THE PEANUTS MOVIE Review

The Peanuts Movie review by Carlos Aguilar.

For over 60 years good old Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang have delighted fans around the world with sweet bits of wisdom and humor in the shape of comic strips and animated specials, so to say they are deeply beloved and timeless characters is not an overstatement. Having this mind, the idea of transforming such endearing characters into CGI creations was met with apprehension at first. How could this peculiarly drawn legends fit into the perfectly round and smooth world of 3D animation without losing their wonderful handcrafted soul?

The overwhelming weight of that question fell on director Steve Martino’s shoulders and his team who had an unspoken responsibility to deliver a film could not only bring in scores of children who might not be as familiar with the witty tone of the property, but also satisfy the wary palates of loyal followers who would be fiercely outspoken if the results were anything but spectacular. Luckily, Martino has done it and proven all the blockheads out there wrong with a heartwarming story told in refreshing use of the animation medium that adapts to Schultz seemingly imperfect style.

Charlie Brown, our kind and adorable underdog, is, as usual, struggling to get anything to go his way, whether this is flying a kite or playing baseball. But besides his everyday struggles the self-conscious boy is dealing with matters of heart since a red-haired girl moved in across the street. He is too afraid to talk to her and any possibility of interaction brings Charlie Brown to the verge of a panic attack. Hoping to become a winner and be worthy of the Little Red-Haired Girl’s attention he recruits his trusted buddy/pet Snoopy to teach him a few dance moves to impress the crowd.

Like the good friend that he is Snoopy steps up to the plate and pushes Charlie Brown to be brave, but the iconic dog and Woodstock, his skillful sidekick, have their own mission to accomplish. As his alter ego, the Flying Ace, Snoopy must save a beautiful female puppy name Fifi from the dirty tactics of his nemesis the Red Baron. Stakes are high in the imagination of the always-clever Snoopy. Of course, the entire gang is present: Linus, the unlikely voice of reason, is always there to give Charlie Brown sound advice while holding his blanket; Lucy can’t stop making fun of Charlie Brown’s repeatedly failed attempts at everything; Sally is both fascinated and repulsed by her big brother’s adventures; and Schroeder never misses a chance to score the countless mishaps that occur in this colorful neighborhood.

That’s one of the soundest decisions Martino and the screenwriters made, to keep the story small and within the confines of the original material. This is not a big adventure to the city where the characters are taken out of their element or a large-scale narrative where the charm of everyday life is overpowered by a big plot. No, the Peanuts gang stays where Charles Schultz would have liked them to be. They continue to deal with relatable dilemmas in a humorous manner that is at once thoughtful but decisively hopeful. Charlie Brown is a regular boy, not a fearless hero, and that intricate humanity ridden with self-doubt makes him profoundly enchanting. His kindness and honesty rise above any talent or skill, and that is intelligently left untouched.

“The Peanuts Movie” is a lovely addition to Charles Schultz legacy that preserves the artist’s innocent yet cheeky sense of humor without simplifying its truthfulness and sophistication. As if ripped from Sunday’s paper, the squiggly lines come alive through moving figures that resembles the comic strip beauty of yesteryear while certainly making it highly appealing for modern consumption.

THE PEANUTS MOVIE is now playing in theaters nationwide.

Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, and the rest of the beloved “Peanuts” gang make their big-screen debut, like they’ve never been seen before, in state-of-the-art 3D animation. Snoopy, the world’s most lovable beagle ­ and flying ace ­embarks upon his greatest mission as he takes to the skies to pursue his arch-nemesis The Red Baron, while his best pal, Charlie Brown, begins his own epic quest. From the imagination of Charles M. Schulz and the creators of the ICE AGE films, THE PEANUTS MOVIE will prove that every underdog has his day.