Hey Arnold: The Jungle Movie (2017 TV Movie) User Reviews

The Long Awaited Conclusion We All Wanted...

[yokoyakamori · 8/10 · 26 November 2017]

Hey Arnold was a show I liked as a kid, but grew to love as an adult. When I heard that a movie was made to conclude the series, I was so excited. Overall, it was pretty good, but there were things I thought ruined the movie a bit:

Helga having footage of Arnold in the various episodes from the series due to the use of security cameras seems incredibly off to me. Her having something like this was never mentioned in the series, so her conveniently having all of this is testing my suspension of disbelief. I know the technology in the show has advanced due to the use of laptops and smartphones, but this was a bit of an stretch just for her to help Arnold win the contest.

Arnold's character is a bit off as well when he keeps a secret from his friends when talking with Eduardo about his parents and the Green- Eyed people. Why he would keep this a secret from his best friend Gerald is beyond me. Everyone knows Arnold's parents aren't around and even Gerald knows that he and Arnold were determined to find them in San Lorenzo. The liar revealed aspect when Eduardo was really La Sombra felt so unnecessary as well.

The great mystery with what happened with Arnold's parent was kind of dumb and a tad unrealistic. They caught the sleeping sickness and have been lying next to each other for 9 or so years in the temple with the Green-Eyed people. Apparently, only the adults caught this sickness, but the children for the most part were all fine. Kind of odd, if you ask me. Also, how could they still be alive if they have been lying dormant for all those years? They didn't age, their bodies didn't look malnourished or withering, and the chances of staying alive sound like they should have been slim.

The ending for this movie felt rather rushed and never built up enough emotion for me. While I have always wanted Arnold to be reunited with his parents, the whole reunion felt so lackluster and the emotion was incredibly minimal. The parents never convinced me once they woke up that this is the first time they have seen their son all grown up since their departure. They acted rather nonchalant as about this whole thing, which is where most of the emotional aspects fell flat.

Overall, the plot wasn't the greatest thing to conclude the series, but it was pretty serviceable with the following pros:

The characters for the most part match the same characters from the series in both wit and charm. Grandpa Phil and Grandma Gertrude were hilarious in this film. The animation, while different, was pretty good too. Helga's story arc of confessing her love for Arnold was also pretty good and the ending where they kiss was something we all wanted.

So, this film isn't perfect and has quite a lot of flaws, but for the most part, is a suitable conclusion for the series that we all have been waiting for.

Fine conclusion to a great show

[adamation93 · 8/10 · 25 November 2017]

Hey Arnold: The Jungle Movie- after all these years an ending to the show with a resolution for Arnold on his missing parents. The hype around this TV movie was understandably huge. I tried to stay cautiously optimistic. Especially so after seeing the initial teaser with the new voices and character designs. After seeing the movie in it's entirety I'll say that the heart of the show is present in this movie as is the weight of the unresolved conclusion to the series from "The Journal." While I greatly appreciate and admire Craig Bartlett and the people that made this movie possible, that didn't stop me from taking a few notes about things that I felt were off about the movie. Who am I and why does my opinion matter? It doesn't, really. It's an opinion. I have a background in 2D animation and am an avid fan of the show. I guess I'm doing this to process my feelings after this epic conclusion to one of my favorite Nicktoons. If you're still with me then here we go.

Things I liked

The music: The familiar jazzy sounds from Jim Lang are of course present in this movie and are a nice blast from the past.

The backgrounds: The background art in the movie is great to look at and true to the series' background paintings- right down to the colored pencil textures.

The characters: For the most part, this movie stayed true to the character traits of the series and thank goodness for original voice actors returning such as Francesca Marie Smith as Helga and Dan Castellaneta as Grandpa.

Things I felt were off- Here's my time to be picky.

* Voices: Like I said, returning cast members contributed greatly to the nostalgia in this. Understandably so the voices of many of the kids (minus Helga, Harold, Phoebe, and Mr. Simmons to name a few) were different. Arnold's actor did an alright job except some of the whisper-talking was a little too much (although we can thank our lucky stars that Alex D Linz was too grown for the job. No offense to Mr. Linz but I can barely watch those last few episodes with that cracky Max Keeble voice). Helga sounded like helga, and the aforementioned sounded great too. Gerald's actor was also an okay comparison to Jamil Walker Smith.

* Character Designs: The new "updated" character designs- albeit expected and necessary, came with some weirdness. Pupil size has a weird inconsistency and often they're big like old episodes of The Simpsons. Also aging Mr. Simmons often looked creepy to me- "Eh very creehpeyy," as Mr. Hyughn says.

* Pacing: At 81 minutes plus commercials, the movie finds minor pacing issues from me. If Craig and the crew had it their way I'm sure the movie could have been a full two hours but that's TV. We don't need to dwell on the city setting and talk about the forthcoming adventure for an hour before it starts- but it only took about 15 minutes for Arnold and the gang to end up in South America.

* Smartphones. Or iPods? What year does this take place again?

* Helga's almost-confession on the boat was really weird and out of nowhere. And then she tears up the locket photo. Is the other movie not canon as far as Helga's confession of love?

* Arnold's parent wake up after how long? 13 years? And their first response to seeing their son feels lackluster. Not even a hug is exchanged. And not to get too real, but how did they survive? Shouldn't they have starved? Suspension of disbelief...Suspension of disbelief...

