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What The Critics Say About(Left: Tommy & Angelica pay a visit to the offices of the El Universal newspaper in Caracas, Venezuela; they made their appearance when Rugrats In Paris was released in Venezuela on July 6, 2001. From the El Universal web site; © El Universal of Venezuela.) |
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Critics the world over have their say regarding Rugrats In Paris. Many critics gave the film average ratings, though some praised the film, while others trashed it. Some are those who thought The Rugrats Movie stunk, but gave Rugrats In Paris their seal of approval, and vice versa. And of course, some critics praised or trashed the Rugrats the second time in a row.
In the movie ads for the film, only the most positive criiticisms are used. And of course, some movie companies unscrupulously turn negative blurbs into positive blurbs. But on this site, I'll present all sides of opinion. As for whether or not you want to see the movie, you be the judge.
To read what the critics said about the original "Rugrats Movie", click here. |
1. All quotes and excerpts are copyrighted by the publishers and media companies they write for.
2. " # " indicates that the review was translated from a foreign language. Translations are by me, based on translations provided by Transparent Language, using the Easy Translator 3 software, along with online services provided by Systran and Altavista. I apologise in advance for any mistranslations. The foreign language version is on top, while the English version is on the bottom. Languages seen here are French, Spanish, German, Portuguese & Italian.I won't be able to bring you any reviews in languages other than these, as the translators don't have any other translating capabilities other than the languages above.
It should be noted that French and Spanish are generally the easiest to translate; German and Italian are the most difficult.
3, In the ads, some TV station quotes are attributed only to the reviewer and the network, when in fact that the reviewer represents only the local station that it's affiliated with; such is common practice in movie ads. For these quotes, I'll includes the call letters, channel number and the city it's based in (you have search engines to thank for that). For example, an ad gave only "Sandie Newton, CBS-TV", but due to extra research, it's become "Sandie Newton, KTVT ch.11 (CBS), Fort Worth - Dallas".
4. Some French reviews provided by Allocine.
5. Some reviews provided by Varakorn Ungvichian (who provided me with these reviews while I was away in Quebec on vacation).
6. And for those who are wondering -- yes, all reviews on this page are 100% real, unfiltered and straight from the source. For blurbs from ads, a little web research was done for verification (see # 3).
These critics liked the movie so much, that they recommend it to everyone.
This film is endorsed by:
Big Help Partners (Source: Rugrats In Paris ad in New York Times, 12/3/2000) |
A-Channel (CHMI, Winnipeg) (Kate Brandon) [From an ad for the film]
A movie for all ages...
ATV (CTV), Halifax (Todd Battis) [approximate quote]
If you like the first film and the TV show, you'll like Rugrats In Paris -- there's something for everyone.
The Age (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) (Adrian Martin)
I am new to the Rugrats phenomenon, but the charm of these animated critters is obvious from their latest movie. The labours of two directors and five writers have not been in vain.
Amarillo Globe-News A- (Chip Chandler)
Kids and parents - or uncles or nice neighbors, for that matter - will all find lots to love about the Nickelodeon diaperheads' second big-screen adventure.
Amazon.Com (Doug Thomas)
The second theatrical film from the popular television show is better than the original surprise hit. Instead of delving into their rich fantasy life, the Rugrats gang goes on a real adventure when their families visit Paris together.
The success of the Rugrats is in the writing, where much thought goes into finding comic gems for the adults (there are wonderful parodies of The Godfather and King Kong that will sail over kids' heads). The garbled-mouth youngsters keep up their joyful ways in this 78-minute feature that feels no different from their Nickelodeon series in except in length, some 3-D animation sequences, and an eclectic song score (with Cyndi Lauper's "I Want a Mom That Will Last Forever" the real catch).
Apollo Guide 74 out of 100 (Dan Jardine)
Rugrats in Paris' surprisingly sweet story... is rife with multi-layered humour (there's stuff for parents and their kids) and briskly paced (despite the occasionally ill-advised musical interlude – not all of the tunes by Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh work their intended magic). The best of the grownup shots are aimed Euro-Disney's way (EuroReptar land is even more hideous than you imagine it will be), and the best of the kiddie jokes are handled by Phil and L'il, whose "bubbling tummies" lead them into all sorts of mischief, mayhem and soap (sorry, tripped over into Fight Club territory for a second).
Rugrats in Paris has growed-up humour coming out of every orifice to keep mommy and daddy entertained when the wee wee and poo poo jokes start getting a little thin... Rugrats in Paris allows us to dip our toes in this ooey gooey world without too much residual stickage.
While the parody is not quite as sophisticated as television's The Simpsons (different target audience, after all), the makers of Rugrats can take pride in their clever mingling of old (The Godfather gets the most persistent attention) and new (just when I'd gotten enough distance from pro baseball's World Series to have erased Baha Men's Who Let the Dogs Out from the soundtrack of my life).
Granted, Rugrats in Paris has a potty-mouth. And nose. And ears. And bottom. All I can say is, goody! Now leave my dumb babies alone so we can have some more fun.
Arizona Daily Star (Tucson) (Gene Armstrong)
Overflowing with charming mayhem, potty humor galore and sly comedic references for adults, the sequel to "The Rugrats Movie" is an endearing winner.
Underscored with an acceptance of nontraditional families and imbued with a sense of toddler chaos, "Rugrats In Paris" is a delight.
Just remember to remind your kids the Rugrats are not role models: most of us do not eat potato chips from the floor, even in the first-class section on an airplane.
Associated Press (Malcolm Ritter)
``Rugrats in Paris — the Movie'' is a charming and clever romp of animation that will appeal to kids and grown-ups.
Thankfully, the movie avoids getting too cute. Instead, it's simply funny, with lots of action for the kids and a cleverness that will appeal to adults, as in its ``Godfather'' spoofs.
In the end, of course, true love — romantic, maternal and paternal — triumphs. And by the time the adventure ends in a huge, joyous food fight, audience members will agree it was a wonderful trip.
The Austin (TX) Chronicle (Marc Savlov)
1998's The Rugrats Movie was the series' big-screen debut and produced middling results. Rugrats in Paris is a far superior effort, due in part to a return to the series' personal, character-driven storylines (the first film was less a cohesive story than a series of distressingly scary adventures and animated set-pieces).
Both the series and the films depict a mix of real-world situations (new baby jealousy, kidhood ageism, et cetera) and some very funny flights of fantasy that taken together are unlike any other kid's show running right now (only Nickelodeon's tweenager series Doug comes close). If you're a parent, you could do a heck of a lot worse than taking the spawn off to catch Rugrats in Paris and if you're a kid, well, you probably already knew that anyway.
Supérieur à son prédécesseur, «Les Razmoket à Paris» met en scène des personnages plus complexes et plus réels, ayant de véritables motivations. Les voix sont remarquables et on atteint parfois l'humour chaleureux de «Toy Story».
Superior than its predecessor, "Rugrats in Paris" features more complex characters and more realities, having true motivations. The voices are remarkable and it occasionally reaches the warm humor of "Toy Story".
Baltimore Sun 3 stars (Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan)
"Rugrats in Paris" [is] a rare kids' movie - its humor is smart enough to entertain children, yet also make adults laugh.
The plot to find a new mom is poignant, and some of the movies' songs and scenes will tug at adults' heartstrings. But the film also is wildly entertaining because of its spoofs of flicks such as "Godfather" and "Jurassic Park."
So, if your children are clamoring to see this movie, do not resist.
Bangor Daily News (Dale McGarrigle)
Sequels that improve on their cinematic forerunners are a rarity. This is especially true among children's films, where sequels are too often straight-to-video photocopies of the originals.
"Rugrats in Paris," now in theaters, is one of those rare exceptions. Nickelodeon's popular babies return in a road picture that is a marked improvement on 1998's "The Rugrats Movie."
Last time out, the "Rugrats" creative brain trust was timid entering the new medium, and the result was a film that came across as a stretched-out but watered-down episode of the TV series. This time, they started with the assumption that audiences know their characters and are there for their particular brand of humor.
Like the first film and the TV series itself, "Rugrats in Paris" is firmly rooted in pop culture, and the adults in the audience will enjoy picking out the subtle references.
"Rugrats in Paris" takes the Nickelodeon superstars to the next stage in their evolution, while welcoming newcomers as well. It's a film that parents and children can enjoy together.
Bangor Daily News B+ (Christopher Smith)
Just as in the old Saturday morning Warner Brothers cartoons, where Chuck Jones and his crew brilliantly walked the fine line between entertainment for children and entertainment for adults, the creators of Nickelodeon's "Rugrats" know exactly how to please each camp.
That's a major key to their success. On one level, they're titillating youngsters with the ribald antics of Tommy Pickles and his high-strung toddler friends, but on another level, they're winking broadly at adults — you know, those people who have the cash to move Rugrats merchandise and to turn Rugrats movies into $100 million-plus hits.
If that's a calculated move on the part of the producers, at least the end result doesn't feel disingenuous. Indeed, while watching "Rugrats" on television or seeing the movies — "Rugrats in Paris" being the second after 1998's smash success "The Rugrats Movie" — there's a real sense that the series wasn't manufactured only in an effort to cash in. Indeed, this series is so unique, it more often feels as if it just happened to get lucky in striking a cultural vein.
...in one of the film's more inspired moments of cultural roughhousing, it lampoons EuroDisneyland and its initial, well-publicized spate of problems with the creation of EuroReptarland.
For all of its crude, toilet humor — and there's much of it in "Rugrats in Paris," perhaps too much for a film that snagged a G rating — the film has heart. The scenes between Chuckie and his father, both of whom deeply miss the mother and wife, are genuinely touching and moving. These moments help balance the film, lifting it out of its flurry of potty and vomit jokes while giving it a much-needed soul.
...A one-way ticket to infantile heaven....[The film also] contains enough reference points [Coppola's THE GODFATHER II, Visconti's LEOPARD] to throw the Earth's gravitional pull out of whack...
# Bild
Diese süßen Rotznasen sorgen für gute Laune. Tolles Zeichentrickabenteuer!
This sweet film provides for a good mood. A mad, animated adventure!
Boston Herald 2.5 stars (Amy Amatangelo)
Chuckie's in love. Actually the timid Rugrat is in love with the idea of the perfect mother and he's determined to help his father find her. That's the rather mature story behind ``Rugrats in Paris,'' the second movie from Nickelodeon's gang of adventurous toddlers.
The film is full of references to make adults chuckle. Japanese Godzilla films, ``Jurassic Park,'' ``A Few Good Men'' and ``The Incredible Hulk'' are all given a Rugrats spin. Especially amusing is ``The Godfather'' spoof that opens and closes the film.
There are also plenty of allusions to Disney, the godfather of animated film. The Rugrats visit EuroReptarland, they ride through Ooey Gooey World (complete with an annoying song), and pooch Spike and his poodle girlfriend share a pizza in a scene reminiscent of ``Lady and the Tramp.'' And what could be more Disney than a child without a mother? A motherless child faced with the prospect of a cruel stepmother, of course!
The producers ripped another page from Disney's playbook and obtained big-name talent to voice some of the film's characters. As the voice of Coco, Susan Sarandon is quite funny and whips out some real zingers. Plus, kids are bound to get a kick out of Coco's outlandish outfits. Anyone who has ever watched a Disney film knows that no villainess is complete without her bumbling sidekick: John Lithgow voices that role nicely as Coco's personal assistant Jean-Claude.
While no one can fault the film for having a happy ending, the movie could give impressionable children the idea that finding a new mommy is relatively easy.
Whether you enjoy ``Rugrats in Paris,'' depends on how you feel about this motley crew in general. There's an easy argument to be made against the constant barrage of potty humor and gross-out visual images, which are more prevalent here than in the first film.
Twins Phil and Lil's penchant for putting anything in their mouths (bugs, vomit, unknown gooey substances) and down their diapers is particularly distressing. But fans of ``The Rugrats'' are probably used to that.
Boston Phoenix (Nina Willdorf)
With a fast-paced plot, a fair number of giggle-worthy puns, and a score including the rousing "Who Let the Dogs Out," this effort from Stig Bergqvist and Paul Demeyer is tolerable for indulging adults -- and likely heaven for their own droolers.
Box Office 3.5 stars (Dwayne E. Leslie)
The Rugrats are back for an all-new adventure, and one that is by far much funnier and more entertaining for both youngsters and their guardians than the first bigscreen outing.
In this sequel, there are new perils and a climactic, Godzilla-like robotic battle that far outdoes the finale of the first film.
Although "Rugrats" is for children, the writing also takes its captive audience of adults into consideration, depicting hyperbolic antics as an in-joke to parents who know first-hand that the exaggerations are minimal at best.
CFCF ch.12 (CTV), Montreal (Mose Persico) [From an ad for the film]
Heartwarming... and funny.
Calgary Sun (Louis B. Hobson)
Rugrats in Paris is not remotely as sophisticated as even the most inconsequential Disney animated feature.
Hey, that's not a criticism.
In their latest adventure they cause a great deal of havoc at a family amusement park in Paris called EuroReptarland.
Can anyone say EuroDisney?
This is just the first of many gentle jabs at Disney, Disneyland and Disney cartoons.
These references have a much better chance of connecting with children than the far more clever and funny movie references.
When the children hijack a giant dinosaur robot and stomp through the streets of Paris, it's a tip of the hat to Jurassic Park. When the same dinosaur climbs the Eiffel Tower, it's clearly an homage to King Kong. Best of all are the send ups of The Godfather.
These scenes are clearly in Rugrats in Paris for the adults who must accompany their tykes to the show, and the ploy works wonderfully -- it's a true family film.
Directors Stig Bergqvist and Paul Demeyer make sure the film bounces along at a jaunty pace and that most of the rambunctious antics are accompanied by appropriately upbeat songs, such as Who Let the Dogs Out, Chuckie Chan, These Boots Are Made For Walking and Life is a Party.
Hey, with the Rugrats around life really is a party -- at least for the 75 or so minutes it takes this film to run its course.
Chicago Sun-Times
3 stars (Roger Ebert; distributed by
Universal Press
Syndicate)
(see below for Ebert & Roeper)
You don't make a habit of announcing you're a Rugrats fan, but when you get together with other moms and Rugrats comes up, you grin and say you hate to admit it, but you actually LIKE the show.
You will like Rugrats in Paris, too. I liked it. It's better than the 1998 Rugrats movie, funnier, weirder, with more stuff for adults to clue into. Or maybe kids also clue into this stuff.
The plot is just the excuse for the goofiness, including a dance line of sumo wrestlers, a thrilling trip to the Princess at the very top of the park, a love affair between a poodle and a mutt, and the Godzilla-style chase through the streets of Paris, with the kids running a giant raptor that scales the Eiffel Tower before finally arriving at Notre Dame Cathedral, where the wedding is in progress.
The graphic style of the movie will be familiar to anyone who watches the TV show. I like it. It's bright and quirky, with the oversized heads of the kids owing a little to Charles Schulz. The dialogue is direct and fundamental, geared to young values. And there are the usual jokes about poo and pee and farts and stinky didies; as I observed in my Rugrats review, kids are fascinated with bodily excretions because they have so recently celebrated their own personal victories over them.
The point is, adults can attend this movie with a fair degree of pleasure. That's not always the case with movies for kids, as no parent needs to be reminded. There may even be some moms who insist that the kids NEED to see this movie. You know who you are.
The Cincinnati Enquirer 3 stars (Margaret A. McGurk)
While the new sequel is not quite the equal of the original lost-in-the-woods adventure, it is both cuter and weirder than its predecessor.
The park is ruled by a child-hating fashion plate, Coco La Bouche (voice of Susan Sarandon), who realizes she needs a family in order to take over the Reptarland conglomerate. She sets her sights on Chuckie's vulnerable dad, (voice of Michael Bell), even though her assistant Kira (voice of Julia Kato) is obviously a better choice.
The plot is really mostly a device to give the Rugrats a chance to run wild, which they do with comic abandon, to the point of invading Notre Dame Cathedral with a giant reptile rodent.
As in the first film, Mark Mothersbaugh's eclectic soundtrack adds flavor, though it's not quite as tasty as the original.
That is not a major complaint in a movie so full of giddy surprises — not the least being a karaoke performance by a trio of sumo wrestlers (one voiced by Tim Curry).
The Cincinnati Post A (Craig Kopp)
Wouldn't you know it, a sequel better than the original - and it's a cartoon.
We've seen this before with ''Toy Story'' and ''Toy Story 2,'' and now ''Rugrats in Paris: The Movie'' proves to be superior to the first film based on the popular Nickleodeon cartoon.
'Rugrats in Paris'' even seems to be drawn better than the first movie, making this a must-see for all rugrats, and former rugrats posing as parents.
For its genre, ''Rugrats in Paris'' is well worth the trip.
# Cine Live 2 stars (Xavier Leherpeur)
À la suite d'un démarrage en forme d'improbable remake du Parrain (avec scène de la tête de cheval), les scénaristes s'amusent tout du long à adresser d'irrévérencieux clins d'oeil à quelques classiques tels que Godzilla ou King Kong, à égratigner (dans les limites de l'admissible) les lois impitoyables du merchandising conquérant de l'oncle Sam, et à balancer quelques calembours honteux, mais réjouissants. Seule ombre à ce coup de coeur: l'inédit de Mylène Farmer ne sert que de... musique d'aéroport. Oh rage, ces Yankees ne respectent décidément rien.
