Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001) User Reviews

I'm Surprised it Holds Up Better than I Expected

[Raptorclaw155 · 7/10 · 16 June 2020]

The Jimmy Neutron TV show that this film spawned kind of lost its marbles towards the end of its run, from what I can remember, but this film is a genuinely solid comedy film for kids and adults alike.

The visual aesthetic of the film, at the beginning, gives it the feeling of a 1950s, cheesy scifi film which, I felt, was a great match for this. There is also a discreet (possible) Star Wars reference which I noticed when I was a kid that I'm still convinced is there.

The animation, I was a bit surprised about. Being a CG animated film from 2001 that wasn't coming from Pixar or Dreamworks, you don't expect animation quality to be very high, yet seeing this film again, I'm impressed with how good it still looks today.

The voice acting is right where it needs to be for a film of this sort. The villain and his henchmen are funny and over-the-top, Judy is a sensible parent, Hugh is her comic foil, and all the kids sound the way they should for a film like this. The interactions sound like all the actors were simultaneously present while they recorded their lines and it is all very cohesive and tonally appropriate.

The writing is surprisingly good. I enjoyed the film well enough as a kid, but all these years later I have only managed to find it more enjoyable- not in the meta, meme sense, but on the film's own terms. Many of the jokes I didn't catch as a kid land for me now, and the ones that did land for me as a kid, have only gotten better. The premise is pretty creative and the execution very efficient. There are some plot cliches in this film that aren't played up for laughs, but they are forgivable. The film's pacing is perfect. There's never a scene that feels like it drags, or scenes that come and go for no reason. Only the necessary things are ever shown and things move along swiftly and steadily, which is great for a kids' film, I think.

Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius is a well-crafted film. It's not necessarily groundbreaking but it is a fun, solid film that is deserving of repeated viewings.

Not as bad as people say

[jf-42973 · 7/10 · 31 March 2019]

I never watched the show as a kid so when I watched the movie, I knew nothing but that Jimmy is a genius so this movie was a fresh take on the show for me. Obviously just like the show, the CGI didn't age well but I found the characters kinda alright and the voice acting was pretty good. The jokes were ok and the story was good. I thought the sence where they used the rides to go to space was amazing. I give it a 7 because the CGI isn't the prettiest to look at and often the characters are unenjoyable but for a show that I knew nothing about, the movie was passable and is easily one of the better movies to come out of Nick

This Depends On Your Audience

[ccthemovieman-1 · 6/10 · 6 April 2006]

There are lots of funny lines in this animated movie and some funny characters, at least for adults. I laughed and thought it was great but when I played it for the second time, with a couple of little kids in the audience I was disappointed that most of the humor went over their heads. All of a sudden, the film wasn't as great as I had remembered (and told them it was). So.....what you think of this film, I guess might depend on your age, for one thing.

There's a nice message here for the kids, though: you can't do without your parents. Speaking of kids, the nerdy-looking fat kid obviously was the funniest in here. Everyone in the audience likes him.

One bit of warning to the older folks: keep the audio remote handy. This gets very loud in spots and needs to be turned down here and there.

Kids Movie? I Object!

[julylilly · 20 December 2002]

So it's by Nickelodeon. So,It's animated. So, I'm 25 with a 3 year old. I love this movie! Maybe I'm one of the few lucky people to be born with a healthy sense of humor, but when my son and I can sit down together and laught at the same parts of the movie, it's definitley worth it's wieght in gold. Don't you people remember being kids? What would you do if you found out there were no parents anywhere around? Yep-the same thing they did, party until you're constipated.THEN wonder where your parents are. Kids like burp and fart jokes because they're kids. How many times can you recall in your childhood when a well-timed burp would disrupt a class for the remainder of the day? And just to add my son't two cents: the part where Poultra is conked on the head by the getaway ship and is going to fall on the audience... my son finds nothing funnier than the thought of a chicken with butt cheeks. Why don't you people see the movie for the entertainment that it is and not pick it apart like some Oscar Nominations Panel? I have two words for you people... UN PUCKER.

Dash it all people, I liked it!