* The ending flashes forward to after Arnold gets home and for some reason he forgets he traveled home from San Lorenzo with his parents because of a nightmare? At least this is insinuated by a line from his dad. His folks walk with him to school and the doors of PS 118 close behind with a white heavenly glow behind Miles and Stella as the series comes to a literal close- at long last.

If you're still with me thanks for reading my thoughts on this. Please remove any trash you may have left behind and exit out the doors to your right. Thanks to Craig Bartlett, thanks to Nickelodeon, and thanks to us loyal fans for being vocal about our love for this great show.

Hey Arnold!

[maxmages · 7/10 · 24 May 2018]

I am super positive surprised by this movie. As someone who always loved Hey Arnold as a kid and was pretty sad that the Big Cliffhanger was not dissolved, I was really happy when finally "Hey Arnold !: The Jungle Movie" was announced.

The movie is awesome and not only answers the unanswered questions but then answers many questions in the series that is bad or not so good if you did not watch any episode of the TV series, you're in the fix and maybe understand the movie about 40%. But apart from that, having a super entertaining movie is really fun and it's just an enrichment to see a two-dimensional animated cartoon.

And actually, the story is almost cinematic I think it's a pity that everything turns out for the better I love my movies more with consequences but the rest of the movie is so funny so animated and has so many wonderful character moments and has a few my fan theories answered that I do not care.

I say "Hey Arnold !: The Jungle Movie" is a great fun movie sure for children older children young adults a must for anyone who even in the farthest Hey Arnold liked to watch and a great graduation for the TV series + it would even be wonderful start for a sequel series.

Childhood Memories

[robinsonaustin-07490 · 10/10 · 24 November 2017]

Guys, this was probably the best television movie on Nickelodeon by far. After years of waiting for answers, we finally got the conclusion we were asking for. In it, Arnold's class wins a trip to San Lorenzo by winning a competition. Thrilled by the aspect of his parents being somewhere out there, Arnold embarks on an adventure to find the Green Eye people, an indigenous tribe that his parents helped long ago.

Alright, so for starters, the animation. For the most part, the animation is the same, albeit with a slight few alterations in character design. I loved how fluid the actions were as well. Overall, with the animation, while I understand that style would change overtime, I had found it slightly difficult to get used to, but it was by no means bad. Same with acting. A majority of the voice cast returned to reprise their roles, except for Arnold. In this film, he's voiced by Mason Vale Cotton. For the most part, he does a good job playing the football head. However, you could kind of tell at some points he was trying to mimic the exact voice, and it is distracting to a degree. The other actors also do a very good job.

I also loved the adventure aspect of the film. The series for the most part is a slice of life, but this movie differentiated itself from the series enough to make it feel like it's its own world. The villain La Sombra was okay. To not give anything away, he is searching for Arnold, because he feels that he was the only one who was able to lead him to the Green Eyes' sacred treasure. He's threatening when the time calls for it, but he can also be pretty silly. Oh, and who could forget all of the cameo appearances in the film? From Stoop Kid to Pigeon Man, this was a dream come true for anyone who grew up with the show. My only problem with the film was the ending. It was predictable. Yeah, I know that as a Nickelodeon movie they wouldn't want to go to any dark routes, but it was both predictable and a little convenient. As for Helga and Arnold, I will say that they handle Helga's confession better in this film than in the theatrical film. After everything they've been through, I can see them probably growing closer.

Overall, The Jungle Movie brought back what I loved about Hey Arnold growing up, and it wrapped everything up nicely. As for whether I want a season six of the show? No. I feel that this is a perfect way to end the show, so let it go out with a bang. Hey Arnold will continue to be one of the best Nicktoons for its realness and relatability.

A welcome return to a beloved series!

[jmcd2007 · 10/10 · 24 November 2017]

"Hey Arnold: The Jungle Movie" was everything that I was hoping for. Craig Bartlett and Nickelodeon did not disappoint with this movie at all. Most of the original cast returns after a fifteen year hiatus with a few new additions for the roles of Arnold and Gerald for instance. Meanwhile, others like Francesca "Franny" Marie Smith (Helga G. Pataki) and Anndi McAfee (Phoebe Heyerdahl) reprise their respective roles as well, which was a pleasure to hear. All actors and actresses were absolutely wonderful in this the film and it's as if they never left the series (when speaking in terms of the original cast).

The main plot of the film centers around Arnold Philip Shortman (his actual full name) wanting to find his parents. With the help of Helga and a few of Arnold's classmates, him and the kids in his class eventually win a contest to San Lorenzo, Argentina where they meet up with Eduardo, who was a longtime friend of Arnold's parents. While on a boat, Eduardo and Arnold then bring up the topic of Arnold's parents in which case Eduardo agrees to help Arnold with his quest. Eduardo then gives Arnold a pendent from the "Green-Eyed People." Not long after, however, we find out that "Eduardo" is really "La Sombra" in disguise, who is a river pirate that has plans to steal the "Corazon" which is an ancient and valuable artifact that would help the Green-Eyed People cure a dreadful "sleeping" disease that is plaguing their community.