It starts with a remake of the Godfather (with the scene of the horse's head), the amusing scroptwriters give irreverant winks to some classics such as Godzilla or King Kong, to poke fun at (within he limits) the pitiless laws of merchandising conquering Uncle Sam, and to balance some shameful puns, but gladdening. The only heartbreak: Mylène Farmer is heard only as background music at the airport. Oh rage, these Yankees do not respect anything.
Cinema Online (Malaysia) (Reuben Kee)
The film is very well handled, juggling the wacky humour with the sensitivity of the movie. Scenes involving Chuckie expressing his longing to have a mom can be emotionally stirring and if not careful, it may even move you to tears. But what is a "Rugrat" cartoon without any wacko comedy, to accompany them and this film has plenty of that. Also, check out spoofs and satire this cartoon makes on such popular films as "The Godfather", "The Fugitive", "Lady and the Tramp", "Godzilla" and even Jackie Chan himself. It will have you in stitches.
The thing that impresses me most about this feature is the music... it blends smoothly with the storyline without character breaking into a song. The songs come quite frequently helping to make the transaction of the film more interesting and exciting. My favourite song in the movie would be the ever popular "Who Let the Dogs Out?" and the hilarious "Chuckie Chan".
The voices behind the animation too sound like they are having a blast. Susan Sarandon and John Lithgow... are simply out of this world and gave the right feel to their characters. The baby's voices are brilliant as usual but do take time to check out the special guest voices that were contributed for this film. Try to detect... Cassey (sic) Kasem, Debbie Reynolds, and Tim Curry.
Give this film a go and bring your family, since the school holidays are just around the corner. In addition to being fun and comedy filled, the movie has a lot of heart, reminding us that we do have some "babyness" in buried deep down somewhere, just waiting to unleash.
CityBeat (Cincinnati) B (Steve Ramos)
The Pickles and Finster babies go to the City of Lights for this clever and heartfelt adaptation of the popular Nickelodeon series. For the sake of merchandising, a Rugrat named Kimi is also introduced. Still, buying another toy doll is a small price to pay for a family cartoon as funny as Rugrats in Paris.
# Clarín (Buenos Aires, Argentina) (Maria Iribarren)
Según los productores (Arlene Klasky, Gabor Csupo y Paul Germain), a diferencia de la serie y de la primera película, se prestó una atención especial a los backgrounds, aprovechando la bella y compleja arquitectura parisina. Un detalle que no desveló a Firulais a quien se lo ve levantando la pata al pie de la Torre Eiffel. ¡Cosa de perro!
En resumen: una verdadera fiesta en pañales cuya promesa harán más breves (y menos rigurosos) el verano y el otoño.
According to the producers (Arlene Klasky, Gabor Csupo and Paul Germain), unlike the series and the first film, a special attention to backgrounds was lent, taking advantage of the beautiful and complex Parisian architecture. A special detail that Spike unwitting did is that it raised its leg at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. It's a dog thing!
In summary: a true celebration in diapers whose promise will make the summer and the autumn brief (and less rigorous).
# El Colombiano (Medellin, Colombia)
Una buena opción para la temporada de vacaciones que comienza.
A good option for the start of vacation season.
The Commercial-Appeal (Memphis) 2.5 stars (John Beifuss)
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie [is] a frantic and sometimes moving animated feature that should amuse parents as it entertains kids.
The film is a sort of sequel to the "Mother's Day" special episode of the Rugrats TV series, a true tearjerker that dealt seriously with the history of Chuckie's deceased mom and his somewhat lonely single father. Such themes, however, don't interfere in the film with the usual comic emphasis on such Rugrats obsessions as "poop" and "boogers."
In a way, Rugrats in Paris, the first followup to The Rugrats Movie of 1998, is a replica - scaled down for kids - of the movies their parents usually attend. This approach is both good and bad. Like any number of more "mature" hits, from Shanghai Noon to X-Men to Charlie's Angels, the film is all over the place, constantly moving and always operating at a high pitch of emotional engagement, to keep viewers laughing or cheering or crying. Thus, we get eye-misting songs like I Want a Mommy That Will Last Forever alongside diaper and throw-up jokes, as well as satirical references that only adults will understand and comic, noisy action sequences that with a few adjustments wouldn't be out of place in a Jackie Chan movie (in fact, one fantasy interlude finds Chuckie imagining himself as "Chuckie Chan").
Although it occasionally veers out of control like a malfunctioning Reptar, Rugrats in Paris preserves enough of the emotional core of its central story about love, loss and second chances to be worthwhile.
We have found that, in general, there are three kinds of children's movies. The first are those that appeal to kidlets for reasons far beyond the understanding of the bored-out-of-their-minds adults in the next seat. Second, usually big budget animated flicks, are those that have a lot of visual activity to fix the kids attentions while they try to enthrall the adults in the audience. Then there are the proud and few movies that have jokes for kids, and other gags that will sail over those tiny li'l heads squarely targeting the area between the eyeballs of all the adults in the audience.
Such a flick is Rugrats in Paris, the second movie based upon the Nickelodeon television series.
Metaphorically, if [The] Rugrats [Movie] was Hell, Rugrats in Paris is pretty close to Heaven. Not heavenly enough that those in or beyond teenhood will buy tickets without a kidlet in tow but good enough that they'll be renting when they do have one. We meant it. It always comes back to rental.
From the adult POV, Rugrats in Paris is delightful from the word go, the reason being that those of us who have left puberty behind get our own parody story to follow along.
While the Godfather bits run out of steam about the time the songs get really annoying – it sets up a great gag which we won't spill – there's enough extra stuff to keep it all fairly pleasant.
Yes, most grownups will want to rent and yes, every kidlet who stares at Rugrats on Nickelodeon without blinking will want to be at the first show. If you've got a family full of pre-teens, make it a big night out. Either adult will be able to slip out for a couple of minutes without missing much, if the kidlets need popcorn refills.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) 2.5 stars (Steve Warren)
"Rugrats in Paris - The Movie" devotes more time to adult characters and issues, such as widowhood, dating and remarriage, albeit largely from the children's point of view. That doesn't mean there's not still plenty of time for the Rugrats' real concern: body functions. There are enough jokes about "boogers," farts, "poo-poo" and, since we're in France, "oui-oui" to fill several "diapeys."
The success of the first movie, and the continuing success of the Nickelodeon series, allow for a larger budget this time out. It's been spent on celebrity voices - Susan Sarandon has a lead role with John Lithgow in support; Tim Curry sings a song and Debbie Reynolds has one line - and presumably location drawing, although the ambiance of the French capital was captured better in "Gay Purr-ee" almost 40 years ago. (Or maybe it just had more ambiance then.)
Grown-ups will be the only ones to understand a spoof of "The Godfather" that bookends the film and takeoffs on familiar lines from "Apocalypse Now" and "A Few Good Men"; but the whole family can appreciate an homage to "Lady and the Tramp," especially since the referenced scene is being used in trailers for "102 Dalmatians."
While the French and Japanese characters are largely stereotyped, including a trio of karaoke-singing sumo wrestlers voiced by Tim Curry, "Rugrats in Paris" may serve as a child's first lesson in international awareness, opening their minds to concepts of diversity and cultural exchange. While I wouldn't go so far as to recommend it for adults unaccompanied by rugrats, at least it makes more of an effort to entertain baby-sitters than "The Rugrats Movie" did.
Perhaps for the next Rugrats movie they can get Lily Tomlin to move Edith Ann into the neighborhood. Now there's a rugrat!
The Daily Mirror (London) 3 stars (Jonathan Ross) (from Ananova)
My only quibble is that it starts and ends with a spoof of The Godfather, a film which none of its target audience will have seen or know about.
The Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) 2.5 stars (Jerry Shottenkirk)
Those lovable little troublemakers are back in "Rugrats in Paris -- The Movie."
"Rugrats in Paris -- The Movie" takes the youngsters to a new world in more ways than one. They learn and recognize the meaning of emotions such as heartbreak, courage and love. There are touching moments, but mostly it's the normal Rugrats free-for-all.
This movie is supposed to be about fun, and it is -- for everyone. Normal household terms such as "poop" and "booger" dot the script, but really, in this age, those are welcome compared to what could be tossed around.
The Daily Telegraph (London) 4 stars
The first Rugrats film was great but this one is even better, thanks to a cracking pace that's just as speedy as the shorter TV programme and some very comical French accents. The series is one of the few good reasons to flit from SMTV to Live & Kicking on a Saturday morning, thanks to clever plots and witty scripts. You get all that in the new film, plus a few songs too.
The Dallas Morning News B (Nancy Churnin)
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie seems keenly aware of the pitfalls of following up a popular first movie. Remember Jaws 2? Grumpier Old Men? Pokémon 2000?
That's why this sequel to The Rugrats Movie starts with a parody of The Godfather (a film that was equalled, if not outclassed, by its sequel) in which Angelica listens to the wishes of Tommy and the gang in full godfather regalia.
In that spirit, Rugrats again blends poignancy with fun in a way that touches parents, even as it goes for kids with a run of bodily function and booger jokes.
As in the first movie, which built a slapstick plot around Tommy's struggle to accept his new baby brother, Rugrats in Paris spins wacky situations around a recognizable and contemporary story: a boy's ambivalence about what he wants his stepmother to be like and his father's struggle to reconcile his desire for a companion with his son's need to feel secure.
But just when you think the movie is going down the worn evil-stepmother path, a better candidate emerges and, voila! Look for new Rugrat regulars in the upcoming television series.
While Rugrats introduces a few celebrity voices, including Susan Sarandon's (as Coco LaBouche) and John Lithgow's (as her henchman), the good news is that the show still belongs to the little rascals and the good-natured havoc they wreak wherever they go.
Long may they toddle.
Dayton Daily News B+ (Laura Dempsey)
The 'rats and their extended families were past due to have their own Brady-goes-Hawaiian reward, flush with the amazing success of 1998's The Rugrats Movie and the ongoing bonanza of the television series.
So off goes the gang to Paris, where havoc is wreaked at all the French hot spots: Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower.
But wait: It's more--much more--than havoc here. The Rugrats, while in Paris, learn new lessons about courage and loyalty, adding to the old stuff about courage and loyalty they learned in the first movie and relearn every week on Nickelodeon.
There's a new Rugrat named Kimi (Dionne Quan), who--talk about a lucky baby!--goes to daycare on the grounds of EuroReptarland. She's 2, cute and impulsive--and she fits right in.
And yes, there's the music by Mark Mothersbaugh, late of Devo, running on a track parallel to Danny Elfman, late of Oingo Boingo, scoring films of a certain sensibility. Warning No. 1: Who Let the Dogs Out by the Baha Men is included in the movie and on the soundtrack, which, if following in its predecessor's footsteps, will be in demand.
Warning No. 2: Nickelodeon has launched its "most extensive consumer products initiative to date," says the press material proudly.
Ah well. A baby's gotta do what a baby's gotta do, and a baby's gotta make a living. Rugrats franchise bound to ring up holiday cheer for Nickelodeon. Paris rolls out the red carpet when the Rugrats gleefully visit EuroReptarland.
Deseret News (Salt Lake City) 3 stars (Jeff Vice)
Successful films understand their target audience. Highly successful films play to their target audience but also try to expand it.
No clearer example of that rule exists than the "Toy Story" movies, which raked in the dough by appealing to kids — the obvious, primary audience — as well as their parents and other adults.
And while the "Rugrats" theatrical movies may not be in the same cinematic stratosphere as "Toy Story" and its exceptional sequel, they have tried to duplicate the successful formula.
That experiment already worked once — the first "Rugrats" film was a surprise hit last summer. And "Rugrats in Paris — The Movie" cleverly stays the course.
Consequently, the level of humor at work this time isn't very highbrow — in fact, it's downright childish, for the most part. But there's a smarter, more sly wit lurking just beneath the surface of what seems to be a simple story.
Despite the fact that there are five credited screenwriters (all of whom have written for the television series) and several subplots going on, co-directors Stig Bergqvist and Paul Demeyer manage to make it all fit together, with few cracks showing.
But what's perhaps most surprising is how deftly, how poignantly the motherhood and parenting material is handled — though, again, the balance of humor is directed at really young viewers.
Thankfully, there are also some lighthearted jabs at Disney entertainment, including its amusement parks and the Broadway production of "The Lion King," which should satisfy headier audiences. (Ya gotta love the silly but affectionate nod to "Lady and the Tramp.")
If that wasn't enough, there's also stellar voice work from series regulars Cavanaugh, E.G. Daily and Cheryl Chase — though guest voice Sarandon threatens to steal the show with her way over-the-top vocal performance.
Detroit Free Press 3 stars (John Monaghan)
For a movie whose biggest laughs come from booger and dirty diaper jokes, "Rugrats in Paris" is remarkably smart. The follow-up to 1998's $100-million-gross "The Rugrats Movie" offers an action-packed, round-trip ticket to France with a bunch of babies as irresistible as they are grotesque.
Both "Rugrats in Paris" and its predecessor have a knack for effortlessly changing mood. Just when you're prepared to wipe a tear, the movie delivers such comic treats as an Andrew Lloyd Webber version of "Godzilla," karaoke sumo waiters performing "Bad Girls" or a dream sequence with a karate-chopping Chuckie Chan.
The Rugrats would make Walt Disney cringe; and that's certainly part of their sticky charm. They have an honesty instantly recognizable to parents. Look around the theater and you'll catch parents smiling at least as much as the kids they're escorting.
Detroit News 3 stars (Susan Stark)
Inventive, funny and ever-true to the psychological acuity that is the genius of the concept on both big screen and small, Rugrats in Paris takes the babies abroad, with bossy Angelica in the lead and worrywart Chuckie in the center.
Parents will giggle with recognition; tots will be immensely, delightedly confirmed. The Rugrats writers and producers operate from a steady platform in truth that produces those kinds of reactions in the entertainment-starved family audience.
The babies' 1998 movie bow proved wildly popular. The sequel merits a similar response.
By introducing both a European and Asian element into the mix, this Rugrats saga becomes even more widely embracing than its casually integrated but all-American predecessor.
In addition, it adds some high-priced vocal talent to the prime, if uncelebrated, regulars. Susan Sarandon speaks deliciously French-fried English for the strenuously chic female villain (Coco La Bouche which, in the mother tongue, translates to Coco The Mouth); John Lithgow, as her equally dressy sidekick; and Debbie Reynolds as Grandpa Lou's perky new mate.
In short, the family audience will delight in saying oui, oui to Rugrats in Paris. Or wee-wee, as the case may be.
E! B+
What's funnier than snooty French citizens suffering at the hands of these silly babies and a barrage of poo, barf and fart jokes? Right. Absolutely nothin'. TV's peculiar Pickles clan holds a Tour de France of its own in the Rugrats' latest, funniest and most colorful big-screen trip--and the City of Lights will never recover. While dad works, the kids dive into the world of baguettes, chocolate, berets and Reptarland. Flatulence is the key to funny here, but there's also a lot of heart, dealing with the issues of loss, love, stepparents and, um, theme parks. Susan Sarandon (and her faux French accent) is a nice addition to the regular cast of voice talents as the child-loathing stepmom-to-be. There's nothing much to be afraid of here--save for the fact that "France" rhymes with "underpants" a little too easily.
Edmonton Journal 3 stars (Marc Horton)
There's a surprising level of irony at work in Rugrats in Paris -- The Movie that is going to go completely over the heads of your youngsters.
However, moms and dads need not fear their little ones won't find plenty at which to laugh. There are a surplus of jokes about wet and smelly diapers, farts and one gag -- literally -- of twin babies thinking that a well-filled barf bag is someone's forgotten lunch.
It is, I suppose, harmless enough stuff for those among us under age six, which is pretty much the top end of the Rugrats demographic.
What's surprising, therefore, is that this film has a high degree of appeal for those grown-ups who will find themselves forced by their little ones to attend this film.
Directors Stig Bergqvist and Paul DeMeyer and their team of writers get their digs in at the folks at Disney, the studio that remains the biggest kid on the animation block. Much of it is clever stuff, and if it doesn't exactly move Rugrats in Paris to a five-star rating, it has enough to at least evoke an adult smile and, maybe, a quiet chuckle or two.
Along the way, the movie also pays particular homage to The Godfather, a cinematic reference certain to have most youngsters scratching their baffled little noggins in wonderment.
In the end, Rugrats in Paris is a suitably brisk movie, and there's plenty crammed into its less-than-80 minutes, including a not-so-subtle comment on the kind of tourism that leads people to exotic places where they stay in place like EuroReptarland, a.k.a. Disneyland.
Empire (David Hughes)
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie is as good as their last big-screen outing, but with goofy French accents, more movie references for the grown ups - most notably the wonderful Godfather parody which opens the film - and a heartwarming storyline about Chuckie's search for anew mummy.