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 13 April 2010]

I will lying if I said it was the best animated movie ever, which it is not, but the worst? No, Titanic:The Animated Movie gets that dishonour. As far as Nickoloedean animated movies go, Jimmy Netron:Boy Genius isn't as good as the Wild Thornberrys Movie which is in my opinion one of the most underrated animated movies ever, but it's better than Rugrats Go Wild though that was still pretty decent. I haven't seen the show in a good while, but I remembered liking it even if not an avid fan. So what about this film? I know there are people who dislike/hate this movie, but dash it all while I didn't love it I liked it. I thought it was a fun and entertaining, not to mention well animated film. Yes, with some dull spots in the plot and script and a slightly disappointing ending, but hey this is the sort of animated film where the pros outweigh the cons. Firstly it is beautifully animated, the backgrounds are audacious, the colours are lush and the character act and move convincingly. Secondly, the score is great, I love a good score in films and this succeeded in that department. Thirdly, while the plot is a little unoriginal and corny, I loved how fast it moved and how it drew me in. Fourthly, the voice cast is absolutely terrific, the standouts being Martin Short who perfectly conveys a comic approach to his approach, and Patrick Stewart who was absolutely brilliant as the lead villain. The voice actors are well served with what I thought was a sharply written script, and the characters I thought were likable. Overall, I liked it, not the best but not the worst. 7/10 Bethany Cox

This movie was cool

[eiy101 · 7/10 · 11 April 2005]

This was a good movie, though i am a kid, most kids think the movie as at least GOOD. my brother thinks its annoying. It's about A boy, Jimmy, a genius who sends a message to space aliens. Jimmy makes the mistake of showing his parents to them and telling them where he lives, And his over-protective parents Get very angry at him for talking to "strangers". the grand opening of retro-land theme park is that night and he and his 2 best pals, Carl and sheen, All want to go to the grand opening. But his parents, obviously, say no, its a school night. Jimmy gets grounded for setting the house on fire with a jet pack. Nick Is the hottest kid in the grade whom all the girls adore. He tells Jimmy, Carl and sheen to sneak out. so they take his advice and sneak out. the next day no parents were left. Jimmy and his pals and classmates will have to find a way to save their parents before they are eaten by a giant chicken.

Ok, but not up to the quality of the show.

[HumanBean555 · 6/10 · 15 May 2020]

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy this movie. I just believe it has several flaws that prevent it from being outstanding.

First off, the CGI is obviously not great. But if you account for the fact that this movie was released in 2001, when CGI was still somewhat primitive, then this movie's animation could be considered passable. This is not the only problem with the animation, though. It has several errors, including one that is just baffling that they left in. To those that have watched the movie several times or have keen attention to detail, you know what I am talking about. But for those who did not notice, here is what it is: in the scene where the aliens get Jimmy's message , he introduces himself to him, and then proceeds to take out a picture of his mom and dad, pointing to them and introducing them as well to the aliens. It is seen here, if one inspects closely enough, that Jimmy says "Mom" he points to his dad and "Dad" when he points to his mom. This is an inexcusable mistake, and one that can give someone the implication that this film was rushed to be released.

Secondly, the film has some pacing issues in a few scenes. These instances aren't too glaring, but they certainly make the movie drag on a bit (which should not be the case for a movie that is less than an hour and a half long.) The two scenes I found to be pacticularly poorly paced were the introduction and the resolution. I found the intro section to drag on a little long, especially when the parts where Jimmy and Carl are flying through space and when Jimmy is getting ready/going to school. I don't have too much of an issue with this, as the introduction helps to establish the characters and the situation. What I do have problem with though is the resolution, which honestly seemed a little rushed. I also found the parts where Cindy asks Jimmy to help the other kids is slightly forced. I also think Nick to be a rather stereotypical cool kid, for the most part. He did have a few good moments, but yeah. Most of the other characters are stereotypes, but they at least have twists, unique traits or interesting motivations.

Third and finally, some of the jokes are a tad corny for my taste.

Despite all this, I found this movie somewhat good. It's shining moments are the character interactions and most of the jokes. This film isn't perfect, but no film is. You cannot appeal to everyone. In conckusion, I would recommend this film to people who enjoy sci-fi , comedy and or wacky animation.