Once "La Sombra" reveals his true identity, he holds Arnold and his classmates hostage in a camp, only for them to break out not long after thanks to Phoebe's quick technological thinking. With a map in hand, Arnold, Gerald, and Helga then set off to solve the mystery of Arnold's parents once and for all. Once they reach the end of the map, Gerald falls through a bed of flowers into a deep dark cave and the rest of them follow which then leads them to the Green-Eyed People's Community. Not long after that, La Sombra reappears thanks to the pendent that he gave Arnold, which is revealed to be a tracking device. His plans to steal the Corazon fail when the real Eduardo appears. When La Sombra attempts to steal the Corazon, he is shot in the head with a poisonous arrow that came directly from where the Corazon is housed. Eduardo and the kids then start fighting him until La Sombra is tossed off the side of the cliff and falls to his death...although the Corazon soon falls off the cliff as well and it is never seen again.

Feeling as if he has failed and let down the Green-Eyed People, his parents and his friends, Arnold, Gerald, Helga and Eduardo all return to the Green-Eyed People's Community and inform the leader there that they have lost the Corazon. Looking at the murals on the wall, however, Helga hatches a plan. She ends up relinquishing her infamous locket with Arnold's picture in it and puts it in the center of a tribal device that instantly cures the "sleeping" disease that has plagued the Green-Eyed People's community for decades. This also cures Arnold's parents as well, who have been "sleeping" for about nine years or so. Knowing that his parents are alive, Arnold reunites with them and it flashes forward to Arnold waking up in his bed at the boarding house. Hoping that he's not dreaming, he runs downstairs to find Mr. Potts, Mr. Hyunh, Mr. Kokoshka and Arnold's Grandma and Grandpa in the dining room all complaining about food. Less than a minute later, however, his parents emerge from the kitchen. From then on, he gives them a hug and they tell him they have plans for the day. Not missing a beat, Arnold reminds them that he has to go to school which they agree and offer to walk him there. They do so and Arnold and his parents walk to his school and the movie ends.

I should also note that Helga does end up confessing her love to Arnold with this film as well. He also finds out that she loves him thanks to Helga giving up her locket in exchange for saving the Green-Eyed People's community from the "sleeping" sickness...along with the fact that she helped him win the San Lorenzo contest by putting together a tribute video to all the people that Arnold has helped over the years. Moreover, it also appears as if Mr. Simmons is homosexual, which has been just one of many long standing rumors with the show over the years. He is seen hugging a man at the airport who is presumably Peter from the Thanksgiving episode. Creator Craig Bartlett also confirmed the orientation of Mr. Simmons a while back during an interview as well.

In any case, Bartlett has suggested that if this film is received well enough, in which it looks like it might be, then Nickelodeon might greenlight a possible sixth season of "Hey Arnold!" In my opinion, however, they really should just put this series to bed after this movie. Being that Arnold found his parents, which was one of the main question marks around the show, the story in itself now appears to be complete.

In summary, no matter if you are a die hard fan or not, WATCH this movie! You will NOT be disappointed! Bartlett and Nickelodeon REALLY hit a home run here!

On that note, I will DEFINITELY be picking this one up when it releases to Blu-Ray/DVD!

Cliche but fulfilling nonetheless

[metalgear800 · 24 January 2019]

Ok, so this movie is essentially filled with Indiana Jones cliche's and typical plot sequences that I've seen countless times before so no originality there. Combine that with loads of fan service and you can understand why the movie was pretty predictable. They were way too cutesy in the beginning at which my respond was to just shake my head. At least they did the ending right so that does bring closure to a fantastic TV series. The movie doesn't have the same wit as the TV series but it's somewhat entertaining nonetheless. More than a decade too late but sure.

Beautiful for small and grown up fans

[blumdeluxe · 6/10 · 4 August 2018]

"Hey Arnold: The Jungle Movie" tells the story of Arnold, the well-known character, on an adventurous search for his family. When he gets the chance to look for them in the jungles of a South-American country, he soon discovers that he is far more popular (and in danger) than he could have expected.

The movie will be a celebration for fans of the series and you instantly see that a lot of heart was put into it. It deals with an unsolved aspect of the series and tries to hold the balance between kids-friendly entertainment and some more grown up humor without getting inappropriate in any way. At the end of the day, it is probably not a film that will change the genre or stand out, but for what it is, it does a very good and beautiful job.

All in all this is a must see for fans of the series and a film I can easily recommend also to people whon are just looking for some light entertainment or a movie to watch with their kids, even though it is more fun if you have some knowledge of the series at first.

This is the movie we have all been waiting for.

[TheRealMajorD · 10/10 · 24 November 2017]

It captures the spirit of the original show perfectly in which it kept all of the heart that made Hey Arnold so memorable. The new voice actors did a great job voicing the characters, especially Arnold's new voice (He did go through several voice actors throughout the series). Hey Arnold The Jungle Movie is the perfect conclusion to such a classic show that ended so long ago and I will always remember this like how I remembered episodes like "Parents Day" and "The Journal"

A great closure to a great series!