Entertainment Weekly B+ (Bruce Fretts)
With its melange of poo poo humor and pop culture in jokes, Nickelodeon's ''Rugrats'' packs appeal for both kids and parents. Adult friendly content was largely lost in the peewees' first big screen adventure, 1998's too frenetic ''The Rugrats Movie,'' but it's been restored for the très superior sequel, Rugrats in Paris: The Movie.
This becomes clear from the first scene, a dead on parody of ''The Godfather'' in which the titular toddlers seek favors from the all powerful 4 year old Angelica (twins Phil and Lil are spooked by a hobbyhorse's head in their crib). Soon, the 'rats scurry off to France, where precociously neurotic Chuckie Finster must stop his widowed dad from marrying the child loathing Coco La Bouche (fervently voiced by Susan Sarandon).
Unlike, say, ''Digimon: The Movie,'' the lavishly animated ''Rugrats in Paris'' doesn't merely look like a blown up, washed out TV episode. The newfound emotional depth of the movie's drawings -- and its plotline -- is most movingly illustrated when an airborne Chuckie sees images of himself with his late mother in the clouds.
Lest this sounds too high minded for little ones, fear not: Poop, booger, and barf gags abound. Given the setting, you can't blame the filmmakers for making comic use of the bidet (''A potty that squirts back!'' exults Phil), not to mention the timeless taunt that begins ''I see London, I see France...'' Oui? Oui.
Evening Post (Bristol, England) (3 stars)
Having been dragged by pleading tots to see the abominable Pokemon movies, it's understandable if grown-ups don't jump for joy at the thought of another animated endurance test.
However, Rugrats In Paris manages to achieve that relatively tricky task of entertaining the adults while keeping the children enthralled. Thankfully, there are a few choice digs at the French that will probably have our Gallic neighbours up in arms, but are guaranteed to raise laughs in British cinemas.
There's also a lot of cross-referencing, so grown-ups can feel clever as they identify spoof scenes from the likes of The Godfather and Jurassic Park.
All this is unimportant for the kids, of course, but no doubt they'll be happy enough with the usual antics.
So, tres bon all round then. As far as Easter chores go, entertaining the kids might be more fun than usual this year.
Evening Standard (London) (Alexander Walker)
The latest episode of the neckless tots' adventures shows it means to leave something in the cereal bowl for grown-up escorts to nibble on.
The decibel level is dauntingly high. But set against that some nice ad libs - "The largest babies I ever saw," referring to the sumo wrestlers in their breech cloths - and a hard line in kiddy-phobia ("Now run along before you give me lice").
The graphic style provides a sophisticated contrast to the Babes-in-Toy-Story antics of the gang.
# L'Express 3 stars (Eric Van Cutsem)
Les Razmokets sont une bande de gamins effrontés, aussi drôles que méchants... C'est d'ailleurs ce qui plaît au jeune public... Les adultes ne seront pas en reste, qui devraient s'amuser aux grinçants hommages cinéphiliques.
The Rugrats are a shameless gang of kids, as funny as it is malicious... It is besides what the young public likes... the adults, who will not be restless about it, should have fun with squeaking the cinephilic homages.
Family Wonder A- (Betsy Wallace)
The movie is very much an extension of the television series; in fact, Nickelodeon televised a prequel to the movie just before its release. But although fans will be more in the know, even newcomers will enjoy the eighty minutes of visual surprises and clever comedy.
Younger kid viewers miss the touches of social commentary but still find the babies hilarious and their far-fetched adventures exciting. Most of the movie's adventures take place in EuroReptarland (sort of a Japanese Disneyland run by Mr. Yamaguchi, or "Mr. Yummy Sushi" if you're a Rugrat) but culminate in a Godzilla-movie-like pursuit in and around the landmarks of Paris.
The expertly voiced cast gets a multiracial boost with the addition of Kira and Kimi, an Asian mother and daughter who will now be regulars on the series.
Fayetteville (NC) Observer-Times "Good" (The Cineman Syndicate)
America's favorite animated urchins descend on the City of Lights in this sweet and spirited second feature based on the TV series.
There are some great sequences and the music is fun; an overemphasis on Chuckie's dead mother is the only downer.
# Femme Actuelle (special thanks to Super Yo)
...pendant que vos petits monstres dégustent ces aventures loufoques, admirez les tenues de Coco La Bouche, inspirée de la célèbre Cruella ou découvrez quel couturier incarne Jean Claude, doublé par Stéphane Bern. Et surtout, ne boudez pas votre plaisir sous prétexte que vous avez passé l'age!
...while your little monsters enjoy the incredible adventure, admire Coco La Bouche's clothes, inspired by the well-known Cruella or discover which couturier does Jean Claude, dubbed by Stéphane Bern. And above all, don't sulk you pleasure with the pretext that you are too old!
# Le Figaro 3 stars
Un film réussi, qui met en joie les enfants et régale les parents par ses clins d'oeil cinématographique et son inventivité verbale.
A successful film that puts in joy at the levels of children and their parents by its cinematographic winks and its verbal inventiveness.
# Film 3 stars (Caroline Schorr)
Nachdem die Rugrats im ersten Teil noch die USA unsicher gemacht haben, erobern sie jetzt Europa. Weil Erfinder Stu seinen mechanischen Dinosaurier in einem Themenpark präsentieren soll, begleiten ihn die Rugrats samt Familien in die Seine-Metropole Paris. Wer sich jedoch an die Abenteuer der Pampers-Kids erinnert, ahnt schon, dass noch einige Turbulenzen bevorstehen.
Während sie in Deutschland immer noch ein stiefmütterliches Dasein führen, erfreuen sich die Rugrats in den USA größter Beliebtheit. Und das, obwohl (oder doch vielleicht gerade weil?) es bei ihren Abenteuern des öfteren eher unappetitlich zugeht. Da wird gerülpst, erbrochen und die Windeln gefüllt. Doch das hat schließlich schon beim ersten Teil seinen Zweck erfüllt. Trotz jeder Menge Unfug ist "Rugrats in Paris" kein reiner Kinderfilm. Immer wieder wird in Zitaten und Handlungsabläufen auf Hollywoodfilme wie den "Paten" oder "Godzilla" angespielt. Und der Themmenpark in Paris hat verteufelt viel Ähnlichkeit mit dem wirklich existierenden "Eurodisney".
After the Rugrats in the first film made the USA still uncertain, they now conquer Europe. Because inventor Stu has to present its mechanical dinosaur at a theme park, the Rugrats accompanies their families to the Seine metropolis, Paris. Who remembers, however, the adventures of the Pampers Kids; already it suspects that some turbulences are approaching.
While they still lead a stepmother's existence in Germany, the Rugrats
in the USA enjoys the largest popularity. And that, despite (or maybe because?)
of the more frequent, rather unappetizing, adventures. In one scene, one
vomits and one fills its diapers. But that finally already served its purpose
with the first film. Despite its mischief, "Rugrats in Paris" is not a pure
children's film. Its quotations and actions to Hollywood films like "The
Godfather" or "Godzilla" alludes one again and again. And the theme
park in Paris has similar attractions with the real "Eurodisney".
|
Film Advisory
Board (Elayne Blythe, President) [From an ad for the film]
An award-winning family film full of fun and frolic...even better than the first film.
Left: FAB's "Award Winner" logo, given only to films that they
find very suitable for the entire family. |
Film Journal (Shirley Sealy)
Since the tiny tykes who make up the fan base of Nickelodeon's long-running animated series cannot go into theatres to see this second full-length animated "Rugrats" movie, unless accompanied by an adult, the makers of Rugrats in Paris wisely inserted just enough adult humor to keep mom and / or dad alert and amused-if not falling about laughing in the aisles.
A lively soundtrack keeps all of this plot nonsense bopping along, mixing new songs (mostly by Mark Mothersbaugh) with some familiar tunes sung by [top artists] and-why not?-Tim Curry,as part of a chorus of "Sumo Singers" in a rendition of "Bad Girls." The film's animation conforms to the style of the "Rugrats" episodes on TV-which means it's simple, spare and colorful, but in no way breathtaking. However, the five-year-old "Rugrats" fans couldn't care less, could they?
Film Threat 3.5 stars (Chris Gore)
What makes the "Rugrats" so successful is that it actually works on two drastically different levels appealing both to single-digit aged kids who giggle at "poopie" humor while pleasing adults whounderstand jokes about parenting and diapers.
What I enjoyed most about Rugrats II is that the filmmakers are completely aware they must work just as hard to entertain the parents as the diaper set. My kids certainly did not pick up on the opening scene's homage to Godfather with Angelica doling out favors ala Don Corleone.
The worst thing a film for children can do is only please the kids. The adults must be satisfied too, and Rugrats will leave both demographics more than satisfied – they'll poop their pants with joy!
# Filmtabs (Günter H. Jekubzik)
Nach ihrem überdrehten ersten Film-Ausflug in den Wald machen sich die Zeichentrickkinder "Rugrats" nun nach Europa auf.
Der ganze Spaß wurde mit vielen Popsongs garniert. Besonders in einer Martial Arts-Traumsequenz von "Chuckie Chan" und bei den vielen Zitaten merkt man den Ideenreichtum und die Absicht, das Kinderpublikum auf keinen Fall zu unterfordern.
After their overturned first film trip into the forest, kiddie toon characters the "Rugrats" now open themselves to Europe.
The whole fun was garnished with many pop songs. Particularly in a "Chuckie Chan" Martial-arts type dream sequence, and with the many quotations, one notices the wealth of ideas and the intention of under-requiring the child public in no case.
Ft. Worth Star-Telegram 3.5 stars (Javonna May-Mons)
Will Coco be Chuckie's new mommy, or will it be Kira, Coco's sweet and timid secretary? Well, you probably know the answer already, but you'll still have fun along the way.
Coco's Cruella De Vil-like persona is deliciously evil. Whether she's yelling, "Go away before you give me lice," at the babies or holding Dil while cooing "Oh little baby, you are not horrible," she's the runaway star of this movie. The rest of the cast is just as entertaining. `Rugrats in Paris' will produce chuckles from grown-ups and kids alike.
# France 2
Ils sont venus, ils sont tous là. Qui ? les Razmoket. Où? A Paris. Ainsi, les petits chouchous de nos chères têtes blondes, qui squattent les mercredis sur France 3, arrivent sur les écranset dans la capitale française.
Intéresser aussi bien les enfants que les parents, créer un film ingénieux et plein d'émotion, étaient les défis auxquels les deux réalisateurs, Stig Bergqvist et Paul Demeyer, devaient faire face. Pari réussi. Après deux ans de travail, une association d'animations traditionnelles et d'infographies et un scénario solide, ils nous ont réjouis durant 1h20.
l'instar d'un film d'action, tout y est : rebondissements, poursuites en tout genre, personnages malfaisants, héros sympathiques, robots... le tout savamment intégré dans un décor parisien romantique en diable et orchestré avec brio par la musique originale de Mark Mothersbaugh, le fondateur, pour les parents qui s'en souviennent, du groupe Devo.
Et, comme autant de clins d'oeil pour cinéphiles, les parents apprécieront les références au Parrain, La Belle et le Clochard, Jurassic Park et autres King Kong.
Un 3e film est déjà en préparation. Gageons qu'il apportera autant de joie que celui-ci aux petits et aux grands!
They came, they are all there. Who? The Rugrats. Where? In Paris. Thus our favorite little kids, which squatter Wednesdays on France 3, arrive on the scene in the French capital.
To interest children as well as parents, to create a clever and emotional film, were the challenges that two directors, Stig Bergqvist and Paul Demeyer, were to face. Successful bet. After two years of work, an association of traditional animation and computer graphics and a solid storyline, they delighted us during the 80 minute film.
The examples of an action film are all there: new developments, continuations of any kind, unpleasant characters, sympathetic heroes, robots... the whole thing integrated in a devilish, romantic Parisian setting and brilliantly orchestrated with the original music of Mark Mothersbaugh, the founder of, for the parents who remember it, the group Devo.
And, like as many winks for film enthusiasts, the parents will appreciate the references to the Godfather, Lady And The Tramp, Jurassic Park and King Kong.
A 3rd film is already in preparation. Let us guarantee that it will bring as much joy as this one to young and old!
The Fresno Bee B (Donald Munro)
'Rugrats in Paris' is a warm and saucy outing for kids and adults.
Aside from the franchise's traditional reliance on the wonderful world of soiled diapers, "Rugrats in Paris" is a surprisingly sophisticated outing. Sure, it's no Sartre. But it's tender and warm, and a saucy little streak of "take that, Frenchies" humor is streaked throughout.
Compared to such recent dismal children's offerings as the "Pokemon" sequel, this "Rugrats" positively glows.
Sassy and crisp, "Rugrats in Paris" doesn't get bogged down in the action-adventure mindset of the first film. From the opening moments, when the title dissolves into a "Godfather 2" typeface, the humor works on two levels. There are enough bright colors, sight gags and food fights to satisfy even a restless toddler. And the humor pitched at adults will keep parents from chomping at the bit, too. (A wooden horse head, a la "The Godfather," is sneaky fun.)
There's a sweetness to the film, too, that serves it well.
The French needn't bother trashing their local McDonald's over this one. You'll find the "Rugrats" kids' meals at Burger King.
Those cartoon urchins travel to France where they learn a whole host of virtues that will perhaps make mom and dad with their own small fry in tow glad they came.
Global Television (Toronto) (Ann Shatilla) [approximate quote]
...a deeper sequel that kids & adults will love.
Good Morning America (ABC) (Joel Siegel) [From an ad for the film]
Funnier and more fun than the first.
Greenwich Village Gazette (New York City) 3 stars (Eric Lurio)
There is lots of [stuff for grown-ups], there's also lots of scatological humor as well. After all, these are supposed to be babies and control of bodily functions is an extremely important and funny topic. The pace is also fast and furious, and as it's a sequel, we already know the characters and don't need any introductions.
Directors Stig Bergguist and Paul Demeyer have managed to make a fast-paced intelligent film that's actually lots of fun for both young and old alike. It's worth taking the kids yourself.
The Hartford Courant (Malcolm Johnson)
"Rugrats in Paris - The Movie" towers over the first animated feature from the Nickelodeon babies, chiefly because of Susan Sarandon, who lends a ferocious French-accented voice to the villain, Coco La Bouche.
As La Bouche translates as "The Mouth," there is some playful wit in evidence here, along with the obligatory supply of diaper humor. The screenplay, a collaboration of five writers, also serves up parodies of "The Godfather," with the bossy Angelina Pickles assuming the Brando role. A paraphrase from Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now" - "I love the smell of panic in the morning" - is spoken by La Bouche.
"Rugrats in Paris" also mocks dreamy Disney songs like "Colors of the Wind," with touches of "King Kong," puts a new spin on "Lady and the Tramp." Finally, it wraps up with a grandiose takeoff on "Jurassic Park: The Lost World." So grandparents can have fun here, along with their wailing kiddie charges.
Stig Bergqvist and Paul Demeyer, native Europeans both, co-direct with a sense that things must keep moving fast, as in classic American cartoons. So the film zips tunefully between the theme park with its Reptar theater and a sort of Chinese opera, as well as the rides, and a canine love affair in romantic Paris. Along the way, the voices of Casey Kasem and Tim Curry chime in. But it is always Sarandon who raises the pitch with a wonderfully outrageous performance, screaming with chauvinistic Gallic egotism and arrogance.
The Heights (Boston College student newspaper) (Nicole Sullivan)
What actually caused so many of these kids leaving the packed theater to cheer and sing [Who Let The Dogs Out]? A combination of things, as I learned after watching Rugrats in Paris.
[The Rugrats] have the audience holding onto their berets for possibly the most exciting and endearing adventure in Rugrats history yet.
Perhaps the cutest movie ever, this sequel to the hit The Rugrats Movie, based on the popular television show, is everything it is hyped up to be and more. The movie is great for adults, children and teenagers and also proves to be romantic, action-packed (as far as animated movies are concerned) and moral.
This simple plot leaves a lot of space for good development between all the characters, and plenty of room for the babies to cause trouble under the non-supervision of their loving parents. When one of the babies wets his pants and says, "wee wee," his father comments, "He's learning French!" Besides the cute characters and plot, the fun one-liners keep the audience hanging on every word, expecting a good laugh and usually getting one.
With voices of such talents as John Lithgow, Debbie Reynolds and Susan Sarandon gracing the silver screen, the movie is that much more appealing. Between the comedy and cuteness, action andromance, this movie is a must-see. It has the children cheering out loud and the children-at-heart inwardly cheering too.
Hollywood Reporter (Michael Rechtshaffen)
The bodily functions flow liberally in "Rugrats in Paris: The Movie," the lively animated feature follow-up to the popular Nickelodeon residents' hit 1998 big-screen outing.
Faster-paced and noisier than its predecessor, the revved-up sequel's obsession with potty humor will likely have some parents exclaiming "mon Dieu" or, at least, "mon doo-doo." But despite the film's rather frenetic efforts to address pint-sized attention spans, there's plenty to amuse kids and their long-suffering caregivers.
...Those irresistible Rugrats should do some gross stuff at the boxoffice before cleaning up on video.