Simple animation film that kicked off a show

[breakdownthatfilm-blogspot-com · 6/10 · 24 March 2021]

Among the 1990s, children's programming was beginning to ramp up. Once the groundwork was more less laid out, top competing channels like Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon were taking up most of the attention. While both were neck and neck for viewers, Cartoon Network always came across more for older kids with its line up in dark humor and edgier characters. Nickelodeon had the impression of being more colorful and oriented at younger kids. Part of what helped solidify that image were popular cartoons like Jimmy Neutron. However, the brand wouldn't have been able to add this character to its roster if it didn't launch the franchise with its in-house movie studio. While the franchise creator John A. Davis hasn't been as active as he once was, to this day people genuinely remember Jimmy Neutron as one of Nickelodeon's well known mascots.

Headed by Davis as director and co-writing with Steve Oedekerk, this duo who was with the concept since the beginning, made a pilot film that marginally still holds up today. The story is about the title character Jimmy Neutron (Debi Derryberry), a young boy with more brain power than your average college science professor. After indirectly making contact with an alien race known as the "Goobots", the alien race descends upon Neutron's home of retroville and captures all the kids' parents for a ritual sacrifice. Before this, Neutron lived an average social life. He's not a popular kid despite his intellect, but that's typical even for your regular smart kid. He has two buddies Carl (Rob Paulsen) and Sheen (Jeffrey Garcia) who appreciate his company, but that's because they're not your average youth either. There's also Cindy Vortex (Carolyn Lawrence) who feels slighted, because before Neutron, she was the smartest kid in school.

This is just some of the characters that appear in the film. Others obviously received more focus in the show but there are moments with Miss Fowl (Andrea Martin), Nick (Candi Milo), Libby (Crystal Scales), Judy Neutron (Megan Cavanagh) and Hugh Neutron (Mark DeCarlo). Playing the main two villains against Jimmy Neutron is King Goobot (Patrick Stewart) and Ooblar (Martin Short). Together, the cast of actors all do a great job performing. Unfortunately, the comedy bits are where it's hit and miss. It can produce a chuckle here and there, but much of the jokes wouldn't impress an adult showing this to their kid. Jimmy Neutron is probably one of the few adult jokes to come off humorous. Reason being, the main joke is that he's talking with adult words no one understands. The interactions between Jimmy and his robotic dog Goddard are more comical because they both understand one another.

The dialog between King Goobot and Jimmy are good too, but the rest is mildly juvenile. Sheen is a hyperactive goofball with zero attention span. While Carl is the exact opposite to that. Especially with these two individuals, there were bound to be some gags that were more childish than necessary. The story does have its moments of humanity in it. Jimmy does have loving parents despite his large cranium and there is a lesson to be learned from at the end of the day. Guessing more of the juvenile humor came from Oedekerk. He is after all also the writer to the Thumb Wars parody films. Another strange thing to incorporate into this feature was cinematography handled by Steve Kolbe and Chris Sherrod. Both named people would not go onto do a whole lot more. And what was the reason for having cinematography again? This is an animated film.

Speaking of which, the animation is quite intriguing to look at. Why; because more than likely it's the exact opposite one would think compared to what will be said next. The animation is actually not badly done. That's right. Most would definitely agree by today's standards that it does not hold up. And in some places, it doesn't. Several backgrounds feel unfinished and too simple in design. But what helps conceal that are the energized colorful characters and their expressive facial features. If the characters don't look like hollow shells, that's one step in the right direction. Lastly, the music composed mainly by John Debney and Brian Causey was efficient at their jobs too. Unfortunately, there's no main theme for Jimmy instrumentally speaking. However, the soundtrack to the film is a nice throwback to times gone by. Thankfully that's a datedness that is welcome to hear.

To some now, this kid's film will feel dated, which in some areas it is. This is mainly in the parts of the jokes. There's also cinematography...where? Animation may also seem less detailed, but overall the characters are what counts, the voice acting is great and so is the music.