[filimaua · 7/10 · 22 February 2018]

Hey Arnold was an awesome series to watch as it had heart, good messages to preach and well told stories centered around Arnold and the city folk. However fans were left unsatisfied with the ending as we were left with unanswered questions about Arnold's parents and whether Arnold and Helga would eventually reveal their mutual feelings for each other. The Jungle Movie brings the needed closure for the fans as it finally answers those questions. The vibe felt just like the original series, except with updated and cleaner animation. It had a perfect story to tie up loose ends. Other than the story being top notch overall, there were a few nit picks I felt should be addressed. Some scenes could've been longer to give weight to the emotional aspect. Gerald should've been given a different reason to be mad at Arnold instead of what we were given. There was also something wrong with the Arnold/Helga dilemma. I doubt she would go as far as throw away her locket just because he left her to warn the captain of another ship. Maybe if Lila was more present in the movie something would happen that would give Helga more of a reason to give up hope on finding mutual love in Arnold. Also the reunion of Arnold and his parents. The scene could've been longer with Arnold finally talking to his parents for the first time. Longer and more emotional. The pig going back to warn Arnold's grandparents was a bit of a stretch but I was fine with it until they showed the pig's flashback and the grandma apparently understanding what the damn pig was saying! It felt out of place as it probably would fit in another cartoon, but it surely doesn't belong in an Arnold film. Other than that this film was perfect as the finale to the original series. I recommend watching it, as the flaws are small nitpicks that can be overlooked.

Hey Arnold! This movie is awesome!

[jediforce10 · 10/10 · 25 November 2017]

Hey Arnold! was a show centering around a kid named Arnold and his adventures with his friends and around the city. But one thing the show never got a chance to do was show us what happened to his parents when they went to South America. After 14 years though, Nickelodeon allowed Craig Bartlett to come back and bring us the conclusion we've been waiting for.

When Arnold and his friends are selected to a trip to San Lorenzo, he hopes to find his parents in the country he disappeared in. But they all soon end up getting caught up by the infamous river pirate, Lasombra, and their trip takes a turn for the worse. Now on the run from Lasombra, Arnold and his friends must find the mysterious Green-Eye People and discover the truth of what happened to Arnold's parents.

If you've been a longtime viewer of Hey Arnold!, you'll notice nothing hasn't changed much from how the characters are, the jokes, and everything that made the show so charming and wonderful. In fact, it feels like everything was preserved perfectly and it picks up where the first movie left off. Every running gag from Pookie's wild antics to Brainy getting punched by Helga is in it, and there are plenty of callbacks.

The voice work is also fantastic. While Mason Vale Cotton's Arnold voice may seem a bit odd, he seems to do a fantastic job capturing the football head we all know and love. The original cast come back to reprise their roles and all sound fantastic as well.

The story, as mentioned before, focuses a lot on Arnold finding out what happened to his parents, but also focuses back on the love Helga has for Arnold. I have to admit, I feel the romance subplot is handled way better in this movie than how it was in the theatrical movie. The interactions between Helga and Arnold are handled well here and it all builds up to the inevitable confession near the end. It also finally gives closure as well to the Gerald and Phoebe romance hints we got in the show with them becoming a couple too.

I have to also give the movie props for not only maintaining a lot of the elements from the show, but also managing to get emotional about Arnold's desire to find his long lost parents, to even getting dark at times; especially with Lasombra. The movie manages to hit a lot of emotional high notes and takes a lot of risks with some of its dark moments. Something I really appreciate since a lot of shows these days love to play it safe.

Lasombra himself is a fantastic and cunning villain. I got to admit, he's clever in what he does from manipulating Arnold about his parents, to even getting most of his crew killed just to get to the treasure and not care at all. He even manages to fight off a poison dart for a while just to try and kill Arnold and his friends. He's a really threatening villain all around.

About my only real gripes are that the Pataki's are still so careless around Helga (although Bob at least remembers her name), and that the movie kind of ends a bit abruptly. I was kind of hoping for a scene of Arnold showing his other friends his parents, but it just suddenly stops with them being back home again, and everything ends with Arnold and Helga closer, and Gerald and Phoebe a couple.

Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie does have some minor flaws, but after 14 years of waiting, it was worth. Everything is handled fantastic from the writing, to the character, to the jokes. The story is good with lots of great twists. The villain is awesome. It's a good movie all around and serves as a great series finale for Hey Arnold!

I've heard rumors that if the movie does well enough, Nick may ask Craig to revive the show, and the crew would be back again to get the show going. If they do so, it should be about the spin off series; The Pataki's. It was supposed to center around Helga's family, but Nick deemed it too dark. If there is no revival though, I won't complain as this movie perfectly wraps up everything. It took 14 years, but Bartlett and the Hey Arnold! crew brought us a fantastic movie that wraps up everything and will satisfy everyone.

The flawed but satisfying conclusion

[NickMiller93 · 7/10 · 27 May 2023]

Jungle Movie sees our favorite characters leaving the city on a field trip to the jungle where Arnold seeks out his parents, picking up where the series left off. For the most part, this story is pretty far fetched when compared to the somewhat grounded plot lines we're used to with the show. Seeing these characters that we grew up with receive some closure on open plot lines and relationships that developed over the course of the series is reason enough to make this movie worth it. My only complaints, aside from the far fetched story is that we didn't get to see more of PS 118's many side characters.

Still, this movie is more than worth the watch, if anything for the destination more so than the journey that gets us there.

Worth the excruciating wait--AT LAST!!!!

[Sweetigal85 · 10/10 · 1 December 2017]

This movie gets a 10/10 right off the bat because it is just so amazing that it has finally come to be. Thank you, Nickelodeon for finally allowing Craig Bartlett to finish/continue this wonderful story! Hey Arnold was my absolute favorite cartoon as a 90s kid and I still watch it constantly on hulu as an adult. The reruns make me so happy, but The Jungle Movie was always painfully missing from all of our lives.

