Mr. Peabody, the most accomplished dog in the world, and his mischievous boy Sherman, use their time machine–The WABAC–to go on the most outrageous adventures known to man or dog. But when Sherman takes The WABAC out for a joyride to impress his frenemy Penny, they accidentally rip a hole in the universe, wreaking havoc on the most important events in world history.
Mr. Peabody & Sherman is an ode to the 60s cartoon of the same name and, although most kids won’t recognize the characters, the movie is still good enough to keep kids entertained. In case you’ve forgotten, Mr. Peabody (voiced by Ty Burrell) is the bright beagle who adopts the young boy named Sherman (voiced by Max Charles).
After a brief introduction to the WABAC, Sherman attends school for the first time, and instantly becomes subject to bullying from Penny (Ariel Winter). A fight breaks out between the two, and Ms. Grunion threatens to take away Sherman for good. The rest of the movie is an adventure through time; from King Tut to Agamemnon, no historical figure is left untouched.
Mr. Peabody & Sherman really was a great time for all, as kids will get the silly humor and unfortunate poop jokes and adults will enjoy the wordplay and great voice acting work by the entire cast. Ty Burton was especially perfect for his role as Mr. Sherman, and portrayed the original pooch almost perfectly.
In typical DreamWorks fashion the animations were fluid and believable, even though some may find them strange. The colors are bright and welcoming, and while I watched it in 3D, it’s definitely not something you need to see. I’m not the biggest fan of 3D anyway, and would rather see it in 2D due to glasses, but it was worth it. The flying scene in Florence, for example, takes you through a swooping and flying adventure that’ll for sure have you on the edge of your seat.
Overall, this movie combined the comedy and originality of the 60s version with the feel of present-day animation that kids and parents will enjoy. In a stretch of terrible children’s movies, Mr. Peabody & Sherman shine through as a good, if not great, alternative for everyone.
☆☆☆☆
Mr. Peabody & Sherman opens in theaters March 7th and is rated PG.