No use fixing this flop

[rob_240 · 1/10 · 7 December 2001]

Jimmy Neutron may be a genius, but the people who made this movie sure aren't. This movie had never appealed to me, but I got free tickets to a sneak preview of it, and since I had nothing to do on the night of preview, I decided to go to it. How I wish I hadn't. One of the main problems with the film is the type of animation they decided to use. It reminded me of animation that's in several computer games, especially "SimTheme Park". Sure, it would have suited a half-an-hour cartoon show, but not a full length movie! The characters are dull and unfunny. Jimmy Neutron, the title character, is cute at first, but then becomes annoying. Very annoying. The story itself is unoriginal and, well, lame. A boy genius who gets himself into many little adventures. Half the shows on The Cartoon Network are already about that! Young children may find it entertaining, but it's going to be an absolute pain for their parents to sit through. I wanted to walk out of the theater in the first 20 minutes of the film, but since my 5-year-old niece (who I took to the screening with me) seemed to be enjoying herself, I decided not to. But it turns out that she didn't enjoy it that much at all! When I asked her how she liked it she responded: "It was OK." In a year of many great animated films (such as "Shrek", "Atlantis", and "Monsters, Inc."), this one is at the bottom of the cartoon barrel.

Pretty good movie, My 5th-favourite Sci-Fi movie and my 2nd-favourite Nickelodeon movie!

[supercalafragilisticexpealadochu · 7/10 · 26 November 2020]

This movie is great for the family and kids! It's my 5th-favourite Sci Fi movie just underneath "Star Wars", "Mr Bean", "Shaun The Sheep 2: Farmageddon" and "Space Jam". It's also my 2nd-favourite Nickelodeon movie just underneath "The Adventures Of Tintin: The Movie".

I used to love this and grew up with this for 8 years on VHS along with Space Jam and Thomas And The Fantastic All-Hailroad, then I hadn't seen it for 5 years when my VCR broke. When I saw it again 5 years later, it was actually pretty good!

The animation is good, it gives the style of a 3D video game. Those rube-Goldberg machines, gadgets, inventions and science-tech that Jimmy made are really futuristic-styled! Like a super-genius could have done it.

The characters are good, Jimmy's friends are hilarious, Carlton Wheezer is hilariously clumsy and Sheen Estevez is a nerdy Mexican who's OBSESSED with superheroes. I especially like Carl's line: "croissant" and Sheen's line: "I pee in the shower" HAHAHAHA!!! It stars most of the children played by adults, some Looney Toons actors and Franklin Windell Welker. The aliens very much remind me of Doctor Strangeglove and his sidekick Fishlips. Jimmy's dad also has great humour with his classic dad jokes "if all your friends were named Cliff, would you jump off them?".

The soundtrack is good! It's got good laser-like Sci Fi music that goes really well with a Science Fiction movie. It's got scary Science Fiction music for the aliens too. As for the songs, the best song has to be "Blitzkrieg Bop". And also has the movie's punk-rock theme and the song "We Got The Beat" (which is also in MLP).

Did you know that aliens have some possible evidence???...

Overall in conclusion, when this movie got nominated, I think it probably should have won.

Don't waste your time on this worthless piece of crud.

[LemonyFan · 2/10 · 28 October 2005]

Quite frankly, this movie couldn't get much worse, and altogether it stinks. The plot is very cliché and not very original. The characters will get on your nerves very quickly, especially Cindy and Shean. There is humor, but very little of it is even worth a chuckle. Most of it would probably only be funny to Nickelodeon-viewers. The only redeeming quality is that the animation is at it's finest; it can't get much better. However, seeing that that is the only good aspect, this unarguably ranks a D. I'm very surprised that it didn't go directly to DVD, or even be placed in the bottom 100. In conclusion, this movie is only to be seen by young children. No exceptions. Period.

A great movie from my childhood!

[eminemcat · 8/10 · 20 September 2018]

I see a lot of negative comments on here that have been made by other adults who haven't experienced this movie when they were kids. Having seen this movie when I was a kid, I have to say, it was not as bad as they all say it is! It was funny and quirky with an important message. Do watch this with your children; They're going to love it!

Made for kids, period.

[jeffrey-46 · 6/10 · 24 July 2002]

I think if I was under the age of 10 or so, this film would appeal to me. It lacked the adult subtext that is present in many movies aimed at kids. Presumably, adult-oriented humor/themes/whatever is stuck in a movie to give the parents bringing their kids something to enjoy, but it also can help make a movie generally more watchable. 'Jimmy Neutron' had none of it.