Once again, the character work is strong, and the celebrity recruits are fun, including Sarandon, being uncharacteristically nasty; John Lithgow as her pretentious personal assistant, Jean-Claude; and, in cameo turns, Debbie Reynolds as Grandpa Lou's new love interest, Tim Curry as a sumo karaoke singer and Casey Kasem as — surprise — a DJ.
And while it seems they could have toned it all down a few notches without fear of losing their audience, [the film's writers and directors] do a good job of keeping things moving, physically and emotionally.
Technically speaking, the animation, while definitely not state-of-the-art, is richer than that found on the TV version. The computer-generated images have been retouched by hand to give the characters more warmth.
Houston Chronicle (Bruce Westbrook)
Toy Story 2 isn't the only recent animated sequel to outshine the original. If Rugrats in Paris doesn't fare as well as 1998's The Rugrats Movie -- which made $100 million in America -- Paramount should demand a recount.
Of course, we also might demand another poll of the ratings board, which gave a G rating to a film with vomiting, urination, flatulence, belching, nose-picking and slobbering in its excretory arsenal.
But it's all in the service of toddler humor that is arguably innocent.
Colorfully animated, this second film spinoff from the Nickelodeon series is more elaborate and better written than the first, which relied on an escapade in the wilderness.
Here, there's an entire country to explore. The kids spend most of the movie on theme-park grounds, but Notre Dame Cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower make cameos -- usually enduring violent slapstick stunts that could make these kids the ugliest of Americans, in French eyes.
Their disruption of a trans-Atlantic flight also is no laughing matter, given today's testy aerial climate.
These enfants terrible are like miniature Beavises and Butt-heads -- wild, messy, gluttonous slobs -- just with an excuse: They're too young to know any better.
Such innocence makes most merriment good, slimy fun, and the dialogue is peppered with wit.
Houston Press (M.V. Moorhead)
After the impenetrable movie-length commercials for Pokémon and Digimon, this is a very good kids' movie from a grown-up standpoint -- it has a coherent plot, good pacing, well-defined characters, and a funny monster-movie spoof at the finale. But you may find the Rugrats tougher to warm up to than they should be. Unlike say, Charles Schulz's Peanuts, which was grown-up humor that kids were able to love, Rugrats is kid-level humor, and there's something calculated about the way that in-joke references to The Godfather and Jurassic Park are deployed in hopes of convincing adults that it's wittier than it is. Still, it's nice to see a kiddie movie that doesn't leave you feeling like a foreigner in need of subtitles.
# L'Humanité (Vincent Ostria)
Paris go! Tiens, les Razmoket sont de retour. · vrai dire, je ne m'étais jamais aperçu de leur existence, mais à côté des statiques et monotones Pokémon, c'est un summum de subversion enfantine. Non seulement le graphisme de ce dessin animé est agréablement anguleux et (relativement) biscornu, mais on se doit d'applaudir à la bonne humeur et la franchise de ces mouflets impérialistes yankees qui mettent le souk à Paris, la mano en la mano avec les Nippons, qui ont planté au beau milieu de la capitale un monstrueux parc d'attraction nommé Euro-Reptarland. Trêve de plaisanterie, ces Razmoket aussi impertinents qu'inoffensifs, constituent une saine alternative aux schémas manichéens des produits Disney. Une sorte d'équivalent ultra-light, donc visible par tous, des vilains crados de South Park.
Paris go! The Rugrats are back · actually, I had never realized of their existence, but beside the static and monotonous Pokémon, it is a height of childish subversion. Not only are the graphics of this cartoon agreeably angular and (relatively) weird, but one must applaud the good mood and the frankness of these little imperialist Yankees, who put the chaos in Paris, mano-a-mano with the Nipponese ones, which planted in the beautiful heart of the capital a monstrous theme park named Euro-Reptarland. Seriously, these Rugrats are impertinent and inoffensive; they constitute a healthy alternative to Disney's Manichean drawings. A kind of ultra-light equivalent, therefore visible by all, of the unpleasant filth of South Park.
IFilm (website) (Dave White)
They're not cute, and they're diaper deep in poop and booger jokes, but they're clever, breathing and wiggly in a way that most animated characters only dream of being. Kids and adults alike will dig this—a family film that's funny and funky.
Rugrat Angelica is the rightful heir to the throne of Peanuts' cranky, bossy, fussbudget Lucy Van Pelt.
If there are no kids in your life, you should go [see the film] anyway.
Un film d'animation ou une famille essaie de casser avec le conformisme. C'est surtout une parodie où. Un papa qui essaie de trouver une maman à son petit. Il paraît que la musique est du tonnère. Petits et grands trouveront leurs compte.
An animated family film that breaks with conformism, especially as a parody. A dad tries to find a mom for his son. It appears that the music is loud. This film has something for everyone.
Illawarra Mercury (NSW, Australia) (Denise Everton)
While the first Rugrats movie had the hallmark of an Indiana Jones saga, this film pulls inspiration from many areas.
The only question is why did they set it in Paris because they make little use of the country's landmarks. This film could have been set anywhere and, for much of the movie, it seems more influenced by Tokyo than the city of romance.
Still, while the film lacks the slick appeal of the original film, it's still loads of fun for kids of all ages and there are plenty of lessons to be learnt.
By the end of the 90-minute show viewers should know everything they need to about loyalty, trust, courage and love.
Better still, they'll know even more about dirty diapers and food fights.
Being a kid was never this much fun.
# Les Inrockuptibles 3 stars (Vincent Ostria)
Ce dessin animé reste tonique et impertinent avec son graphisme aigu et ses personnages farfelus... plutôt recommandable donc, avec un sujet qui ne mange pas de pain... Et parodique, sympathiquement.
This cartoon remains tonic and impertinent with his sharp style of drawing and its weird characters... therefore, rather respectable, with a subject that does not eat any bread... a likeable parody.
Internet Movie Database 3 stars (Steve Rhodes)
The Rugrats are back in a movie... that is sweeter and funnier than their first. Offering as much for the adults as the kids...
[The Bobfather scene] is one that undoubtedly will appeal mainly to the adults.
# Jornal da Tarde (São Paulo, Brasil) (Geraldo Galvão Ferraz)
Este é melhor do que o primeiro. É dirigido ao público-alvo do desenho, crianças de 2 a 11 anos, mas não deixa de ter suas atrações para os adultos. O filme de agora é mais engraçado e muito mais maluco que o primeiro. Começa parodiando O Poderoso Chefão, com Angelica dando uma de Poderosa Chefona. O filme se diverte com outros momentos cinematográficos. O mais óbvio é a cena do beijo com espaguete de A Dama e o Vagabundo, aqui num cover em que os dois cachorros têm o beijo atrapalhado por uma pizza borrachenta.Sobra também para King Kong, Godzillaz e 101 Dálmatas.
O diálogo, como na TV, tem um monte de alusões a cocô, xixi, catarro, vômito, puns, arrotos, ou seja, itens que os rugrats da vida real adoram. No cinema, eles se esborracham de rir. Os adultos, bem-comportados, escandalizam-se ou sorriem no escuro.
This film is better than the first one. It is directed to the target audience of the cartoon, 2 to 11 year-old children, but it does not leave to have its attractions for the adults. The film is funnier and much more raucous that the first one. It starts with a parody of The Godfather, with Angelica as The Bobfather. The film amuses with other cinematographic moments. Most obvious it is the scene of the kiss with spaghetti from Lady and the Tramp, covered here by two dogs who also have the kiss confused for a sticky pizza. Same for King Kong, Godzilla and 101 Dalmatians.
The dialogue, as on TV, has an amount of [pee pee - caca jokes], things that real life rugrats adores. In the cinema, they are driven to laugh. The adults, well-held, scandalize themselves or just smile.
The Journal News (White Plains, NY) (Marshall Fine) [via Gannett News Service; portions from an ad for the film]
"Rugrats in Paris,'' the second big-screen outing for Nickelodeon's TV-cartoon brood, is deliciously clever and surprisingly touching.
A tale of babies running wild in Paris, filled with sly jokes about everything from the French to ``The Godfather,'' it is smart, funny and full of heart.
Chuckie makes a wish that his father will find him a new mommy, and much of this film deals with that longing -- in surprisingly moving way.
If you don't have a kid to take to it, borrow one.
KJZZ ch.14, Salt Lake City (Tony Toscano)
Using adult humor mixed with visual slapstick - the movie speaks everyone's language. The main plot, concerning Chuckie's search for a new mom, is well written and deftly steers away from being maudlin and excessively sappy.
KMAX ch.31 (UPN), Sacramento (Mark S. Allen) [From an ad for the film]
Even better than the original. This movie has something for everyone.
KTVT ch.11 (CBS), Fort Worth - Dallas (Sandie Newton) [From an ad for the film]
C'est Fantastique! "Rugrats In Paris, The Movie" is perfect for the whole family -- I loved it!
# Kinonews
Mit coolen Sprüchen, Witz und Power zetteln die lustigen Rugrats in ihrem zweiten Kinofilm in Frankreich einen Riesenwirbel an!
In ihrem zweiten großen Leinwandabenteuer warten auf alle Fans der Rugrats viel Action und die typischen Verrücktheiten der beliebten Babys, die damit sicher auch viele neue Fans gewinnen werden. Neben der witzigen Story, den mit Liebe zum Detail gezeichneten Bildern und dem fetzigen Soundtrack zeichnet sich "Rugrats in Paris – Der Film" vor allem durch verschmitzte Herzenswärme aus.
With cool messages, jokes and power, the merry Rugrats makes a big spin in France in its second film!
In its second big screen adventure, there are plenty of action and the typical madness of the popular babies for all fans of the Rugrats, who will also probably win many new fans. Beside the funny story, "Rugrats in Paris " draws with love the detail for animation and the soundtrack - the film particularly warms your heart.
Knoxville News-Sentinel 4 stars (Betsy Pickle)
"Rugrats in Paris -- The Movie" est magnifique!
The second big-screen adventure featuring Nickelodeon's popular babies does right by its characters and by itsaudience. It's smart, sweet and funny. It's full of positive messages, but it packages them in an entertaining romp that will make both kids and adults go, "Ooh, la, la!"
While it doesn't match the artistry of Disney, the visual style of "Rugrats in Paris" is delightful. Coco's outfits, EuroReptarland and Paris are a trip, and the babies' antics are outrageous. And unlike many a Disney movie crammed with jarring wanna-be hit singles, the songs on the "Rugrats" soundtrack -- from the Baha Men's "Who Let the Dog Out" to Sinead O'Connor's "When You Love" -- fit the style, story and mood of the film.
Directors Stig Bergqvist and Paul Demeyer know the joy of the "Rugrats" lies in complexity -- potty humor and satire, realism and fantasy, silliness and meaning. "Rugrats in Paris" makes the most of all of these elements. It works as well for adults as it does for kids, but parents have more leverage if kids don't know that.
Lancaster (PA) New Era (Jennifer Kopf)
'Rugrats in Paris' entertains everyone -- not just kids.
So you have your KC and the Sunshine Band, your Casey Kasem, a Sinatra (Nancy, not Frank) and a clever little tribute to "The Godfather." Coast through the first five minutes of "The Rugrats in Paris," and there may be enough to entertain you even if you can't tell Lulu Pickles from Stu Pickles.
Laramie (WY) Movie Scope (website) B (Robert Roten)
Unlike many films, it has vulnerable, sympathetic characters and some beautiful artwork, too.
Chuckie and Chas are well-rounded characters, but most of the other characters are shallow and self-centered. Most of the kids are interested only in eating and other related bodily functions. The adults, however, are generally portrayed as reasonable people. Most comedies aimed at children portray adults as idiots.
Chuckie and Chas are characters of such sweetness and vulnerability that you can't help but root for them. They are what some people call losers, but they have a certain nobility and humanity that can't be denied.
Long Island Newsday 3 stars (Gene Seymour)
For once, you can believe the hype: The second big-screen adventure of Nickelodeon's animated flagship really is "bigger and better" than the first, if just as twitchy and noisy.
Despite its occasional indulgence in brassy noise and crass sentiment, "Rugrats in Paris" turns out to be just as charming as-and more impressively animated than-its predecessor. The inner 8-year-old in all of us will cruise with the digitally enhanced giant toys and nonabrasive, gross-out humor. Meanwhile, the budding sophisticate in each child may be intrigued by parents' chuckles over the movie's well-conceived parody of the wedding scene from "The Godfather." And it's pretty darned hard to dismiss a movie in which French- speaking sumo wrestlers perform "Bad Girls" behind Angelica's lead vocals at a sushi restaurant.
Susan Sarandon seems to be having a good time with her gig, and while John Lithgow's work as Coco's henchman, Jean Claude, isn't as noticeable, it's good to have him among the show's regulars.
LAFM Magazine (Rick Anthony) [From an ad for the film]
A very entertaining film for the entire family. The Rugrats just get better and better.
LA Weekly "Recommended" (Nicole Campos)
It's a relief that the Nickelodeon folks haven't abandoned the hipness and heart of their flagship series (and this film's big-screen predecessor).There is indeed more of everything this time out, and it often amounts to less: The second half is especially crammed with one loud, manic frolic after another. Yet, the shrewd characterizations and adults-will-giggle-too wit of les bébés mostly succeed in grounding the mayhem. A running spoof of The Godfather is especially hilarious, as are numerous, sly digs at all things Disney.
Los Angeles Daily News 3 stars (Valerie Kuklenski)
"Rugrats in Paris" will have the adults in the audience laughing and their young charges bewildered at what's so funny, and that's just during the opening titles.
"Rugrats" creators Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo have rewarded parents dragged reluctantly to the theaters, in the tradition established by those great Warner Bros. cartoonists, who frequently threw in references that sailed over little heads.
Of course, there's something in "Rugrats in Paris" for all ages. There's the high gross-out factor for the boys (I'll spare you the details but it rates a big "eeewwwww") and, for the giggly girls, "I see London, I see France ... ."
The real stars here are the animators, who clearly had a field day taking the characters out of the suburbs and into not only the city of Paris and all its landmarks but also a high-tech, Japanese-flavored amusement park. From Coco's severe fashions to the interiors of Notre Dame Cathedral, there are visual treats everywhere.
Though its main purpose is entertainment, "Rugrats in Paris" has two good messages to impart: First, be wary of someone who talks of love but whose actions say otherwise, and second, animated stepmothers don't have to be evil. Are you listening, Disney?
# El Mercurio (Santiago, Chile) (David Abuhadba)
"Rugrats en París- La Película" tiene la virtud de desplegar la suficiente fuerza emocional y contar con el adecuado peso intelectual para encantar por igual a chicos y grandes, provocando un encuentro que se agradece. Particularmente memorable resultan la recreación que los bebés efectúan de escenas de El Padrino -"el Panino", según ellos-, que marcan el inicio y final de la película, y la secuencia en que Carlitos viaja en el avión e imagina a su madre en medio de las nubes, con la canción "I Want a Mom That Will Last Forever", interpretada por la [Cyndi] Lauper, de fondo.
"Rugrats in Paris -- The Movie" has the virtue to deploy the sufficient emotional force and to count on the suitable intellectual weight to the same enchanted kids, causing an encounter that is thanked for. Particularly memorable, at the beginning and end of the film, is the recreated sequence of the scenes of The Godfather - "The Bobfather", leading to Chuckie travelling in an airplane and imagines his mother in the middle of clouds, with the song "I want a Mom That Will Last Forever", sung by [Cyndi] Lauper, over the action.
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel 3.5 stars (Duane Dudek)
"Rugrats" is a postmodern "Peanuts." Chucky, Tommy and Angelica are a garrulous, curious, jazzed up and media-savvy Charlie Brown, Linus and Lucy. And their second film, "Rugrats In Paris: The Movie" is a funny, stirring and swift-moving comic adventure as endearing and entertaining as "Toy Story 2."
Many have tried, but "Rugrats" is the only animated brand name to break the Disney stranglehold. It has the advantage of name recognition - the characters' TV series debuted on the Nickelodeon cable channel in 1991 - and their first feature in 1998 earned $100 million.
"Rugrats in Paris" ups the ante with a frantically paced, richly animated and emotionally generous reaffirmation of the franchise and its characters as cultural institutions.
The animation, much of it digital, is vibrant and fluid, with a sophisticated sense of composition and perspective.
The only quibble is that Chucky's despair at being motherless is so realistic that sensitive children might be alarmed. But even that is a tribute to how entrenched the "Rugrats" are in our hearts.
Brought to us by the creators of the "Rugrats" kids' series, this movie is tons o' fun in the city of love. America's highest-rated babies take on tough projects like mommy-hunting and reptile amusement parks, not to mention the French standards of fashion, sloppy kisses and smelly cheese.
The Missoulian (Missoula, MT) 3 stars (Mike McInally)
"Rugrats In Paris" -- Just what the title suggests. And you know how your kids feel about it.
Packed with a boisterous, vulgar energy. Considerably livelier than its predecessor.
By most accounts even parents can get the occasional chuckle out of this epic of toddler slapstick.
