie, just assume yes.
NC (vo): They team up marching to the castle, but Marianne gets there long before them.
Bog King: (singing) Now I know...
Princess Marianne: No! (singing) You don't stand a chaaaaaaaaance...
NC: Face (am image of Marianne's face is superimposed on the top left) like an angel.
NC: I'll also admit the film gets a little interesting when these two are together, as they both ironically fall in love, bonding over their sheer hatred of love. I can't help it, I find that a little funny.
Dawn: (singing) You know that I love-
(Marianne shuts the door on her face)
Princess Marianne: You?
Bog King: Yes.
Princess Marianne: Antidote?
Bog King: Working on it.
Princess Marianne: I know she's a girl who falls in love with every guy she sees. But THIS?
NC (vo): (as Bog King) I mean, I know I look like I should be hunting the (an image of a Parademon from Justice League is superimposed on the top left followed by the Bee Twins from The Tick) Justice League, but to some villains on The Tick, I'm quite the looker! (back to normal voice) It doesn't help that the Bog's mother also sees their chemistry and tries to set them up.
Stuff and Thang: (singing) Tonight's gonna be a good night!
NC: I thought we agreed we'd only bring this song up to ruin Super Bowls.
Stuff: Sire! News from the mushrooms!
NC (vo): (voiced as Stuff) Mario the Destructor has come! The end is nigh!
Sugar Plum Fairy: And I will reveal the antidote with a story!
Bog King: What? No!
NC (vo): It's revealed that the Bog King, much like Marianne, was jilted by a breakup when he fell in love with an overcooked Ms. Piggy and, even with the potion, she rejected him. But the fairy says the potion didn't work because she was in love with someone else.
Princess Marianne: The one thing more powerful than the potion is... real love?
Sugar Plum Fairy: Bingo!
NC: Now when you say... (an image of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia kissing is superimposed on the top left) real love...
NC (vo): They fly for... really no reason but to sing a love song and honestly, I have to admit, the chemistry between these two isn't that bad. When the movie stops doing bad jokes and bad songs, the moment these two share are surprisingly kind of charming and even relatable. Even the way their scenes are filmed and cut is a lot slower, allowing what they're saying and even what they're singing to actually leave an impression. Imagine, something in this movie you'll remember and actually want to remember! But Roland arrives, and of course, we have the third act breakup. Jesus, right after the third act? Oh, this was even a possibility?
Bog King: You wouldn't want to see what I do to...
(Princess Marianne pulls out a sword and points it at Bog King)
Princess Marianne: I won't let that happen!
(The two begin to fight, where Bog King pushes her away)
NC (vo): (voiced as Princess Marianne) Shit! I'm letting that happen! (back to normal voice) When Bog sees Roland wants to use the potion on Marianne, he fights back, resulting in a battle tearing down the castle.
Griselda: My life's flashing before my eyes! Hey, I used to be hot!
(NC is grumpy from that line. He then does a sarcastic laugh)
NC (vo): But Roland sprays the potion on Marianne. (sarcastically) Yeah, I wonder what's gonna happen to!
Princess Marianne: (singing) Sugar Pie, Honey-
(Marianne then punches Roland, knocking him off of the cliff)
NC: Huh, that punch kinda reminded me of (an image of Anna punching Hans is superimposed on the top left) Frozen, but, that was about...
(We cut back to the movie)
NC (vo): ...two princesses - one extrovert, one introvert - going on a journey to save the other, but are interrupted by a surprise villain fiancé who wants to be king. (posters for Shrek and Frozen are superimposed) Shrek and this, okay, I talked myself into it.
Fairy King: I've learned a valuable lesson. Never judge something, or someone, by how it, or he, or she, looks.
NC (vo): Said in a film where all the women are freaking gorgeous! (Superimpose an image of...) Leia and Jabba was a love story!
(Marianne and Bog King kiss as the movie concludes)
Lucas: Ah, that's my idea for Star Wars: Episode 7.
Girl: (sleeping) Oh my god, it's so boring. Oh, I can't follow any of this.
(Lucas is about to hang up when...)
Girl (vo): Daddy?
(Lucas puts phone back to his ear)
Girl: Could you never read me that story ever again?
Lucas: As you wish.
NC: Do you ever do anything original?
Lucas: Hey, if it's not broke... uhhhhh...
NC: Break it?
Lucas: Yeah, that's it.
(Clips of the movie play as NC gives his closing thoughts)
NC (vo): Strange Magic is not a god awful movie. It's just your standard... bad. The plot is too complicated for any kid to follow, but not in a fun way like Midsummer Night's Dream, the jokes are pretty weak, and the animation looks like a mix of all the lesser elements from more successful animated films. With that said, it can get a giggle here and there, and there's an occasional moment of inspiration, whether it's from a charismatic couple, a decent line, or an inventive transition. But the final result is still very underwhelming. With songs that don't need to be in the movie, personalities that jump around with little to no flow, and ideas that have been done in movies like Shrek, Frozen, and even Mastermind*. Just not as clever or poignant. This is nowhere near Lucas's worst stuff, but it doesn't leave that much of an impression. Not a disaster, but nothing that memorable either.
*(The last movie in that sentence is not called "Mastermind." The correct title is "Megamind.")
NC: I'm the Nostalgia Critic, I remember it... (A thought comes to him) Hey. Wait a minute. Next month is March. (becomes excited) You know what that means! TERMINATOR MONTH!!!
(NC grins as his face slowly morphs into the Terminator until he stops it...)
NC: Wait, is it too late to change it to "Ter-month-nator"--?
(Channel Awesome logo)
NC (vo): Aw, dick biscuits.
(the credits roll)