This movie is a burst of nostalgia with many wonderful modern elements. The kids having cell phones was a wonderful touch and it was so nice to see them a bit older. I personally always viewed them as teenagers when I was a kid and I still do. Children do not accomplish/do any of the things that the Hey Arnold gang does. I think Craig Bartlett just had to make them "nine" because the show was for Nickelodeon. He even said in a recent interview that he would like to continue the show and eventually see them as teenagers.

They included all of the classic characters and used almost all of the original voices, Francesca Smith of course being the most important as Helga. The actor playing Arnold did a magnificent job. He captured the essence of the character perfectly and delivered all of his lines with such needed emotion.

The pace may seem a little rushed at first but give them a break, they needed to make up for 15 years worth of time and cram it into an hour and twenty minutes.

There were definitely some corny moments which are good for really young/new fans like Abner eating the bacon and somehow making it back to America alive lol. And the green eyed people being a society without adults. I am sure kids loved that.

The villain was wonderful and I was happily surprised to see how dark they went with him. Killing his own men to save himself and his death was extremely graphic. Glad to see they did not pull any punches.

Jim Lang luckily returned to do the music and it was a jazzy good time! Too bad Steve Viksten who wrote all of the classic/best Arnold and Helga episodes died a few years ago. This movie would have benefited even more from his writing talents. He created all of the best Arnold and Helga moments. Luckily they chose to focus mostly on Arnold, Helga, Gerald and Phoebe who were certainly the best characters. But the rest of the gang is still included! The scene where Brainy jumps off the boat to save Helga's locket is so poetic. I was so sad when she threw it off the boat but I felt her pain.

I honestly didn't think they were going to be able to deliver a conclusion for his parents that didn't seem like BS after all these years but I was BLOWN AWAY. I can't believe I never saw that coming after fifteen years. Of course it still makes no sense as far as reality goes, but it completely works within its own realm.

The end with Helga's locket is BEAUTIFUL and honestly rivals Disney. "It's not a pure heart." Because the gold is not pure so she is not sure if it will work in the machine and she is also saying that she is not perfect but she is offering her heart to Arnold anyway and he takes it!!! Dude...when she reveals that locket and he sees it and takes it from her...CHILDHOOD COMPLETE!!! I seriously almost passed out from holding my breath when he was revealing his feelings to her. And when he kissed her it was like all of the planets had finally aligned. I was so proud of her for not freaking out and just enjoying the kiss. I am loving how they implied that they are definitely a couple in the end but she is still the dominant one. It would be great if she were to wear her locket from now on since her feelings for Arnold are no longer hidden. I would love it if the show continued but if not, I am eternally grateful that we now live in a world where it is confirmed that Helga loves Arnold and Arnold loves Helga.

Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie

[phubbs · 5/10 · 4 March 2018]

So after a very very long hiatus (15 years) Arnold and his friends are back to tie everything up in a nice bow. We last saw Arnold back in 2002 with his first feature length movie. That was more of a stand alone story that simply gave Arnold and co a one off challenge to overcome. It was simply a feature length episode of the cartoon series. This time around the movie is actually a sequel to one of the episodes in the series (series five) called 'The Journal'.

Now here's where the main problem comes in, it does kinda make a big difference if you've seen that series five episode. In general I'm pretty sure that most people watching this will be 'Hey Arnold!' fans and will know what's going on. But for anyone else who's thinking of showing it to their kids simply because its a kids movie, well there's a good chance they won't follow everything. Yeah sure the plot isn't super hard to follow but obviously there are loads of things that hark back to that specific episode and the entire series in general. To be brutally honest this is really one for the fans methinks.

The plot: Arnold's parents had traveled to San Lorenzo in South America to deliver medicine to a mysterious lost tribe of green eyed people, they never returned. Luckily Arnold's class manage to win a competition to travel to San Lorenzo which gives the football shaped headed boy a chance to find his folks. Naturally there are dangers ahead for the class with a mercenary named Lasombra who needs Arnold so he can discover the lost city and its treasures for himself.

So lets look at one of the main thing that breeds life into this cartoon, the unique visuals. How are they in this new modern movie? Well I'm pleased to say they are actually (still) on par with the original series. OK but lets be completely brutally honest here, they aren't as gorgeous as the original series with its clear cut hand drawn/pencil shaded style. Oh no, alas that beautiful look is too rough looking for kids these days. So everything is computer assisted and very sharp; which is nice and its still faithful to the original material but its never gonna be as good. I also have to mention the odd unfortunate cut into complete CGI for some scenes which does stick out like a sore thumb and look terrible. Why do they do that???

As for the characters again I'm pleased to say almost everyone gets a small (visual) cameo at least, some with dialog some not. Heck they even brought back old Lockjaw the turtle from series one, episode six. Not quite sure why seeing as Arnold released him into the sea at the end of that episode. So the turtle came back because...its friends with Arnold now? Anyway pretty much everyone can be seen including Dino, coach Wittenberg, Torvald, stoop kid etc...(where's the sewer King?). Alas not every character is voiced by the same original people. I'm sure there are decent reasons for this but I was annoyed to read that both Lane Toran and Jamil Walker Smith were not used for both Arnold and Gerald (they were the original voice actors for the characters), instead being given background characters. Why did they do that??? It is off putting when certain characters simply sound wrong (Mr. Hyunh for example).

I was slightly disappointed with the plot of the story though. I knew what to expect of course (following on from the TV episode) but it all felt a bit too generic and unoriginal really. What we essentially get is simply another 'Indiana Jones' type clone, because of course. I mean really? Couldn't they do something a bit more unique instead of the same old tired tropes and cliches that have been done a gazillion times over. I don't even have to explain anything to you because you should know exactly what I mean and what to expect.