That isn't to say, however, that it was terrible or anything. Just don't rent it unless you are playing it for kids.

I was forced to watch this.

[m_jordan_jones · 1/10 · 25 June 2005]

I was forced to watch this crap with my school. God do I regret that. I did everything not to watch this unwatchable crap. But the teachers made me but now looking back I think of how stupid I was to even go to school that day. The only good nick toon there ever was, was The Ren and Stimpy show. Nick toons should go ahead and give up this crap sucks.

Let's face it Nickelodeon can not compete with Cartoon Network. 1. Because the kid cartoons on Cartoon network are more popular. 2. They have adult swim for teenagers and adults. and three Nick toons banned one of the best cartoons ever made. So avoid Jimmy neutron with all you got because it SUCKS. I rate this movie a -10 our of 10.

Not the piece of Nick crap the previews made it out to be.

[perni · 19 September 2002]

I saw the trailers for Jimmy Neutron and was not at all impressed. The premise sounded way too kiddy and the fact that it was going to be a TV show made the whole thing scream, "Marketing!" Thankfully I just caught it on video and was wonderfully surprised. The animation is very good and nicely detailed, the humor is simple and G-rated for kids, which will please adults, and the story is fast-paced and creative. I liked all of the characters, from the whipped-cream hair sporting Jimmy to his nerdy friends and the evil booger aliens. There were some genuinely cool touches too, like the fight between a tiny teacher and the deadly apple worm or the detailed alien chicken. My only real complaint is the fact that the soundtrack is packed to the brim with dumb pop songs that pop up at the weirdest times and basically interrupt the flow of the whole movie. Also, any movie with Aaron Carter singing in it quickly gets a few points demoted from it. You can stick around after the video's credits for some music videos, one with the C arter kid and another with some girls singing "We're the Kids In America." They are not spectacular extras, which makes me yearn for a DVD player even more, now. All in all, though, Jimmy is a pleasant, short flick that won't keep adults in a coma and will definitely get the kids quiet for an hour. It may not be up there with the Pixar films or Shrek, but it is decent nonetheless. 3/4 stars.

Not just a kids movie.

[beam_er · 7/10 · 13 January 2003]

Granted, this is supposed to be a kids movie, but I had been wanting to rent this for quite some time. I finally got the chance last night and was not disappointed.

The scenery, the animation, is rich in detail and color. The movie is definitely not boring and even though you figure the ending way before it gets there, you have to wonder how Jimmy Neutron is gonna pull it off.

I can heartily recommend this movie. 7/10

funny and colourful

[disdressed12 · 7/10 · 29 March 2009]

this is a pretty decent cg animated movie from Nickelodeon.it's funny at times,has quite a bit of action and a mostly interest sustaining story.it's obviously geared towards kids,but adults will laugh at some of the jokes.it does have a few slow moments,but mostly it's pretty well paced.some of the character are a bit creepy looking,especially the teacher.but there's nothing that could be considered offensive.it's also very colourful,so the kids will love that aspect of it.most adults will be able watch it without falling asleep,but if not,the kids are perfectly safe watching it on their own.for me,Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius is a 7/10

Exercise your right to dream

[StevePulaski · 7/10 · 1 January 2013]

Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius was one of the biggest gambles Nickelodeon ever took and it paid off immensely. Making a film entirely off of the quick-witted shorts that the network aired in between programs frequently and off of one brief TV pilot isn't something every company jumps at the opportunity to do, but Nickelodeon bravely took a risk and it paid off by launching one of the network's most beloved cartoons.

Personally, I was never a big fan of The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, which ran on Nickelodeon from 2002 to 2006 and spawned a spin-off in 2010 based on one of its side characters. I was big (and still am) on programs and movies that had relatable characters, and I couldn't much relate to an unsung genius who concocted little mechanical machines in his bedroom to use to benefit every day life. The show's main theme was the theme of being under-appreciated for a talent one boldly possesses and how one can go under the radar when they're potentially making a big difference.

