Gnomeo & Juliet (2011)
Can anyone direct me to a modern cartoon that’s truly for children? All the so-called children’s movies I’ve seen in the past ten years have been made for adults, with the style of humor, the sexual-themed jokes, and focus on sorrowful feelings (remember the “comedy” Inside Out?). While it seemed a harmless love story between feuding garden gnomes would be harmless enough for the wee ones out there, Gnomeo & Juliet was also geared towards adults. Children under age seven generally don’t know the names of any singer or band, so I don’t mean any offense towards Elton John in my next remark. Songs included in the movie, and all instrumentals in the background, were John’s hits – but only the adults in the audience will be able to appreciate them. The plot is nearly unrecognizable from Shakespeare’s romance, so again, children won’t be on the lookout for little similarities, like the 2B mailboxes. When the frog character (patterned after Juliet’s nurse) wiggles her hips and flirts with the mushroom character, “You look like a fun guy,” the flirtation isn’t meant to amuse kids. There are more overly mature jokes, including a lengthy gag about a woman’s bra, that are solely for the grown-ups.
One of the biggest sources of humor in the film will – big surprise – go over children’s heads: movie spoofs. There’s a lawn mower race spoofing Footloose and a fight sequence paying tribute to The Matrix, among others. Adults who were alive when those movies came out in theaters will laugh, but they’ll have to explain things to their kids afterwards. Also not present for children is any positive role model. The feuding gnomes graffiti enemy territory, actually try to kill each other, and the “romance” between the title characters consist of arguing, running, and falling from heights. I’m not kidding; the “sweet” scenes leave no room for quiet or down time, as there’s constant action with running around the lawn or climbing and falling through a greenhouse. It’s as if the creators of this movie intentionally wanted to make children hyper and overstimulated from noise and constant movement.
As this movie was made before Karen Burke was named the president of Disney, tolerance and inoffensiveness wasn’t included in the script. (Although the recent film Jungle Cruise proves the inclusiveness is selective and doesn’t apply to certain marginalized groups.) There’s a flamingo lawn ornament with a Latin accent who is repeatedly written to be stupid and use incorrect grammar. Didn’t anyone find this trope offensive? Admittedly, I’m harping on this movie’s flaws, but I found them too big to ignore. If I want to listen to Elton John songs, I’ll stick with Rocketman, and if I want a cartoon that teaches children good things, I’ll stick with Mulan.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. As with most modern cartoons, there are lots of swirling camera movements for which to keep a lookout, and that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"
More Emily Blunt movies here!
More Michael Caine movies here!
More Maggie Smith movies here!
One of the biggest sources of humor in the film will – big surprise – go over children’s heads: movie spoofs. There’s a lawn mower race spoofing Footloose and a fight sequence paying tribute to The Matrix, among others. Adults who were alive when those movies came out in theaters will laugh, but they’ll have to explain things to their kids afterwards. Also not present for children is any positive role model. The feuding gnomes graffiti enemy territory, actually try to kill each other, and the “romance” between the title characters consist of arguing, running, and falling from heights. I’m not kidding; the “sweet” scenes leave no room for quiet or down time, as there’s constant action with running around the lawn or climbing and falling through a greenhouse. It’s as if the creators of this movie intentionally wanted to make children hyper and overstimulated from noise and constant movement.
As this movie was made before Karen Burke was named the president of Disney, tolerance and inoffensiveness wasn’t included in the script. (Although the recent film Jungle Cruise proves the inclusiveness is selective and doesn’t apply to certain marginalized groups.) There’s a flamingo lawn ornament with a Latin accent who is repeatedly written to be stupid and use incorrect grammar. Didn’t anyone find this trope offensive? Admittedly, I’m harping on this movie’s flaws, but I found them too big to ignore. If I want to listen to Elton John songs, I’ll stick with Rocketman, and if I want a cartoon that teaches children good things, I’ll stick with Mulan.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. As with most modern cartoons, there are lots of swirling camera movements for which to keep a lookout, and that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"
More Emily Blunt movies here!
More Michael Caine movies here!
More Maggie Smith movies here!