# Le Monde (Thomas Sotinel)
Typiquement américaine, [la] série télévisée [Razmoket] est aux tout-petits ce que les Simpsons sont aux adultes, une mutation bienvenue (plus intelligente, plus drôle, plus alerte) du divertissement familial. Heureuse surprise, Les Razmokets à Paris conserve sur grand écran une bonne part du charme des dessins animés réalisés pour la télévision. D'un point de vue strictement chauvin, on se réjouira d'un scénario qui moque les Américains venus en Europe pour visiter des parcs d'attractions imités de ceux construits en Californie ou en Floride. La bizarrerie des péripéties, les quelques intentions parodiques (toute l'ouverture est consacrée à une version couches-culottes du Parrain) distrairont les parents, pendant que les plus jeunes rêveront à ce monde où ce sont les enfants qui décident de l'issue des conflits familiaux et professionnels.
Typically American, [the Rugrats] TV series is to the toddlers as The Simpsons are to the adults, a welcome alternative (more intelligent, funnier, more alert) to family entertainment. Happily surprised, Rugrats in Paris preserves on the silver screen a good share of the charm of the animation carried out for television. From a strictly chauvinistic point of view, one will be delighted by a scenario which makes fun to the Americans who come to Europe to visit theme parks imitating those built in California or Florida. The bizarre adventures, the few parodic intentions (the opening is devoted to a diapered version of The Godfather) will distract the parents, while young people dream of a world where they are the children who decide family and professional conflicts.
# Monsieur Cinema 3 stars (Guillaume Tion)
But avoué: faire mieux que le premier film, et se fonder sur un scénario convenant aux petits, certes, mais aussi aux grands. Joyeux parents, donc, qui aurez l'honneur d'accompagner la chair de votre chair dans les méandres bariolés de l'univers des Razmoket, n'ayez point de crispation dans le sourire: le but est atteint. En effet, si ce film d'animation plaira à n'en pas douter à vos rejetons, vous ne vous y ennuierez pas non plus.
Certes, l'histoire n'est pas originale pour un sou, les bons sentiments triomphent, la morale gentillette ne surprend personne et l'action supposée se dérouler dans la capitale pourrait aussi bien avoir lieu en Amérique du sud ou au Tibet. Mais, malgré tout, la rapidité des scènes, quelques gags, une animation soignée, une ou deux trouvailles visuelles (comme l'hôtel incurvé ou le spectacle du parc) et le caractère particulier de certains de ces Razmoket nous font tenir sans trop de mal jusqu'au bout de cette histoire pourtant prévisible. Parfois, on rit.
Their goal: to do better than the first film, and to be based on a scenario being appropriate for the small, certainly, but also with the large. Merry parents, therefore, who will have the honor to accompany their kids in the multi-coloured meanders of the Rugrats universe, do not have to force a smile: the goal is reached. Indeed, if your kids like this animated film, you will not be bored, either.
Admittedly, it is not an original story, the finer feelings triumph, gentle morals do not surprise anybody and the action is supposed to proceed in the capital [Paris], but could as well take place in South America or Tibet. But, despite everything, the speed of the scenes, some gags, decent animation, one or two visual lucky finds (like the curved hotel or the spectacle of the park) and the particular Rugrats character make us hold without too much evil in the foreseeable future. Sometimes, one laughs.
Montreal Gazette 3.5 stars (Kathryn Greenaway)
Non-stop action and chase scenes will make children wired and parents exhausted.
The slobber set is back and in great form. In the last Rugrats movie, little Tommy Pickles struggled with the arrival of sibling Dil. This time around, the pack of motivated droolers heads for Paris to make one heck of a mess.
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie delivers exactly the sort of ruckus you would expect from Tommy, Dil, Angelica, Chuckie, Lil and Phil. Bug-eyed and baggy-panted, they bring the sophisticated city to its knees. Havoc is wreaked at a furious pace and potty humour rules.
In proper Rugrats tradition, the story begins and ends with a show of narrative strength. A running gag inspired by the Godfather film trilogy will be missed entirely by the youngsters in the audience and enjoyed thoroughly by the grownups (our little secret to savour). The writers appear to realize that grownups appreciate that sort of thing. We thank you.
The middle [involving the gang's trip to Paris and Euro Reptarland] is non-stop action, so take a deep breath.
The omnipresent song Who Let the Dogs Out by The Baha Men is played just enough to tattoo your brain with its catchy melody, possibly forever.
Parents will find the experience exhausting. Children will be wired for sound by the time the credits roll and Who Let the Dogs Out blares forth one last time. A typical family outing.
# Montréal Plus (Martin Côté)
Après leur passage, vous pouvez vous douter que Paris ne sera plus jamais la même! Jusqu'à maintenant, l'adaptation au cinéma des Rugrats s'est bien déroulée et ce deuxième film ne devrait pas faillir à la recette. Et comme c'est toujours meilleur sur grand écran... Du bonbon pour les amateurs des Rugrats et un excellent divertissement pour des parents qui ne savent plus comment amuser leurs petits monstres. Vive la France!
After their passage, you can suspect that Paris will never be the same again! Until now, the Rugrats' adaptation to the cinema proceeded well and this second film should not fail in the box office. And it's always better on the silver screen... It's candy for your real Rugrats and excellent entertainment for parents who no longer know how to amuse their small monsters. Vive la France!
The Morning News (Springdale, AR) (Becca Bacon Martin)
Real fans -- especially moms -- had to approach the new movie, "Rugrats in Paris", with some trepidation... because we remember Melinda.
The story of Chuckie's mom is, without a doubt, the saddest one in cartoon history. She died, apparently of cancer, when he was just a baby. But we grew to love her in a tear-jerking Mother's Day episode...
Pass the Kleenex, please. And don 't tell me that Chuckie will find a new mom in Paris, just like that. Melinda cannot, should not, be replaced that easily.
Suffice it to say that while Grandpa Lou has found romance in the retirement home, the babies do find love in Paris -- along with a new Rugrat, Kimi.
But here is the magic that has made "Rugrats "creators Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo rich -- it's the parents who leave the movie theater eager for the next installment.
Still, we moms will never forget Melinda.
New York Times (Elvis Mitchell)
Like many animated features, "Rugrats in Paris" is stuffed to the gills with pop-culture references; it opens with its "Rugrats II" logo turned into a visual gag based on the "Godfather II" logo, a joke that will sail over the heads of children.
They'll be too busy happily screaming when they see the bratty Angelica (Cheryl Chase) lording it over the babies, as she always does. She's — ugh — the Bobfather, which makes "Rugrats" the first children's cartoon to spoof a sequence inspired by Luchino Visconti's "Leopard," enough reference points to throw the Earth's gravitational pull out of whack.
"Rugrats in Paris" also lightly satirizes Disney — in addition to the theme park, there is a "Lady and the Tramp" joke with Tommy's dog, Spike, that adds a sticky "Rugrats" touch — and Japanese anime. Captive members of the audience who feel the same way Mme. La Bouche does about the "adorable misshapen ragamuffins" can content themselves with glimpses of the elegant lines of the EuroReptarland creatures, not a bad thing to make do with.
But be warned: those images will have to last a long time.
The News-Tribune (Tacoma, WA) 4 stars (Soren Anderson)
That's some agile balancing act pulled off by the people who made "Rugrats in Paris - The Movie."
On the one hand, with a target demographic of kids 11 and under, you want to keep things short and simple; small fry have small attention spans. So [the directors, writers and producers] made sure to program in plenty of poop and pee and puke humor in this sequel to the 1998 holiday-season blockbuster "The Rugrats Movie."
And unlike movies featuring grown-up gross-out artists such as Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler, it's not much of a stretch for "Rugrats" characters to go for the gross. After all, they're babes in diapers. Poop, pee and puke is what such wee ones, do. Or doo.
But that leaves the Parent Problem. The Parent Problem is that kiddie humor can bring on either compulsive watch-glancing - "Isn't this thing over yet?" - or narcolepsy ("I'm so bored, I could just zzzzzz").
The makers of "Rugrats," bless their hearts, have taken pity on parents. The makers have worked into the plot a number of clever movie miniparodies. Among them: "The Godfather," complete with slat-shadowed office and non-gross severed horse head; "King Kong" (watch the monster climb the ... Eiffel Tower?); "Jurassic Park" and, my favorite, a takeoff on the spaghetti-eating scene in "Lady and the Tramp." Playing spot-the-references helps to keep adult minds alive.
Yes, the picture is sentimental, but its makers are careful not to lay the sentiment on with a trowel. This movie is genuinely moving.
And genuinely funny, as a scheming Frenchwoman (voice done by Susan Sarandon) conspires to trap Chas in a marriage of convenience... "She's not a very nice lady. She's too pointy," one observes. Good point, kid.
True fun for all ages in this one.
Northwest Cable News (Seattle) (Richard Reid) [From an ad for the film]
These babies rock! "Rugrats" will charm the diapers off you.
Now (Toronto) 3 stars (Kim Linekin)
RUGRATS IN PARIS -- THE MOVIE knows how to keep its audience happy -- Godfather in-jokes for the parents and innocent poopy jokes for the kids.
Fans of the TV series won't be disappointed; those turned off by the kids' post-apocalyptic appearance will be pleasantly surprised. These rugrats are blissfully raunch-free.
The Onion (Nathan Rabin)
The tykes' maiden foray into film [with "The Rugrats Movie"] blunted the series' gentle satire by focusing almost entirely on the show's youngest characters, a move that helped make the film a blockbuster, but also made it something of a chore for adults. Thankfully, Rugrats In Paris restores much of the show's understated appeal, sending its cast of precocious toddlers and babies (along with their parents) to Paris, where electronics whiz Stu Pickles is sent to help fix a robot gone awry at EuroReptarland, an amusingly surreal Parisian theme park.
[The] free-flowing meanness [of Susan Sarandon's character, Coco LaBouche,] provides a bracing antidote to the film's inevitable pro-believing-in-oneself message. Theme parks have long been a source of satirical fodder for The Simpsons, and while RIP never approaches that show's sharp wit, the filmmakers fully mine EuroReptarland's comic possibilities, particularly during a scene in which Sarandon and her intended suitor endure a noxious boat ride. A clever script, a surprisingly resonant subplot involving Chuckie's wish for a new mother, and a brisk 80-minute running time combine to make RIP a significant improvement over its predecessor. And, if nothing else, the film affords audiences a rare opportunity to hear The Baha Men's obscure single "Who Let The Dogs Out?"
Orange County (CA) Register 4 stars (Holly McClure); via Crosswalk
Say Oui to family entertainment at its best! Funny antics, clever dialogue and cute kids combined with an interesting setting make this adventure one that parents will enjoy along with the kids. Combine a great soundtrack with a few adult gags and you have animation at its best for the whole family.
The theme of Chuckie's dad finding a new wife and Chuckie getting a new mom is handled in a positive, upbeat, kid-friendly way, but it still may raise a few questions from your little ones. Scenes like Coco trying to woo Chas into marriage just to get a promotion, a group of sumo wrestlers in authentic garb (the kids think they're big diapers on big fat babies) singing Karaoke and two giant reptile machines battling it out on the streets of Paris aren't offensive, but, again, may require some adult explanation to little ones.
This is one parents can take the kids to and enjoy the laughs, jokes and clever one-liners together. Adults, if your children/grandchildren have lost a parent to death or divorce (even though it's delicately handled) this may be one of those movies that would be good to discuss afterward.
Orlando Sentinel 3 stars (Roger Moore)
It's a mildly amusing collection of parodies of movies parents will recognize (The Godfather, Jurassic Park), theme park jokes and way, way, way too much potty humor. And it's all glossed over with Chuckie Finster's search for a new mommy.
It's a cheerful and cheerfully gross children's movie, with a few forgettable songs tossed in, including the novelty ditty of the moment, "Who Let the Dogs Out?"
Disney-lovers will appreciate the "Small World" ride send-up, "Oooey Gooey World," which takes riders through a sea of muck where animatronic dolls dance in muck and sing about muck.
Yuck.
There's a little flavor of Paris in the film--rude Frenchmen, Notre Dame (sans Hunchback) and the family dog piddles on the Eiffel Tower. Sarandon stands out among the voice performers. She sings for the first time since Rocky Horror.
This is modestly clever animation that has characters kids can identify with and enough grown-up jokes to keep parents from settling into catatonia.
Orlando Weekly 3 stars (Philip Booth)
Even the adults in the crowd need some comic relief during a kiddie movie, and the Rugrats' second big-screen adventure offers exactly that, in a front-loaded reference to "The Godfather."
The moral: Make sure the kids are sound asleep the next time you pop a mafia movie into the VCR.
"Rugrats in Paris," probably a wee bit more entertaining than 1998's The Rugrats Movie, eventually gets around to making hit-and-miss references to all sorts of films, including "A Few Good Men," "Godzilla," "King Kong," "101 Dalmatians" and Jackie Chan movies. There's also a montage set to the ubiquitous Baha Men hit "Who Let the Dogs Out." All, of course, are likely to sail over the heads of the intended audience -- say, toddlers up to those in second-grade or so.
But that won't matter a whit to the tiny tykes, sure to be caught up in the ultra-bright colors; the quirky, attractively askew design, a mix of computer and hand-drawn animation; the bouncy, imaginative score, by Devo founder Mark Mothersbaugh; and a straightforward story told strictly from the point of view of the kids.
It might be argued, as one parent suggested to me, that Tommy, Chuckie,
Angelica and their mischief-making cohorts aren't exactly good role models.
Then again, this typically messy crowd of kids seems far less of a threat
to the Republic than some other animated television characters we might
name.
| # Ouest-France |
|
(Pierre Fornerod) |
(Icon above is equivalent to 3 stars out of 3; icon © Ouest-France.)
Les affreux garnements sont de retour, et ils feront une nouvelle fois le plus grand bonheur des spectateurs qui pourraient être leurs compagnons d'âge. Car toutes les insolences, pitreries et débrouillardises leur sont permises, en toute impunité. C'est, au final, pour la bonne cause, il est vrai.
Les parents chargés d'accompagner leur progéniture au cinéma trouveront aussi matière à se divertir dans l'état d'esprit ironique qui imprègne ce dessin animé. Ça commence sur une parodie du Parrain 2, en version féminine, et ça se poursuit notamment avec une jolie charge contre les us et coutumes de l'empire Disney.
The dreadful young imps are back, and they will, once again, make movie-goers of all ages very happy. All insolences, tomfooleries and smartnesses are allowed to them, in all impunity. It is finally okay, for a good cause.
The parents charged to accompany their offspring to the cinema will also find matter to be diverted in the ironic state of mind which impregnates this cartoon. That starts with a parody of The Godfather -- Part 2, the feminine version, and that continues in particular with a pretty load against the customs and habits of the Disney empire.
Oxygen -- "Girls On" B+ (Shannon Star)
...you'd have to be a pretty big tinklehead not to enjoy some part of this movie. At the very least, you have to admire Nickelodeon's unwavering devotion to its core audience—kids! Unlike Disney flicks, RUGRATS IN PARIS is not trying to be all things to all people. The songs, action, and humor are clearly dedicated to the little ones. Not one scene of this movie will leave your kid scratching his head or wondering what it was all about.
At the same time, there are subtle inside jokes for the discriminating parent: the parallel impracticality of Euro-Reptarland and Euro-Disney, the oblique movie references from THE GODFATHER and A FEW GOOD MEN, and jokes about Internet dating to name a few. Make no mistake, though: the funniest stuff is intended for kids. Scenes that particularly made me laugh? Any situation where Phil or Lil pick some formerly edible item off the ground and pack it into their diapers for later consumption. Vomit and poo are rarely this funny.
Just as gooey and slightly less smelly are the lovey-dovey moments between parents, children, and canines. Be forewarned: this is a very family-centered cartoon. There is a lot of hugging and support going on here. Your family may run the risk of not seeming quite as wonderful as the cute squishy folk up on the big screen.
# Página/12 (Buenos Aires, Argentina) (Martín Pérez)
A casi una década de su debut en el canal de cable Nickelodeon, y a un par de años del estreno de su primera película, los populares personajes de la pareja de animadores Arlene Klasky y Gabor Csupo han llegado a Francia. Y, una vez emprendido el viaje, todo puede suceder. La endiablada Angélica se creerá la reencarnación infantil de El Padrino, Reptar será Godzilla en París y el perro de los Rugrats se creerá una nueva versión de aquel Vagabundo que enamoraba a la Dama en el clásico de Disney. Y no sólo eso: el perro también levantará su patita para dejar su húmeda y olorosa firma al pie de la mismísima torre Eiffel.
Rugrats en París es una película con mucho más valor como tal que el primer largometraje de la serie. Tan divertida y simpática como sus pequeños protagonistas, el film dirigido por Bergqvist y Demeyer no se olvida de ningún tópico pegajoso y / o maloliente del más reciente cine infantil a la hora de recorrer las aventuras a la altura de la rodilla de sus Rugrats. En los casamientos habrá tortas, en el avión habrá bolsas para el mareo, en los hoteles habrá bandejas con restos de comida. Y en el parque de diversiones habrá incluso un mundo pegajoso, como para que los pequeños – y sus padres – no olviden la parte más sucia de su universo.