Yet at seventy-seven minutes, the official introduction we get of Jimmy Neutron, an incredibly advanced ten year old kid who "has a knack for inventions, a super-powered mind, and a mechanical canine," isn't half bad and zips along with its free-spirited, relatively easy-on-the-eyes animation and cute, charming little premises that teaches the youth of today the importance of parental influence and societal order. Just don't tell your kids that going into it. Jimmy Neutron (voiced by Debi Derryberry) has been trying to make contact with alien lifeforms for weeks now, yet to no avail. He winds up sending them something of a care package with a video showing his parents, himself, his dog, and his life on earth.

There is a new theme park opening in town and Jimmy and his friends Carl Wheezer (Rob Paulsen), a chubby asthmatic and Sheen (Jeffrey Garcia) are denied permission to attend the grand opening because of it being on a school night. They decide to rebel against parental authority and sneak out anyway, returning just in time before being caught by their parents. They wake up the next day to find all the adults removed from planet earth, leaving nothing but a generic note saying that they have gone to Florida. The kids are initially thrilled, free of the shackles of discipline, and commit acts they assume to be inconsequential such as having a contest to see who can eat the most cotton candy and who can wreak as much havoc.

It soon backfires, with an influx of owies, boo-boos, tummy aches, and constipation (another reason I was off-put by this film when I was young was the thought of losing my mom and dad, who I preciously clung to like a magnet on a refrigerator; the scenes of the kids hurt in some way, crying for their parents deeply upset my wimp-self). Jimmy investigates and learn that giant, spherical aliens housing mysterious green liquids have kidnapped their parents and plan to make a surprise launch to space, using amusement park equipment as their rocketry.

This is silly, innocuous fare that isn't as substantial as a Pixar endeavor, but light-years more effective in terms of escapism and imagination than anything currently on the primetime Nickelodeon lineup. The animation here replicates a more unpolished feel that improved on the typical hand-drawn animation pioneered by The Walt Disney Company, yet not refurbished to look like something along the lines of Monster's Inc. or Shrek (the animated competition during the original release of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius). The story depth is slim and slender too, which will definitely not be a burden to kids or adults, who should take time to appreciate and recognize the highly imaginative material at hand here. Reiterating that my liking for the show, even growing up, was small and concise, and my memory of the film's plot sour and not wholly positive, this was a pleasing and successful romp, emphasizing on what kid's need to do more of; dream.

Voiced by: Debi Derryberry, Rob Paulsen, Jeffrey Garcia, Patrick Stewart, and Martin Short. Directed by: John A. Davis.

I know son, but if all your friends were named Cliff, would you jump off them?

[film-critic · 7/10 · 9 February 2007]

Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius isn't the best movie I have ever seen, in fact, it is very rare that I deem any film with those words, but it was worth an hour and a half of my time. What stood out immediately was the animation, the coloring, the bold attention to detail, and the fact that none of it was lost on the DVD. Occasionally, you find yourself watching an animated film wondering how many drinks the animators may have had while attempting to create artwork, which suddenly becomes even more visible in the comfort of your own home. There has been, in my time reviewing these films, one film that has been animated flawlessly. That was The Incredibles, and while Neutron is not that film, the two do stand very well together. Aside from the standing ovation animation, the rest of the film is actual a fun watch. Going into this film with no knowledge of the character Jimmy Neutron or his history, I found myself eager to enjoy more of his adventures and further deeper into his world.

One of the enjoyable elements of this film has to be the pacing. While some will argue that you cannot judge a film by the mere merit of time, for Jimmy Neutron you can. I didn't want to get bogged down, I didn't want to loose my attention span, and thankfully – with the skilled penmanship of one Steve Oedekerk – I learned to sit back and thoroughly enjoy what Jimmy had to offer. I wasn't distracted by small, insignificant plot alleys or forgettable characters; with Neutron what you see is what you get. For approximately 82 minutes we are packed with one exciting element after another without getting sidetracked. From the opening "pull" sequence to the center amusement park transformation, all the way to the final climactic scene which incorporated all the themes and elements from earlier in the film, Neutron honestly didn't let you down. The humor was crisp, the characters were actually enjoyable to watch, and unlike other films of this genre, you knew what was going to happen, but you weren't quite sure how. I think that is what kept my attention the longest, with the brain power of Neutron; I was never quite sure what he was going to combine next. The opportunities were endless, and I enjoyed seeing them unfold right before me. Laugh all you want, but Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius was an enjoyable experience.