I was quite stunned to see such a large amount of death on display though. Of course you don't see anything but a lot is implied and its quite amazing. A load of Lasombra's henchmen all get killed by stereotypical booby traps, to which he shows no remorse, in fact he allows them to get killed. And (spoiler alert) Lasombra himself gets shot in the forehead with a poisoned dart which sees him, eventually, fall into a ravine!

Naturally there are massive plot conveniences because its a kids cartoon movie, I can't really complain about that. But I have to point out that the plot and its main mcguffins don't really make any sense. All the adults in the green eyed tribe (including Arnold's folks) have been struck down with a sleeping illness (why Arnold's folks never came back). Apparently they have all been asleep for around the last ten years or so (yet not aged a day it seems). So to reverse this they need to activate this ancient machine which they miraculously manage with Helga's heart locket (the one with Arnold's pic in). When this ancient device is activated it shoots the antidote (I think) into the atmosphere which causes green rain. Which in turn causes a whole load of butterflies to awaken. Which in turn causes all the sleeping adults of the green eyed tribe to awaken, because why?? They couldn't administer this antidote any other way?

So the plot is kinda stupid, it makes no real sense, the ending is also kinda lame, oh and the way Abner gets back to the US on his own is ludicrous. But we do find out Arnold's last name, its Shortman! A clever little play on words there because Grandpa Phil has always called Arnold 'shortman', but it now turns out its not just a cute little nickname after all. Anyway overall I find myself in the same position when I saw the first movie outing for Arnold and co. This isn't a bad kids movie but its not exactly a great one either. Once again the plot is really thin on the ground and feels really padded out. Sure it was nice to see all the little snippets harking back the various TV episodes and all the various characters (in the background). But this show really works best with little short stand alone stories that revolve around simple relatable issues.

If anything they should do a new TV series, but if that means we would see Arnold going off with his new found parents on lots of dramatic adventures all over the world, then maybe not. I think 'Rugrats' suffered the same issue in my view. The bigger and more extravagant the stories become, the less relatable they become. Obviously grand stories are fine but shows like 'Hey Arnold!' (and 'Rugrats' and 'Doug') worked because their stories and characters were simple and (most probably) based off real life experiences and people. That is why so many are able to connect with the original material and why they are so popular (well that's how I have always seen these shows). So whilst I'm happy to see Arnold back, I just wish it was like the good old days.

5/10

15 Years!

[tommystans · 9/10 · 24 November 2017]

Back in 2002, 'Hey Arnold: The Movie' was released. It was originally intended to be a three part TV movie to meet up 100 episodes but unfortunately Nickelodeon thought at the time that Arnold saving his neighbourhood was a much more better idea for a movie despite that 'The Jungle Movie' was in production. So TJM was on hold and the other movie came out first which ended as a box office flop and wasn't successful critically.

TJM was still going ahead but then the creator Craig Bartlett was making a pilot for a new show for Cartoon Network, which didn't find its footing though in the end. Nickelodeon however decided to give him a contract to work exclusively on Hey Arnold only which resulted an end to the show and the production of the second movie. After years of interviews, petitioning, letters and hope, it had taken fans 15 years to let Nickelodeon revive the idea and breath it to new audience along with its fans of the 90's.

The movie was the sequel to the 2002 episode 'The Journal', a two parter episode explaining to us about Arnold's parents and there life but a deeper along with many hints along the way that will be answered in the movie. The movie starts off with Arnold entertaining a contest for a humanitarian organisation with his class. After a failed attempt because homeless people had destroyed Monkey Man's home, his friends made a video about him and what he does for the community of Hillwood with family and friends celebrating his efforts by his side. The video was entered in the contest and the organisation quickly picked him and they are off to San Lorenzo. But when they arrived they've encountered the infamous river pirate La Sombra who had a bit of history with Arnold's parents over the Corazón (the Heart) which he stole from them previously.

Questions were at last answered about the sleeping sickness that had caused a terrible outbreak to the green eyed people and what happened to Arnold's parents and why they never came back over the years. I will say the ending when Arnold was reunited with his parents did send goosebumps and nearly some tears, ending years of waiting.

When it was announced back in 2015 that some Nicktoons were considered of reviving and that one of them was Hey Arnold! I was a little worried but after hearing that Craig Bartlett was coming back to work on it and to look after the production it brought so much confidence in me because he handled his own series extremely well and kept the heart of it all in a consistent manner, not having too many change happening that ends up destroying the show. The movie proved my expectations and it left me with a smile on my face and it left me entertained.

The voice work may not be like what they were back in 90's but these characters were actually voiced by kids and of course they can't come back as Arnold and his friends as they won't sound authentic and so new ones have to be hired. This had been done before with the show in the past. Arnold was voiced by Toran Caudell mostly in S1 and was his singing voice for 'What's Opera, Arnold?' in S2, Phillip Van Dyke from S2-S3, Spencer Klein from S4-S5 and Alex D.Linz for 'April Fools Day' and 'The Journal' from S5. All of these voice actors would now be in their late 20's - mid 30's now. So it makes sense to have another VA to voice the football headed kid!