At almost one decade since their debut on the Nickelodeon cable channel, and two years since the opening of the first film, the popular characters of the pair of entertainers Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo have arrived in France. And, once they made the trip, anything can happen. The bedeviled Angelica will be believed as the infantile reincarnation of The Godfather, Reptar will be Godzilla in Paris and the Rugrats' dog will be believed in a new version of Disney's "Lady and the Tramp". And not only that: the dog also will raise its leg to leave its humid and odorous mark at the foot of the very same Eiffel Tower.
Rugrats in Paris is a film with much more to like than the series' first big screen film. So amused and likeable as its small protagonists, the film, directed by Bergqvist and Demeyer, did not forget any sticky topic and / or bad point of the most recent children's cinema at the time of crossing the adventures to the height of the knee of its Rugrats. In marriages, there will be cakes; in the airplane will be bags for air sickness, in the hotels will be trays with food. And in the theme park there will even be a sticky world, like so that the small ones - and its parents - do not forget the dirtiest part their universe.
People (Leah Rosen)
Remember those old Irish Spring ads where the man would praise the soap and then his wife would chime in, "But I like it too"? That's what adults will want to say as kids giggle through "Rugrats in Paris: The Movie", a cute comedy featuring Tommy, Angelica and the rest of the toddlin' tykes from Nickelodeon TV's cartoon series. This time out, the diaper-wearing wisenheimers fly to Paris and show the Eiffel Tower who's boss. Paris will never be the same.
[Paper does regular, short movie reviews in a form of a haiku poem.]
A haiku:
Weird-headed babies:
Grin, you will never grow
up,
and you'll never die.
Philadelphia Inquirer 3 stars (Carrie Rickey)
Although the animators' whimsical line often recalls that of Ludwig Bemelmans, particularly around the wavy mouths and dots-for-eyes, understand that this is not the vine-covered Paris of Madeleine. This is the City of Bite. This show and tell has thorns, most of them on Coco La Bouche (voice of Susan Sarandon), the Cruellaesque manager of EuroReptarland.
Most of the film's action takes place in the hermetically sealed world of EuroReptarland, providing ample opportunities for the filmmakers to satirize the control freaks at Disney World, but limiting the possibilities to discover Paris from a toddler's tilted perspective. (I had hoped that the malapropping Angelica would regard certain landmarks and dub them the Arc de Harumph and Awful Tower; I expected an encounter with escargot; I waited for a jaunt through the Louvre; I am still waiting.)
Whatever it may lack in the geography department, "Rugrats in Paris" is remarkably poignant (and pungent) when it comes to child psychology. Mourning Mom, Chuckie at first thinks a new one is all he needs. It takes time to reconcile his dream of a Princess Bride with the reality of a living human who is as good a fit with Dad as she is with him. Finding the missing puzzle piece who completes the family picture is the fun — and the adventure — of this keenly felt romance.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 3 stars (Scott Mervis)
In what can only be described as reality-based filmmaking, "Rugrats in Paris" takes poop, pee and booger jokes off the scale. Because, as anyone who's spent time watching a bunch of babies knows, those things come up a lot over the course of a day.
A trip abroad gives them a perfect backdrop to do what babies do, from the turbulence they create in the skies to the overturned hotel room to a scene at the Eiffel Tower that recalls King Kong. Phil and Lil do their part by eating gross things, and along the way, the baby wisdom comes fast and furious in lines like, "Wow, Reptar's boogers look just like Angelica."
Like the first "Rugrats" adventure, "Rugrats in Paris" is a fast, funny and hilariously messy romp that still makes room for an important subject, this time single-parenting. Next time they go away, though, they should pick up a travel guide: After all, who goes to Paris and doesn't make a stop at the Louvre?
The Plain Dealer (Cleveland, OH) (Clint O'Connor)
"The Rugrats Movie" was a drab, mushy mix of the two that did nothing to elevate the "Rugrats" franchise. At least artistically. Financially, it was a big hit two Thanksgivings ago.
If you are a parent with children of a certain age, you know you're going to the sequel, "Rugrats in Paris," no matter what. But here's the bonus: It's a much better movie. There are two reasons. The gang is given more to do this time, and we are introduced to a villain who is far more evil than the conniving Angelica. Her name is Coco La Bouche.
Other new characters are introduced, including Kimi, the 2-year-old daughter of Kira, Coco's secretary. If Kimi is a new Rugrat, she is a faint echo of the others. The filmmakers give her virtually no identity and very little to do.
Another oddity is that one of the movie's sub-plots is a spoof of "The Godfather," with Angelica becoming The Bobfather. It's cute, but how many 5-year-olds know who Don Corleone is?
Those are minor quibbles. It's a fun film. But don't take my word for it. The five youngsters I saw it with, ranging in age from 5 to 11, gave "Rugrats in Paris" 10 enthusiastic thumbs up. They rated it good, fun, funny, funny and good, and good and funny.
Planet Sick-Boy (website) 6 out of 10
Rugrats in Paris is a pretty decent film. As an adult, I enjoyed this sequel a lot more than the first Rugrats picture, especially the hilarious send-up of The Godfather's opening scene.
The kids spurt out funny malapropisms, like "over my dad's potty," instead of "over my dead body," just like the television series. Paris also includes some really slick animation, save the crudely drawn characters, especially with shadows and reflections.
I was really enjoying the film until they started in with the "Who Let the Dogs Out" song (not a great way to teach little kids to keep their traps shut while they're in a movie theatre). Also glaringly evident was the fact that Paris had more [gas, pee and poop] gags than Adam Sandler's new film (which was rated PG-13 to Paris' G). While the film's story would probably have been better suited for an hour-long television special (with commercials) than an 80-minute film, Paris is still heads and shoulders above most recent children's films.
# Première (France) 3 stars (Jean-Baptiste Drouet)
En cette période d'invasion massive de Pokémons et autres Digimons, le retour des sympathiques bouilles des Razmoket, trois ans après leur premier film, est une sacrée bonne nouvelle, et pas seulement pour les 3-11 ans...
Musiques pop et bariolées... galeries de personnages... et scénario tout terrain où émotions bien pensées dansent avec provocations bien dosées font de ce divertissement pour bambins un aliment complet tout à fait comestible pour leurs parents.
In this period of massive invasions of Pokemons and Digimons, the return of the sympathetic faces of the Rugrats, three years after their first film, is considered good news, and not only for the 3-11 year olds...
Pop music and a multi-coloured... cast of characters... and an all-terrain plot where well-thought emotions dance with well-proportioned provocations make of this entertainment for small children a completely edible feast for their parents.
Press Association (UK) 3 stars (Damon Smith) (from Ananova)
With the Easter Holidays upon us, Rugrats In Paris is destined to be a favourite with audiences of all ages for many months to come.
Preview Family Movie & TV Review (Christian)
Constant action and loud music make this a frantic, fast-paced experience sure to be a hit with the pre-teen crowd. And like the first Rugrats movie, this film is virtually free of foul language, excessive violence and sexual content. There are some comical quips about dirty diaper contents and nose "boogers", [etc.] Some of the action, like cake throwing fights, threatening chases and property destruction, is done on a grand scale, but always with a humorous touch. Chucky does have a scary dream that could frighten younger viewers. But the babies are loved by their parents and Chucky's father assures him that his mother is probably in heaven. Parents may even enjoy the adventures of RUGRATS IN PARIS.
Prime Time Newspapers (San Antonio) 3 stars (Bob Polunsky)
This week we have one with a family reminiscent of the see-through morals of "The Godfather" and the kind of horror that made "King Kong" an adult horror story. It also has nudity! You'll see bare buttocks. You'll also see a chorus line of singers practically falling out of their G-strings. This time the shallow characters, nudity, horror and suggestiveness are so neatly done they give the movie old-fashioned family appeal, and neatness always counts.
It's about an unattached man searching for a woman through the streets and alleys of Paris. It's also about a female tyrant who bullies her way into a society that's too rich for her blood. Not to worry. Nobody stops a determined bully.
That's what movie realism is all about. Especially in a movie with one-dimensional characters who act, talk and look like the dregs of society. They're hand-drawn and computer-generated but have so much bubbling personality they're fun to watch.
In case you haven't guessed, the movie is "Rugrats in Paris." No matter how young or old you are, you're not likely to be disappointed with its realism.
The Rugrats TV series owes its success to having so much grownup humor that parents enjoy it as guiltlessly as children. The same spirit has carried over into the big-screen versions of the animated hit, especially in Rugrats in Paris: The Movie (Paramount).
Rugrats in Paris is better focused than the first Rugrats movie, but it has just as many oddball moments.
Provo Daily Herald B (Eric D. Snider)
Those cute little rugrats called "The Rugrats" are back in a second big-screen adventure that is better than the first, with potty jokes for the kids and parodies of "The Godfather" and other films for the grownups.
Fans of the TV show, particularly, will find nothing not to like in this version, and even non-fans may find themselves wondering why they haven't been paying attention to the show all these years....
# RTBF (Belgium) (Philippe Reynaert & Bernard Polet)
...si vos enfants sont scotchés devant la télé lorsqu'elle diffuse les Simpson, emmenez les au cinéma voir les Razmoket, ils vont adorer et vous allez bien vous amusez aussi d'ailleurs.
Voilà, du bon cinéma pour les enfants et les accompagnateurs.
...if your children are stuck in front of the TV when The Simpsons are on, take them to the cinema to see the Rugrats, they will adore and amuse you.
This is a good film for the children and their parents.
Pour leur seconde aventure dans les salles obscures, la famille Cornichon monte à Paris ! Le doublage de l'excellente VF a été confiée à Stéphane Bern et Anne Roumanoff, et le résultat est très convaincant!
For their second adventure in theaters, the Pickles family goes to Paris! The dubbing of the excellent French version was entrusted to Stéphane Bern and Anne Roumanoff, and the result is very convincing!
Radio Times (BBC's TV magazine)
Much more of a crowd-pleaser than the original Rugrats film, this sequel takes TV's adventurous babies to Paris. In a possible nod to the success of Pokémon, they invade a Japanese-owned amusement park, where one of the robot movie monsters is malfunctioning.
Children will enjoy the utterly fantastic thrills and spills, all viewed through the Rugrats' eyes. Their parents will have fun spotting the references to movies such as The Godfather, King Kong and 101 Dalmatians. Of course, the theme park is a thinly disguised Disneyland and, at one point, the Rugrats even board a version of Disney's gooey "Small World" ride. But this is one of those rare occasions where fun for all the family really is guaranteed.
The Red And Black (University of Georgia student newspaper) (Steven Clark)
It's a great time to go to the movie theaters if you're a kid. Both theaters [the Beechwood and Carmike 12 theaters in Athens, GA] are currently playing more G rated movies than those rated R ... so the SEC championship game is this week, huh?
Reel.Com 3 stars (Mary Kalin-Casey)
If mention of Rugrats in Paris sparks visions of mischievous carpet-crawlers destroying the Louvre, then you may be disappointed at the near irrelevance of the film's French backdrop. But the sophomore feature film based on the popular Nickelodeon cartoon still offers the team's trademark combination of energetic shenanigans, potty humor, and kaleidoscopic animation, with an ample canon of parent-pleasing jokes and a poignant all-ages story about Chuckie's quest for a new mom.
Like its predecessor, Rugrats in Paris moves along at a good clip, with animation so color-saturated and active that the visuals alone help keep the pacing brisk. But what this follow-up really does best is marry upbeat, goofy children's entertainment with a meaningful tale that should resonate even for the most jaded older viewers. When Chuckie softly sings, "I want a mom that will last forever," parents know all too well that even if he gets his wish, someday he'll lose her, too. Try not getting all misty-eyed over that.
ReelInsider.Com (website) 4 stars (Ted Pfeifer)
[Chuckie's search for a new mom] is done in a very touching way that most adults will understand but kids probably won't.
My son truly enjoyed the movie, he laughed out loud at parts and also curled up next to me in excitement at others. It is a very fun film. One thing I did notice was that 45 minutes into the movie the kids in the audience began to get restless but that only lasted a short time as the action picked up again.
...if you have to go see "Rugrats" with your kids there is enough inside jokes to keep you awake.
Rochester (NY) Democrat & Chronicle 7 out of 10 (Jack Garner)
While Rugrats the Movie was content to introduce Nickelodeon's amusing TV infants and their families to the big screen, the sequel -- Rugrats in Paris: The Movie -- has more of a story to tell.
[The storyline] is a bit of an improvement over the first film -- a refreshing thing to say about any kid-flick sequel. Curiously, the filmmakers make almost no use of Paris or its landmarks. The film is set almost exclusively in the amusement park, which could just as well be in Orlando. Still, there's plenty of action for the youngsters, along with a lot of the sort of mild bathroom pre-schoolers seem to love.
And viewers of all ages will chuckle at the way the Baha Men's Who Let the Dogs Out is worked into the film.
And, oh yes, here's more good news for Mom and Dad: the G-rated Rugrats in Paris is only 76 minutes long.
Ross Anthony's Hollywood Report Card (website) A-
I enjoyed this film so much, I wondered if it overshot the intended audience...a strong follow-up to the first "Rugrats - The Movie."
Though most of the animation is painted in the old fashion 2-D style; the colors are Starburst juicy, and the action paced for those with little tiny attention spans - so don't expect to be bored.
You'll no doubt be singing "Who let the dogs out" during your walk to the parking lot. But there are a few other notes of note as well: "Chuckie Chan," the dream sequence, and "Reptar I love you" (a refreshing poke-funnery of those Disney classic odes).
SSG Syndicate 6 out of 10 (Susan Granger)
The theme of wanting to have a complete family is particularly resonant today - what with death, divorce and remarriage so prevalent.
There's potty humor and a kid-pleasing climactic chase involving the Rugrats and Jean-Claude... Musically, there's Sinead O'Connor's rendition of "When You Love" and the Baha Men's catchy "Who Let the Dogs Out."
..."Rugrats in Paris" is a fast-paced, amusing [film] for tiny tykes - and it's quite tolerable for adults.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch 3 stars (Joe Williams)
Kids need to be entertained. That's why we invented television. But so do adults. That's why we invented politics.
On rare occasions, children and grown-ups have to co-exist, and a movie that can keep both groups from fidgeting in their seats is the pot of gold at the end of the Hollywood rainbow.
Like "The Simpsons," the Rugrats franchise is the antithesis of cuddly, condescending kid stuff. Both cartoons are animated by a cutting-edge company called Klasky Csupo (which also did "Duckman"). The Rugrats are a pack of mischievous toddlers whose jokes are unintelligible to their parents.
The plot is both far-fetched and inconsequential, and there's no obvious explanation why the whole thing was set in Paris. (Surprisingly, the film doesn't exploit the comic possibilities of the culture clash, although the theme-park scenes are a clever satire of corporate greed.) But the strength of the Rugrats cartoons isn't their plot but rather the demeanor of the kids, from the DeVille twins' appetite for worms to infant Dylan's fixation with poopy. And even though the Rugrats are notorious for their low-brow wisecracks, Chuckie's longing for a new mother has the kind of emotional resonance you don't usually expect from such a gleefully silly cartoon. Clearly the producers understand that children are complicated little creatures who can be earthy and spiritual at the same time.
Adults will be amused by the jazzy animation and the sly references to movies like "The Godfather," while kids will enjoy the booger jokes and the high-energy pop songs. (Be forewarned: The soundtrack includes "Who Let the Dogs Out?" and the kids in the audience will woof accordingly.) It's not a groundbreaking film, but for an afternoon of family fun, "Rugrats in Paris" is a compromise that won't require a recount.
St. Petersburg Times A+ (Billy Norris)
...it was full of everything a good film needs: humor that appeals to all ages, likeable characters and a cute, attention-holding plot.
"Rugrats In Paris" was extremely well-done. The animation was great, just like in the TV show. Everything about this flick was enjoyable.
It's a must-see for all families. And of course, the littlest ones will be eagerly awaiting the video release so they can watch it over and over at home.
St. Petersburg Times (Steve Persall)
The popular Nickelodeon cartoon series gets a big-screen encore after an auspicious 1998 debut.
The soundtrack is cool: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Issac Hayes, and the ubiquitous Baja Men (sic) still looking for who let those darn dogs out.
The heroes can barely walk, but the franchise has legs.
San Antonio Express-News (Larry Ratliff)
The adult filmmakers are every bit as mischievous as the diaper-wagging toddlers in "Rugrats in Paris — The Movie."
No, I made a boo-boo. The filmmakers are downright pesky.
There's just a bit of the sophomore jinx at work here. While it's fun, "Rugrats in Paris — The Movie" doesn't exactly pop from the screen like the initial effort. The TV style of animation was never intended to match the fullness of Disney's classic style, of course. This one often seems flat even when the action is busy.
Parents might be a little hard-pressed to keep the youngsters engaged in this statically paced romp around Paris from start to finish. That's the case even though there's the usual peppering of poopy jokes (always a sure bet for the tiny tykes) along the way.
Parents, on the other hand, could be having a better time, especially if they tune in to all the little jabs (good-natured, for the most part) at Disney, the animation and business behemoth.