Why is it that women can do pre-pubescent boy voices better than anyone else? I loved the voices in this film mainly because it didn't focus on trying to give you the "who is that voice" quiz game, but rather employ unknowns and allow the film to do the talking. While I have to give the entire cast excellent marks on their work with this film, it was Patrick Stewart and (I can't believe I am saying this…) Martin Short's comical combination that did it for me. They aren't big stars, so I didn't hear the voice and immediately see the actor, I saw the Martian counterparts that they were trying to portray! Coupled with the fact that they looked hysterical (humorous physical depictions of alien life), I found myself laughing at this pair more than I imagined. Stewart controlled his voice and delivered (with ease) some of the best one-liners of this film, while Short added the final punch needed to make the kiddies in the audience laugh. For me, the two worked brilliantly together and could honestly carry a show of their own together. Short wasn't over the top, and the two created a strong balance which coupled well with the seriousness of Neutron's quest.

Alas, I cannot give it the full five stars, mainly because of an issue of redundancy. Perhaps that isn't the right word, but what I am trying to say is that this is a show that prides itself on the genius of the main character, Jimmy. What makes this show work is that he is by far the smartest child on the Earth, yet his parents keep him grounded (which creates likability for the viewers) by making him do chores, get in trouble, and create boundaries. Yet, for all the inventions that Jimmy creates, for all the tests that he passes in school, he seems to forget that there is no air in space and therefore the entire plausibility of all the children in his town flying to this obscure planet is debunked. I realize that this is a cartoon, a-hem, an animated feature and that I should just accept the fact that in this world there is air in space, but I couldn't buy it. Without the masks or helmets, I felt cheated and was pulled away from the truth, thus forcing me to realize I was watching a film. Make sense? I was deeply involved with this film until the kids rallied together and shot into space, because of the fake nature of it. I couldn't move past it, and was a discouraging element to the film.

Overall, I would strongly suggest this film to families, and in fact, friends. I thought this was a very funny, very smart, and exceptionally well animated film, especially during the age of Pixar. The voices were perfect, the pacing (as mentioned before) was a slice of perfection, and the overall molding of this film was nearly flawless. Outside of the scientific elements that should have been caught (due to the intelligence of our main character), there were moments of pure Oedekerk that made me grin from ear to ear. I liked Jimmy Neutron, and while it may get me laughed at on the playground, I thought that for what it was worth, it gave a good 92% -- and that is still an A isn't it? Check it out – you will be happy!

Grade: **** out of *****

Terrible

[anti-imperialist1194 · 1/10 · 1 January 2004]

This is the world's worst movie ever made. Nicoloden needs to stop making movies. You want to know why? Because they all stink. This is completely over-rated. It does not deserve a 6.0 rating on the IMDB. There were so many unfunny jokes that I don't understand why people thought they were hilarious. If you think this is bad you should watch the T.V show, which is just as bad as the movie. I wish Nicoloden would stop doing Jimmy Neutron stuff and start concentrating on there best shows like "Spongebob" and "Fairly Odd Parents". Anyway I hope that I never get to see this movie for whatever reason ever again. 1/10. I wish I could just give it a 0 but IMDB doesn't have that rating to select.

Fun!

[moviewizguy · 7/10 · 28 July 2007]

Jimmy Neutron is a boy genius and way ahead of his friends, but when it comes to being cool, he's a little behind. All until one day when his parents, and parents all over Earth are kidnapped by aliens, it's up to him to lead all the children of the world to rescue their parents.

If you're looking at this film, thinking that it's like any other children's film and only for children, you might be right or wrong. I guess it depends because I actually found this movie entertaining and light hearted. Yeah, some jokes are mainly for the kids but some are also funny for the older people.

The animation, as you can tell, is not groundbreaking or great in any way but it did not bother me. You get use to it after a few minutes. The thing I like about the film is that it has some really creative and imaginative ideas on the whole story. The jokes are somewhere ranging to not-so-funny to laugh-out-loud-funny.

Sure, you don't have to watch this film but if you would like to kill a few minutes on something fun and entertaining, give this movie a try. Maybe let your kids watch it with you and like any other animated movie, there's a moral, although it's subtle.