Mason Vale Cotton I think it had done a great job replicating Arnold's voice. It might be a little high pitch but I still feel that he was still Arnold throughout the movie. Other voice actors were replaced too for characters like Gerald and to me his voice actor sounds almost convincing. It was good replication of Gerald and I enjoyed the performance. It was also fun hearing the original voice actors returning to their roles that can still do their voices such as Harold and Helga, they still got it!

The music by Jim Lang is amazing and it still has that Hey Arnold feeling towards with its variety of music such as jazz and some orchestra along with new music such as South American music. The animation was good too although I will say Miles and Stella's hair to show signs of them ageing feels a little lazy. What could've been better is to maybe add some facial ageing to showcase that, I know that Stella has that when she woke up in the end so maybe more could've been done. I don't want to reveal more of the movie but its ending is something that fans had been waiting for to see and I bet they know what it is.

So in the end, the fans got what they wanted after years of waiting and Nickelodeon and Craig Bartlett had finally fulfilled that dream to become a reality. Thank you to them for bringing such a classic Nicktoon to TV screens again. So what will be the future of the show? Some fans are thinking it might add a sixth season and while I am opened for that. I think it would spoil what the movie was trying to be. An ending. An ending to the show. But whatever the outcome is, I hope we see more of the football head real soon with the right people in charge.

After 15 years, it does not disappoint

[SixseventyOne671 · 10/10 · 25 November 2017]

After the show was unfortunately pulled, with the supposed flop the original movie had, this was a great way to tie loose ends for the older fans of the series. It was also nice of the creators to include fan theories to either prove or disprove them.

Glad they finally made and completed the movie. Even if it didn't do well, it was a great way to end the series. It's be nice for a couple new seasons, but I wouldn't hold your breath. Overall I think this was a great movie and and the one were promised to tie up the series.

Fantastic and instant hit!

[ravsten428 · 9/10 · 3 December 2017]

To be honest, I had not seen an episode of Hey Arnold in years. A few months back, I bought the entire series on DVD from Shout Factory. I remember some episodes that I loved when I had first seen them. Ones such as Ghost Train, Married and Field Trip were etched upon my mind forever.

For about a year, I had heard of the upcoming release of The Jungle Movie. All year, this... and the final installment of Samurai Jack was what I looked forward to the most.

The Jungle Movie did not disappoint.

The only thing I didn't like about the film was that it was predictable. I knew that guy wasn't Eduardo. The characters are all still the same. It would have been nice if some of them had a life changing experience over the years.

My favorite part comes near the end of the film. Here we see how much Helga really loves Arnold. Very touching and heartwarming scene.

Thanks Mr. Bartlett for giving us such a grandiose film. We love you!

All you could want.

[gadkar-siddhesh · 10/10 · 16 February 2018]

It brought back memories. The key aspects of every character were highlighted. I don't know what to say, Craig Bartlett you are a genius. Arnold meant so much growing up. This movie though unbelievable on few occasions, is a masterpiece. Should have released in theatres. The Arnold fans would enjoy every moment of it. This movie was a closing chapter of the base plot - Arnold's parents. But I want more, I want a lot of movies to be released in Hey Arnold series. I am 28, but I would watch Hey Arnold series when its started again. I don't know how to say this, but there were moments when I cried while watching this movie only to see Arnold crying at the same time too. I don't cry for movies, not for fictional characters, certainly not for animation but I did. I wish Hey Arnold series wasn't stopped because of a dispute with Nickelodeon in the early 2000s. Hey Arnold is certainly a highlight of television for me as a kid.

Hey Arnold!

[ericstevenson · 9/10 · 24 November 2017]

When "Hey Arnold" ended over a decade ago, the creators wanted to resolve the plot with Arnold finding his missing parents and him recuperating Helga's feelings. For the longest time, this movie was said to be unfilmable. The original series wasn't as good as say "SpongeBob Squarepants" or "Invader Zim" but it was still pretty awesome. It was probably the focus on the side characters that made it so good. That's why I'm a bit disappointed they didn't use them that much here. Okay, they actually did get some really good lines here. I especially loved Rhonda hearing they wouldn't tell the Wii-Fii password. She says, "You monster!" and now they have to change it.

We get great parts in the beginning where we see a montage of all the people Arnold helped throughout the show's run and how one person like him really can make all the difference. I love his attitude towards Helga in this movie, particularly with how it comes full circle with how he's aware of her crush on him. They do still kind of keep it secret at the very end. I admit I knew Eduardo was the villain in disguise. This still has great animation and properly concluded a great show. This is why I watch Nickelodeon now. Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving I suppose! ***1/2

Really disappointed

[stephshea93 · 3/10 · 30 December 2020]

Every character was just a hyperbolic character of themselves, and everything felt hollow without the same tone as the TV series. The only parts I enjoyed were the grandparent and the adventure of Abner and the snake.

Best Thing Nickelodeon Has Done in Years!

[stevenuniversefanlife · 9/10 · 27 November 2017]

When I first heard about Hey Arnold The Jungle Movie back in 2011,I was shocked that it was cancelled. When it was announced that Nickelodeon is bringing back Hey Arnold with The Jungle Movie,I got very excited.

So,now since Hey Arnold The Jungle Movie is now released,what do I think of this movie?

I really loved this movie!

This has got to be the best thing Nickelodeon has ever done in the past decade!

What do I love about this movie? Well for starters,the animation is really top notch,sure the CGI Green Eyed People temple was not the best but overall the animation is really good and gives a good Hey Arnold feel to it.