The music, one of the most appealing elements of the first feature, is good, if not quite on par with the initial effort. One high point, though, is the distinctive inclusion of "Who Let the Dogs Out," the hot song of the moment by the Baha Men.
It's amusing enough to see the world's most famous babies running around the Eiffel Tower and other animated Paris attractions. It would be more exciting, though, if the movie itself sizzled like the city.
San Francisco
Chronicle (Peter Stack)
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(Left: Little Man's pose is equivalent to 3 stars on a 5-star
scale.)
(The Little Man and all of its poses are trademarks of , and ©2000, by the Chronicle Publishing Company.) |
The Rugrats make an amusing mess of the City of Light in "Rugrats in Paris: The Movie." And the result is an arguably better movie than the original Rugrats film, which made a killing at the box office.
There's no particular reason the story is set in Paris. Most of the action takes place inside the American-style theme park, and the Parisian backdrops are just occasional postcard settings. Considering what the Rugrats might have discovered in a more fully realized, cosmopolitan Paris, one is struck by the missed opportunity for education and enlightenment.
For teens and adults, the action is laced with amusing references to other movies (the best are re-enactments of scenes from "The Godfather") and to a satire of global commercialization and jabs at Euro Disney. But most tots in the audience won't give a pickle.
San Francisco Examiner 3 stars (Wesley Morris)
The script is credited to five writers and still feels baby-bottom smooth, transforming sight gags into actual plot devices better than the first film or the Nickelodeon series. Any movie that opens and ends with a comprehensive "Godfather" riff threatens to be a recipe for a Leslie Nielsen vehicle. But damned if "Rugrats in Paris" doesn't make it funny.
First of all, not since "Muppet Babies" has a troupe of congested and thrill-seeking toddlers managed to turn world-weariness, familial longing and emotional sincerity into wholesale adventure. The sight of baby diva Angelica (voiced by Cheryl Chase) doing a Vito Corleone deepens into something more substantial than a drive-by gag.
"Rugrats" is really smitten with the pathos that a child carries in his lunchbox, as though all babies are born with damaged old souls - the dirty diaper jokes and allusive assaults are the sugar on top.
While the movie sees a joke everywhere, every woman Chuckie sees is a mommy. But "Rugrat''' makes detours into Roald Dahl and Beverly Cleary territory. It exists in a realm of expressionist-juvenilia that makes an alternately simple and not-so-simple phenomenon like kids' melancholy seem more vivid and bizarrely affecting than it otherwise might. Chuckie's pals, namely the prescient Tommy, urge him to explore his void.
The journey's a kick, even when things seem so desperate that the film's soundtrack feels compelled to unleash "Who Let the Dogs Out?" a staggering two times. The second was during the closing credits, during which the kids barked along like 30-year-old Mets fans. It's a rambunctious, canine salve on grief that also seems to be the will of America's children.
Shepherd Express Metro (Milwaukee)
It's safe, it's G-rated, mom and dad will get the inside jokes, and if you're a fan of the hit television show, it's better on the bigger screen.
ShowBIZ Data (film industry service) 3 stars (Lesley Jacobs)
Proving, thankfully, that there is life beyond Disney, Rugrats in Paris: The Movie... brings the beloved diaper-dependent TV rapscallions to the big screen with glee. Much grander than the first film, the jet-setting adventure balances madcap mayhem, tongue-in-cheek humor and plenty of life lessons in a story filled with imaginative riffs on pop culture and the woes of being a thumb-sucking, wobbly-walking tot.
You know you're in for a great ride from the opening credits which cross fade from the film's title to a Godfather-inspired subtitle Rugrats II. These nods to adult humor continue with a scene that features Angelica (who else?) as "The Bobfather", from whom the babies ask favors. One has to congratulate Klasky-Csupo for dealing with such a tough issue [of Chuckie's want of a new mom] with grace and sensitivity. It's not handled so intensely that the little ones will be upset, but rather with enough depth to ensure that kids will understand the meaning of loss and that life goes on.
The animation in the movie captures the festive and fantastical feel of Reptarland, while also offering the animators the chance to stretch their creative wings... the message that Rugrats In Paris tries to send [is]: That through adversity, we grow stronger and, through suffering, we can find happiness. It might sound pretty deep for a kid's flick, but then again, kids are always smarter than we think they are. Klasky-Csupo knows this and they manage to entertain and educate in one Technicolor swoop.
The Source (Bend, OR) (Laurie J. Rice)
The predictable sequel to the animated feature featuring a troop of mischievous kids that find themselves in Paris. Its slimmed-down running time (70 minutes) and colorful action will keep those short attention spans sufficiently amused, which can not be said for the adults in the crowd.
The Star-Tribune (Minneapolis) 3 stars (Jeff Strickler)
Whatever you think of ''Rugrats'', you've got to take your hats off to the show's creators for their marketing savvy. Instead of turning their movie spinoffs into just another source of ancillary income, they use the films to advance the TV show's main plot lines. Kids who want to be in the know have to see the movies in order to keep up with the animated series.
Fortunately for the parents who, thus, will be badgered into taking their youngsters to "Rugrats in Paris," the movie reflects the cleverness that has led many adults to sneak a peek at the TV series. Creator-producers Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo mix goofy humor aimed at kids with clever one-liners for adults and toss in a few movie-spoof references.
The Stranger (Seattle) (Kudzai Mudede)
Why waste time dabbling in the waters of those fancy foreigners with their unintelligible offerings (Teletubbies, Pokemon, etc.) or those epileptic fit-inducing upstarts who employ every cheap trick involving violence, sex, and subliminal messaging (everything on Fox Kids, for example). Your child does not need variety--your child needs success! And you know full well that the Rugrats have been, are, and for some time to come will be the bearers of the formula for success. Sing when you're winning my friends, sing when you're winning.
# Studio 3 stars (Patrick Fabre)
Les enfants riront ... Les parents, eux, y verront... une charge amusante contre les touristes américains qui préfèrent visiter les parcs d'attraction made in chez eux que les splendeurs de notre patrimoine.
The children will laugh.. Their parents will see... a funny load against the American tourists that prefer to visit the artificial attractions at parks, which displays the splendors of our patrimony.
# Stuttgarter Zeitung (I)
Diesmal mischen die populären TV-Babys die Seine-Hauptstadt ordentlich auf. Seitenhiebe auf Filmhits wie «Der Pate» machen den Film auch für Eltern zum erträglichen Kinospaß, in dem sonst auf infantile Gags und Slapstick-Nummern gesetzt wird.
This time the popular TV babies mix up the Seine capital properly. Side blows on film hits like "The Godfather" make the film also bearable for parents, in which otherwise the gags and slapstick numbers are infantile.
# Stuttgarter Zeitung (II: Diemuth Schmidt)
Der Witz bleibt wie zu erwarten auf dem einfachen Niveau von Kleinkindern und geht dabei gelegentlich im wahrsten Sinn des Wortes in die Hose. Ein paar ironische Seitenhiebe auf die Kommerzialisierung der Kinderwelt und Filmzitate machen den Streifen aber auch für Begleitpersonen erträglich. Und die Kleinen werden sich schon gut unterhalten fühlen.
The joke remains, to be expected, on the simple level of infants and goes occasionally in the maintained sense of the word. A few ironical side blows on the commercialization of the child world and film quotations makes the film bearable for accompanying persons. And the small ones will feel well-maintained.
Sun Newspapers (Cleveland, OH) (4 $'s) (Gerry Shamray)
"Rugrats in Paris" is hilarious, even better than "The Rugrats Movie," which was no slouch of it's own in the humor department. What a nice surprise that producers Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo can keep their aging Nickelodeon franchise so fresh and witty.
From "The Godfather" to "Godzilla," the second Rugrats big-screen entry delivers several very funny film references that will make parents laugh out loud. It also injects a high quota of gross-out jokes to keep the little ones laughing as loudly.
The countless gags are on target. How can you dislike a movie that has Sumo singers belting out Donna Summer's "Bad Girls" at a sushi/karaoke bar? The red-hot "Who Let the Dogs Out" also is utilized nicely. (Woof, woof woof.)
The Rugrats may be in Paris but there will be laughter and giggles heard in theaters all around the world. "Rugrats in Paris" is a great ride.
Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale) 3 stars (Sherri Winston)
Rugrats in Paris is a delight, with tickles that reach from pre-k to grown-up. The sendup to The Godfather alone is worth the price of admission. Celebrity voices of Sarandon, John Lithgow, Debbie Reynolds and Tim Curry add clever punch to the talented cast, and bright, deft animation plays perfectly along with a high-energy soundtrack.
Despite the fun, parents should note some loud explosions and big, spooky images.
Also, on TV, the story about Chuckie's mom, who died years ago, hovers in the background. In Paris, the absence of a mommy takes center stage. Sensitive children or children experiencing a loss might be affected.
TNT Roughcut (Margueritte Pelissier)
If you don't watch the television show regularly (like me) or you missed the first Rugrats movie (like I did), don't worry about getting lost. You get to know and love these babies and toddlers really quickly.
It was all so cute, I couldn't help but enjoy it. But that's the whole appeal of Rugrats in Paris: The Movie; it is good, clean television made for the big screen. I would pay $6.50 to see this movie, get my quick dose of cuteness for the day, and move on.
The Tampa Tribune 2.5 stars (Bob Ross)
Pleasant kiddie cartoon with jokes for all ages. A trip to France brings adventure and laughter.
# Télé Poche 2 stars (V. Savignoni) (special thanks to Super Yo)
Si l'intrigue n'est pas follement originale, le rythme est toujours aussi endiablé et les gags bien trouvés. Comme toujours, l'émotion et la tendresse priment, donnant un ton particulier au récit.
If the plot is not really original, the rhythm is always fast and the gags are well found. As usual, emotion and tenderness are first, giving a particular tone to the scenario.
The Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, MA) 4 stars (Daniel M. Kimmel)
"Rugrats in Paris" is wonderful family entertainment. Sure, there's plenty of broad slapstick for the youngsters, but there's also spoofs of "The Godfather," "Lady and the Tramp," and "Jurassic Park" for the grown-ups. An amusement park trip through the ultimate kids ride -- a tunnel of goo -- may make parents and children laugh together.
After nine years on television and two movies, these Rugrats show no signs of slowing down or growing up any time soon.
The Times-Picayune (New Orleans) 3 stars (Michael H. Kleinschrodt)
If movies, like Mardi Gras, can be judged by the amount of garbage left behind, then "Rugrats in Paris: The Movie" is sure to be a big success.
After a recent preview screening for an enthusiastic young audience, the theater was completely trashed. Ushers might still be sweeping up the popcorn.
The characters lose none of their charm in the transition, and the story's movie parodies will entertain parents as easily as their children.
[The film] gets plenty of mileage out of poking fun at the competition from the Disney folks. The Rugrats ride through "Ooey Gooey World," a blatant slap at the "It's a Small World" ride at the Disney theme parks. There's also a clever poke at "Lady and the Tramp" when Spike and his French poodle friend share a slice of pizza with unusually elastic cheese.
"Rugrats in Paris" almost taunts Disney as it blasts Baha Men's "Who Let the Dogs Out" during Spike's sightseeing expedition, a journey that ends with the dog lifting its leg at a wall later revealed to be the base of the Eiffel Tower. Insert big laugh from the kids here.
If the movie has a downside, this is it. The poop and pee jokes come fast and furious. At one point, even Angelica has to ask, "What is it with you babies and poop?" "Where do you want us to start, Angelica?" sincere Tommy replies.
OK, so there's one other downside. Let's just say you might want to avoid taking your children to wedding receptions after seeing this movie. If you must take them, for God's sake, keep them away from the wedding cake.
Topical Movie (Singapore) 3 stars
The film takes a playful path through the uncomplicated plotline, beginning with a perfectly choreographed spoof on THE GODFATHER (replete with a sawed-off toy horse head), then launching into a series of upbeat songs narrating the story in styles ranging from rock and reggae to jazz and R&B.
With fun music and fast-moving graphics balancing out the obligatory jokes about diapers, babies' butts, and poop, RUGRATS IN PARIS THE MOVIE will thrill fans of these wild toddlers.
Toronto Sun 4 stars (Liz Braun)
While Rugrats In Paris does indeed concern l'amour, it sacrifices nothing in the way of nose boogers or sibling rivalry to do so.
Rugrats In Paris has all the pratfalls and visual humour children love, from sagging diapers to food fights. It also has plenty of laughs for the adults accompanying little viewers. Many of those laughs are at Disney's expense.
EuroReptarLand involves all the worst of Disney amusement parks in terms of visual overkill, cutesy rides and hideous theme songs.
Several sequences in this Rugrats outing also out-Disney Disney in terms of animation. Further on the dis-Disney front, Spike -- the Rugrats dog -- hooks up with a French poodle, and they dine together a la Lady And The Tramp. And wait until you hear the overwrought music and heart-stirringly cheesy lyrics of a love song to Reptar. Belle, Mulan and the Little Mermaid would blush.
Otherwise, the children offer their usual verbal misunderstandings ("Over my dead potty!"), argue amongst themselves, get bullied by Angelica and fantasize about bravery in this story; adults get to enjoy all the little visual send-ups of such movies as Godzilla, Jurassic Park and The Godfather.
Something for everyone, as it were.
Tucson Weekly (Linsay Hernon)
Several slobbering, troublemaking toddlers wreak havoc in Paris in another reckless Rugrats animated adventure. Chuckie is a joyless juvenile whose single dad is sent to repair his robotic raptor [sic] invention in the City of Lights, where he meets the cunning Coco, a theme park manager in designer clothing who feigns love only for a piddling promotion. The scraggly-haired tykes aren't fooled, however, and fight to stop the heartless shrew and find the saddened son the perfect mom. All this between toilet humor and constant snacking. Debbie Reynolds, John Lithgow and Susan Sarandon supply some of the characters' voices in this surprisingly enjoyable and fast-paced film with an energetic soundtrack and entertaining parodies of several classic films.
Tulsa World 3 stars (Dennis King)
"Rugrats in Paris -- The Movie" lends whole new dimensions to the French term, "oui, oui."
While the infants and toddlers of Nickelodeon's affectionate, edgy cartoon series still rely on diapers and the occasionally innocent potty joke for laughs, the newest big-screen outing of the wise little show that looks at the world from knee-level-up is certainly cause for a resounding "yes, yes."
Adding spice to the mixture is a sassy vocal appearance by Susan Sarandon, a very flamboyant performance by John Lithgow as Coco's pretentious assistant, and stellar work by cast regulars and others. There are also brief but distinctive vocal turns by Debbie Reynolds, Tim Curry and Casey Kasem.
Mark Mothersbaugh, former leader of the new wave band Devo, raises the film's hipness level considerably with several quirky-cool compositions that anchor a soundtrack featuring works by "T-Boz" Watkins, Sinead O'Connor, Isaac Hayes, Gerri Halliwell and The Baha Men performing their thumping hit, "Who Let the Dogs Out."
Composed in the colorful, artfully crude animation style of the TV show and filled with gleeful send-ups of grown-up fancies and children's off-kilter wisdom, "Rugrats in Paris -- The Movie" is indeed a bon voyage.
United States Catholic Conference A-I -- general patronage
Sweet animated sequel in which the whole gang travels to Paris where little Chuckie Finster (voice of Christine Cavanaugh) tries to find his widowed father a new wife and himself a new mommy. Based on the characters from the Nickelodeon series, the bright, lively animation and simple story peppered with clever quips in directors Stig Bergqvist and Paul Demeyer's film create an engaging film delightful for children and parents alike.
# Univision (Norma Angélica Gómez)
Durante la realización de Rugrats in Paris, la animación supera en riqueza a la que se puede apreciar en la serie de televisión, puesto que las imágenes que se hicieron por computadora fueron retocadas a mano, lo cual le dio a los personajes más calidez.
Rugrats in Paris ofrece nuevos atractivos para los fanáticos de la serie de televisión, éxito que en buena parte se debe a las celebridades que prestan su voz a los dibujos animados, como son Susan Sarandon como Coco LaBouche y en especial, Debbie Reynolds como Lulu Pickles, quien después confesó que tuvo que pedir el asesoramiento de su nietecita para hacer un buen trabajo en esta secuela de los Rugrats.
During the production of Rugrats in Paris, the animation surpasses in quality over the TV series, since the images were computer and hand-animated, which gave the characters more polish.
Rugrats in Paris offers new attractions for fans of the TV series, with some of the success due to the celebrities that lend their voice to the cartoons, such as Susan Sarandon as Coco LaBouche and, especially, Debbie Reynolds as Lulu Pickles, who later confessed that she had to request some asistance to make this sequel of the Rugrats successful.
# Urbuz Paris 75% (Julien Dupuy)
Derrière ses airs de gentille aventure picaresque, Les Razmokets à Paris est une satire féroce et audacieuse. Évidemment, à l'instar des aventures cathodiques de ces turbulents personnages, les scatologiques retrouveront avec joie une fascination dégouttante... les kids assisteront à un remake trash de la scène des spaghettis de La belle et le clochard et surtout, à un hymne entraînant aux substances verdâtres non identifiées. Au-delà de ces subversions purement ludiques, Les Razmokets à Paris est un véritable tract pour les couples inter-raciaux et contre la mondialisation. Personne ne s'étonnera de trouver Disney dans la ligne de mire de cette fable acide, et plus précisément Eurodisneyland.