Terrible, Terrible.

[marcG106 · 1/10 · 22 December 2001]

I've been seeing trailers for this film for almost a year now, and I'm glad that it's now been released. Why? SO I'LL NEVER HAVE TO SEE THAT EVIL TRAILER AGAIN. Seriously, I've seen the Jimmy Neutron trailer on the last 10 films that I've seen, and I only see about 1 film per month.

As for the movie itself, words cannot describe how bad this movie is.

The CG is incredibly ugly. It looks like it was animated 5 years ago. Seriously, the half-completed animated storyboards I've seen for "Toy Story" look better than this tripe. The dialogue is terrible, the characters are terrible, the whole bloody mess is terrible.

Why all the negative reviews?

[marlisafick · 8/10 · 4 August 2018]

This was a really good movie!

I saw a lot of negative reviews for this movie, and I'm just not sure why.

The characters are great, the humor is excellent and the plot is superb!

However, the animation is quite dated, and that takes me out of the experience just a bit.

Overall, I really liked this movie!

Why all the negative reviews?

Safe kid's movie

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 29 December 2013]

Jimmy Neutron is smarter than everybody else, but the kids at school don't see that as a good thing. When aliens find one of Jimmy's inventions, they trace it back to Earth where they kidnap all the adults. At first the kids have fun with the parents gone, but eventually they need them back. So Jimmy build a fleet of spaceships, and the kids mount a rescue mission.

The animation is a bit blocky but it works for this kids movie. The story works well. The characters are fun and interesting. It doesn't have adult references so this isn't really a movie for the adults. It's mostly for the kids, and it's safe family fun. Even the aliens are cute and brightly colored.

Not as bad as detractors say, not as good as defenders wish

[RobT-2 · 2/10 · 23 January 2002]

If I have to chose between seeing a film because of its critical reputation or seeing it because it looks like fun, most of the time I'll take the fun one. (Not having to chose at all would be the ideal option, but this isn't an ideal world.) Since I'm an animation buff, I already had the "Jimmy Neutron" movie on my "must-see" list, and this week seemed like a good time to see it. Yeah, it was fun. The question is, was it ENOUGH fun?

As befits a movie about a boy genius, JN:BG shows off a lot of intelligence. There's a lot of wit, both visual (most of Jimmy's homemade gadgetry) and verbal (well, I liked the "Blair Witch" reference, anyway). The characters and objects are animated like puppets, but it's senseless to complain about it since this was so obviously an artistic choice. On the other hand, the outer-space sequences were genuinely wondrous. (More about this later.)

As for the characters and the plot, that's where things get sticky. The story idea (aliens kidnap all the adults in Retroville, and while the kids have fun for a while they realize it's up to them to rescue their parents) is intriguing, but its execution feels like a genre exercise, giving the characters plot coupons rather than choices. The characters themselves come off as either comic relief (Jimmy's friends Carl and Sheen) or plot functionaries (the villains, Jimmy's parents, and his nemesis-turned-ally Cindy Vortex), with only Jimmy himself showing much individuality. (This is not intended as a criticism of the voice cast, by the way; everyone from Debi Derryberry on down does a fine job.) Most of the character detailing occurs early on (Jimmy's preparations for school, Cindy's tai-chi-and-soda-pop exercises), but there's not enough of it.

About those space visuals: I noticed that two Hugo-winning artists, Bob Eggleton and Don Maitz, were credited as "conceptual designers." This indicates to me that more thought went into JN:BG's visuals than its plot. (By the way, I don't mean to slight the other artists who worked on JN:BG by singling out the two Hugo-winners, these are just names I know and I'm familiar with their work. I suppose it's too late to hope for an "Art of JN:BG" book by now, alas.) The writers-director John A. Davis, plus Steve Oedekerk, David N. Weiss, and J. David Stern-have a substantial list of credits between them, but none of them appear to have much experience with either space movies or adventure movies. Not that their conception of the movie was bad, but they let the plot swallow up the characters without giving much back in return.

Still, even if JN:BG is no "Monsters Inc." or "Shrek," it does compare favorably to "Osmosis Jones" and "Atlantis." However, if I haven't scared you off and you still want to see it, you might wait for its run in your local dollar theater.