The characters are so well handled here,especially Helga(my favorite character in Hey Arnold)

Helga's locket as the key to saving the green eyed people and Arnold's parents was mind blowing!

When Arnold reunited with his parents and Arnold kissing Helga made me feel that I got my closure that I,as a Hey Arnold fan deserve.

As a result,I give Hey Arnold!:The Jungle Movie a

9/10

Amazing and Beautiful, Excellent Closure

[jjc927 · 9/10 · 27 November 2017]

I have to take a point off because there were a few things that could've been a little better or just seemed off- mainly some of the voices, problems with the animation in spots, the eye effect that made Arnold look like he was licking a toad, and the ending feeling rushed. But man, for longtime fans of the show this movie was an incredible treat and it was well worth the wait. I absolutely loved it. It was basically everything we've asked for. So many great twists, the scenes with Arnold in the jail cell looking at the picture of his parents, Brainy rescuing Helga's locket, Arnold seeing his parents, him and the green eyes crying after it's revealed the gold heart fell down the cliff, the reunion with his parents, Arnold and Helga's kiss, and the end when he sees his parents downstairs and then they walk with him to school. It was just so well done and heart wrenching. I had to stop myself from crying, and I know many watching did. I love how the last part threw us for a loop too thinking it may have just been all been a dream. it was the closure we needed. Craig Bartlett has simply done incredible work.

Finding happiness

[pokatun · 10/10 · 2 December 2017]

Hello! Watched this movie and happy! For 15 years fans of pictures were waiting, speculated, dreamed of a happy future of their favorite characters. And here is the happy moment has come! A film about the jungle promised to be interesting, and it really is.

I especially want to mention the animation itself - the cartoon is colorful, bright, very beautiful backgrounds, landscapes, sky and jungle. I was afraid that more modern animation will damage the identity of the cartoon, but all was well. It was nice to see grown- up characters. Though they have grown slightly, but it is felt.Also, the creators have added a new product in the form of 3D models, which adds to the cartoon even more charm. In General, the cartoon turned out the way it expected to see - with old traditions, while many new elements.Many thought, will look like a journey to the jungles, because before that, the heroes left the city limits is rare. And throughout the series we've only seen "urban jungle".As always good humor from grandparents), And especially liked the presentation with the good works of Arnold, as if reviewing the series.

I'm 27 years old, I watched the show in childhood, then forgot about it and with the film about the jungle remembered again and decided to re-watch all of the series. Really, in this movie there are many good and bright, it teaches good and what is needed to help people and to always remain first and foremost a person.

The plot is dynamic, awesome music Jim Lang doing their job and 1-20 flies by very quickly, but how much emotion and enthusiasm in the final! Incredible! Personally, I respect Helga and consider it the main driving force of the film and the series. She really is a good friend and she can be relied upon. Despite the turmoil at home, she nevertheless devoted to his Arnold, willing to sacrifice their own interests for the sake of it, it's inspiring. Well that voice invited old actors, the game Francesca Mary Smith as always on top! But at the end of the film is an obvious understatement, not clear. I hope this bodes well for future episodes of season 6 because the themes of love and young hearts can go on, to show the development of the relationship of Helga and Arnold, the familiarity of their parents with each other, Phoebe and Gerald, and much more.

This film is like a reward, like a return to childhood, like meeting up with old friends, as the Christmas present you've been waiting for! The world is full of violence and cruelty... And this cartoon is different from others with your kindness and faith in people. I recommend to view! Thank you! It will be interesting, want season6!!!

Excellent, and reminiscent of the series

[mlanghoff-99167 · 10/10 · 29 May 2019]

I've recently rewatched the entire Hey Arnold series, and I've seen obvious and subtle nods to the series. My favorite was the overall theme of Arnold's headshape, and how it ties into the movie. It reminded me of the episode where Arnold turns into a greaser to fit his head through a window lol.

I've watched this movie for the second time and have enjoyed it immensely. I grew up with the series, and I was so excited to watch this movie when it came out. It was worth a revisit. A true nostalgic treasure.

Very good cartoon!

[MikeVagan · 10/10 · 21 April 2019]

Very good cartoon! The plot is great. The characters are the same and with the same characteristic; as in the cartoon series "Hey, Arnold" Perfectly brightens up the time...

In General, the plot is done very well. Everything is deployed smoothly and accessible, what and how for what goes. It is very important that after so many years Arnold's characteristics have not changed - it is very valuable!

Great the first time...However during the second run at this movie

[ThunderKing6 · 5/10 · 17 March 2019]

On my second run at this movie I felt the story just didn't make any sense. Supposedly, the producers thought the original fans were at old age or dead so know one would notice because children nowadays are not very smart.

Well I noticed a few things.

Characters appear and then just disappear like that with no explanation.

The story is just...well realistically you really didn't need Arnold to save his parents. But since the show is called "Hey Arnold" let him be the hero.

The real Edwardo says he was following Arnold since he was on the boat, yet only appears at the most coincidental time. He didn't save Arnold from capture, didn't offer Arnold a ride to find the Green eyed people. He just shows up right as Arnold and friend were about to fall to their deaths.

Why didn't the real Edwardo speak up a little earlier or notify Arnold Parents about what happened during the TV run? He seemed like he knew a lot already.

This movie was just a lackluster filler that is only impressive when you watch it once. When you watch it a second time your eyes will be opened to a lackluster event.

Only gets a 5 because its not a horrible movie it just doesn't make any sense.