Behind its airs of a nice picaresque adventure, Rugrats in Paris is a wild and daring satire. Obviously, following the cathodic adventures of these turbulent characters, the scatological ones will find, with joy, a dripping fascination... the kids will assist with a remake of the trash spaghetti scene from Lady And the Tramp, and especially, an anthem involving unidentified greenish substances. Beyond these purely ludic subversions, Rugrats in Paris is a true case for inter-racial couples and against universalization. Nobody will be astonished to find Disney in the line of sight of this acid fable, and, more precisely, Eurodisneyland.
Us Weekly 3 stars
The gang flies high in its first international adventure.
The lively comedy carries the kids far from home but remains faithful to the Rugrats creeds: Nothing is sacred, and babies know best.
Vancouver Plus (Bill Pearis)
Sacre bleu! This kiddie sequel will delight parents too.
Though "Rugrats in Paris" rivals "Scary Movie" for sheer body-function humor, there is no offense in its intent. Instead, the Rugrats team has come up with a funny, smart and genuinely moving movie that will please children and adults.
Variety (Robert Koehler)
Having joined the $100 million club with its debut feature, the Rugrats gang has been rewarded with a trip to the City of Lights in the awkwardly titled "Rugrats in Paris: The Movie," a sequel that proves to be superior on every level to the first effort. Though there's no disputing the huge financial success of the initial collaboration between animators Klasky/Csupo and Paramount, "The Rugrats Movie" showed the creators' considerable strain to stretch the continuous havoc made by their mostly diapered tube heroes to feature length. In "Paris," situation and complications are generated by real character desires and impulses rather than arch effects and arbitrary action, thus getting the vast legion of tot fans and their attentive parents back to the show's roots. Though animated sequels of popular kids' fare tend to perform lower than their progenitors, this one should buck the trend with magnifique B.O. response long into the Christmas season.
Project's Disney connection extends to several fine displays of illustrative animation in Mouse-like tradition, including Chuckie's fanciful dream of heroism. Fans of Brad Bird's "The Iron Giant" will also note echoes here in the precise work realizing mechanical objects, ranging from the airplane winging the Pickles to Paris to the romping, stomping Reptar.
The soundtrack is highlighted by a tune beautifully warbled by Sinead O'Connor, "When You Love," which, in true "Rugrats" style, will appeal to ears of all ages.
The Village Voice (Richard Gehr)
[As] 1998's Rugrats: The Movie introduced Tommy Pickles's baby brother, Dill, this sequel navigates a potentially dicier psychological minefield as the 'rats assist timid, motherless Chuckie Finster in his quest to bond with the animatronic "princess mommy" he spies on a Matterhorn-like edifice in EuroReptarland, a Japanese theme park in Paris.
Rugrats has always spoofed the merchandising hand that feeds it. In Rugrats in Paris, though, Nickelodeon launches a comedic assault on the Disney empire's tired formulas. Susan Sarandon voices Coco LaBouche, a pointy, sinister corporate climber, dressed in hilariously parodied Japanese high fashion, who drags Chuckie's father down the aisle (of Notre Dame, no less) to prove to the park's owners that she's kid-friendly enough to run EuroReptarland. Former Devo leader Mark Mothersbaugh detonates the Disney tear-jerking ballad with "Reptar I Love You," while Disneyland's small-world banality is slimed in Reptarland's Ooey Gooey World ride.
A colorful theme park of a film, Rugrats in Paris nicely conveys a family trip abroad as seen from both the exhausted-parent and bewildered-infant points of view. And it pushes the viscosity button hard for extra verisimilitude, with countless pee, poop, vomit, and drool jokes that add a documentary aspect to the frantic family fare.
WCCO ch.4 (CBS), Minneapolis (Tim Lammers)
If you're wondering why it's so wildly popular on cable TV's Nickelodeon, this second big-screen adventure of "The Rugrats"... is another shining example why.
Sure, the film is peppered with enough mild-mannered toilet humor to keep the kids rolling, but at the heart of "Rugrats in Paris" is a smart script for adults to enjoy (its pop culture menagerie includes howling references to such film classics as "The Godfather," "Lady and the Tramp" and "King Kong"). But for the whole family, there's a deeply affecting storyline (lonesome Rugrat Chuckie and his widowed dad Chas seeking a new mommy and wife) with plenty of heart. It's smart, rollicking fun.
WNBC ch.4 (NBC) New York (Jeffrey Lyons) [From an ad for the film]
It's the Rugrats' best adventure; their fans will love it.
Expect sumptuously animated Gallic scenery, high-dollar celebrity voices (Susan Sarandon, Debbie Reynolds, John Lithgow), and plenty of stinky-cheese jokes as those droopy-diapered Nickelodeon tots enjoy their second feature-length outing. And Chuckie's dad even gets some G-rated romantic action--eeuww, yucky!
Washington Post (Desson Howe)
Your children (of the "Rugrat"-viewing age, natch) are almost certain to have a great time. Tommy, Chuckie and the rest of the 'rats, who fly to Paris for fun, romance (well, for Chuckie's Dad, Chas) and finding squishy stuff to pick up off on the floor to eat, are in top form.
[Children] get time with their favorite characters, popcorn and the chance to laugh at the Great Unmentionables, from boogers to flatulence. And no one will be indifferent to the scene in a karaoke bar, in which three oversized Sumo singers (dressed in their minimal, diapered glory) perform a lip-synch version of Donna Summer's "Bad Girl."
There's a nice abundance of in-jokes, too, for any bored-out-of-their-skull grown-ups in the audience.
And those one-liners are almost worth the price of admission.
"Run along," says Coco, feigning affection for a little Rugrat. "Before you give me lice."
Don't tell your children why you're snickering. Just tell them to listen for the next booger joke.
Washington Post (Jane Horowitz)
A bona-fide hoot-and-a-half, this second animated feature based on the "Rugrats" TV show will earn big laughs and smiles of contentment from preschoolers, older siblings AND their parents. It's drawn with whimsical wit and written on a level of inspired silliness harking bcak to Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks. Still, some moments might scare the tiniest tots.
Web Wombat (Australia) (James Anthony)
The fun is fast and furious and the creators have gone to great lengths to incorporate at least three major references to classic movies in the plot. They are the Godfather, Godzilla and King Kong.
As you would expect there's plenty of revolting poopie jokes, snot eating, farting, pukeing and other really unmentionable stuff. And, the rugrats are in top form.
...once again, [the animation is] superb. The original Rugrats the Movie was excellent with its imagery and it's fair to say the production team has gone two steps better this time around.
The images at times appear 3D and the way in which they give the impression of depth is amazing.
The soundtrack will keep the feet moving and, with the exception of Who Let the Dog Out, is pretty reasonable. Shame is, however, that having heard Who Let the Dog Out it will remain in the brain for hours. Days even. Should be banned. It's a health hazard.
Rugrats in Paris is a hugely enjoyable way to spend 78 minutes and, with its child/adult-friendly humour will keep youngsters and parents well entertained.
The script is excellent and while your youngster is laughing at one level, you'll be chortling at a very adult concept.
However, if you are one of the people who gets embarrassed 'fessing up to the fact you can enjoy children's movies, throw off the coat, hat and dark glasses and take the nippers along during the school holidays to meet their animated cousins. You can always say you were forced to do it!
Weekly Planet (Tampa) 2.5 stars (Lance Golderberg)
Happily, the movie looks very good, and it throws us enough bones to keep thinks mildly interesting, but there's also more than enough mentions of boogers and poop to keep the kiddies smiling. The wit is considerably softer here than it is even on on the small-screen (the musical interludes are particularly brainless), but the story, slight though it may be, has a nice emotional heft to it, and the character of Coco La Bouche is a great screen villiainess in the grand tradition of Cruella De Vil. Great wardrobe, too.
# Die Welt
Der erste Kinoableger der Fernsehserie "Rugrats" vor drei Jahren nahm "2001", "Jurassic Park" und Busby Berkeley-Musicals aufs Korn, der zweite nimmt sich "King Kong", den "Paten" und "101 Dalmatiner" vor. Bei einem Zielpublikum von Kindern unter zehn lässt das nur zwei Schlüsse zu: Entweder haben unsere lieben Kleinen schon mehr gesehen, als sie eigentlich sollten - oder viele Erwachsene nehmen ihr Kind nur als Alibi mit, weil sie selbst Spaß an den Teppichrutschern haben. Der erfinderische Vater von Tommy muss diesmal nach Paris, um einen mechanischen Dinosaurier zu reparieren. Die ganze Rugrats-Bande schwärmt im EuReptarland aus... über dem Hokusais "Große Welle" dräut. Dieser optische Gag ist nur eines von vielen Indizien, dass die Produzenten verstärkt auf ein erwachsenes Publikum setzen, das von den Witzen über Sekretionen des Körpers weniger fasziniert ist als seine Sprösslinge.
The first cinema appearance of the "Rugrats" TV series three years ago took "2001", "Jurassic Park" and Busby Berkeley musicals on the grain; the second targets "King Kong", "The Godfather" and "101 Dalmatians". With a target audience of children under ten permits only two conclusions: Either our dear small ones want more, than they should actually - or many adults take their child along only as an alibi, because they have fun at the slide. This time, Tommy's inventive father must go to Paris, in order to repair a mechanical dinosaur. The whole Rugrats gang tags along to Euro Reptarland... where Hokusai's "Giant Wave" towers. This optical gag is only one of many indications that the producers strengthened on a grown-up public, which is the least fascinated by jokes of body secretions than their offspring.
Windy City Times (Chicago gay newspaper) 7.5 out of 10 (Gregg Shapiro)
Even more colorful, captivating and action-packed than its predecessor, this second big-screen Rugrats feature also has more of an adult appeal which makes it easier to sit through with rugrats of your own. Bossy and bigger-than-the-rest Angelica watches one of The Godfather movies and she's holding court and granting wishes like a baby Brando, while peppering her malapropism-mangled speech with references to the classic movie about the Mafia.
Kids will love the kooky and surreal adventures in which the Rugrats crew always seem to find themselves. Gay and straight adults will like the script that will entertain them (with scenes that include Sumo karaoke waiters singing "Bad Girls" and references to Lady And The Tramp) as much as it does their children.
Winnipeg Free Press (Alison Gillmor)
Like Godfather II, this is one of those sequels that's better than the original. The first Rugrats movie was intense and preachy; here the mood, as we all head to Paris, is bursting with joie de vivre.
There's also some real wisdom about child-rearing, some animated sight-seeing from the Eiffel Tower to Notre Dame, and a little humour at the expense of Parisians (all the sing-songy jollity at EuroReptarland is superintended by people weighed down with weary Gallic cynicism).
The music, overseen by onetime Devo member Mark Mothersbaugh, is catchy, another example of the clever ability of creators Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo to entertain children and adults at the same time.
In a time when true "family movies" are becoming more and more rare, the Rugrats keep their broad appeal.
These critics point out the good and the bad sides of the film, too good to be missed, but not quite enough for their total approval.
The Arizona Republic (Phoenix) 3 stars (Scott Craven)
It's difficult to dislike a children's movie that begins with a parody of The Godfather.
Difficult but not impossible.
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie starts with a joke that its targeted audience won't get for 10 years. The Godfather-inspired wedding scene even includes the head of a rocking horse, giving parents hope that this Nickelodeon production may be tolerable if not enjoyable. Not only that, but the first potty joke doesn't arrive for 15 minutes. Very promising.
It's during this long-winded courtship [between Coco and Chazz] that Rugrats falls flat. There aren't enough potty jokes in the world to get kids interested in a conniving romance. My 5-year-old son, a big fan of the series, couldn't sit still during Coco-filled scenes. His squirm factor was an 8 on a 10 scale, lowering to well-behaved status 2 during the last 15 minutes, when the Rugrats commandeer Reptar to wreak havoc throughout the City of Light.
The relatively complicated plot (for 3- to 7-year-olds) is unfortunate, given the catchy music, the fluid animation and the characters' endearing qualities. Thanks to the rousing finale, the children in the audience left with big smiles on their faces, and, for that reason, the movie is worth recommending to families who enjoy the series. The relative dearth of child-oriented films coming out for the holidays also should be considered.
But if you and your children have no idea who the Rugrats are, and associate the name "Chuckie" with an evil doll, sit this one out.
Atlanta Journal & Constitution C+ (Bob Longino)
The City of Light gets short-sheeted in the new animated "Rugrats in Paris: The Movie." You'd think Tommy, Chuckie, Angelica and all the kids went only as far as Vegas.
Nobody but Spike the dog seems to venture out to much of Paris.
Young kids will probably have a fine time at this movie (a recent pre-screening crowd especially came to life during The Baha Men's new song "Who Let the Dogs Out?"). Parents, at least, can tolerate most of it (they'll especially take notice of a nifty "The Godfather" spoof that bookends the flick).
As for the gag factor, "Rugrats in Paris" ranks pretty high (the worst moment involves the twins Lil and Phil, who'll eat worms, crud and everything else; they deplane in Paris clutching a used barf bag).
It's an age-old story retold in an uninventive way using cute kids. It doesn't matter how weak the script is, Chuckie will win your heart every time he opens his mouth and speaks in that timid, nasal-dripping voice. You can bet on it.
Boston Globe 2 stars (Loren King)
Nose picking, bubbly tummies, vomit, and a host of other bodily-function humor are the stock-in-trade of this lowbrow, Peanuts-style gang.
''Rugrats in Paris - The Movie'' is predictable and not terribly clever, but among the slim pickings of movies geared to the pre-school and grade-school set, it could be much worse (I say this having sat through both ''Pokemon'' features and its spawn, ''Digimon'').
The movie offers a few amusing nods to Hollywood, starting with the ''I need a favor'' bit from ''The Godfather'' that opens the film. But when the film blatantly steals the famous dogs-eating-spaghetti scene from Disney's ''Lady and the Tramp,'' it only calls attention to the ''Rugrats'' inferior model.
The kids' mad dash to Notre Dame from inside the giant mechanical Reptar echoes ''Godzilla'' as the creature lurches through the streets of Paris. The sequence is suspenseful but not frightening for the youngest viewers.
The animation, a combination of computer-generated and hand-drawn, is TV-cartoon serviceable if not visually original or compelling. At least the toddlers, for all their fascination with bodily functions, are given some degree of personality. Chuckie's sadness over the loss of his mother is handled with sensitivity that makes his longing a character trait as well as plot device. The movie's songs by Mark Mothersbaugh of the 1980s new wave band Devo are largely ballads that are pleasant enough but generic and unmemorable.
One might wish for loftier entertainment for contemporary kids than these Beavis and Buttheads-in-training. But at least adults are not likely to feel that accompanying a child to ''Rugrats in Paris'' is a form of abuse - for either of them.
Carlton Television (London) / "Popcorn" 3 stars (out of 5) (Neil Smith)
Another spin-off from a hit kids TV show, 'Rugrats In Paris: The Movie' is the second cinematic outing for these likeable cartoon characters - and a cut above the bland 'kidsploitation' of Pokémon and the like.
The country may have changed, but the formula remains the same - even if some of the jokes will be lost on younger audiences.
'Rugrats in Paris' is something of a misnomer, as most of the action unfolds in EuroReptarland - what little sightseeing there is involves Tommy's mutt Spike, whose exploits include sharing a 'Lady And The Tramp'-style meal with a French poodle and urinating on the Eiffel Tower. An opportunity missed? Perhaps - but while it isn't sharp enough to enjoy the universal appeal of 'Toy Story', under tens will still lap this up.
The Christian Science Monitor 2 stars (M.K. Terrell)
Potty jokes will amuse small children and dismay some parents. But some gags are for the grown ups: a karaoke chorus line of sumo wrestlers singing "Who Let the Dogs Out?" and takeoffs on other films, most notably "The Godfather." The animation is good, but the movie isn't terribly original.
# Chronic'art 2 stars (Yann Gonzalez)
Les Razmoket, pour ceux qui l'ignoreraient encore, c'est une bande de merdeux en culottes courtes. Moyenne d'âge de la petite troupe: un peu moins de deux ans. Pour leur seconde aventure au cinéma, les Razmoket envahissent notre chère capitale.
...les ressorts dramatiques sur lesquels reposent Les Razmoket à Paris sont plutôt du genre classique. Les recettes sont d'ailleurs proches de l'univers Disney, auquel les auteurs adressent quelques clins d'oeil par-ci par-là, comme lors d'une séquence parodiant les célèbres pâtes aux chandelles de La Belle et le Clochard. Les chansons et autres péripéties gentillettes ne manquent donc pas. Les Razmoket ne prennent pas pour autant leurs jeunes spectateurs pour des créatures ignares et décérébrées... s'autorisant même un long hommage au Parrain de Coppola. Une référence qui ne suffit pas à rendre la chose indispensable, mais qui permet aux adultes accompagnateurs de s'emmerder un peu moins.
Rugrats, in case you didn't know, is a mercilous gang in short pants. The average of age of the small troop: a little less than two years. For their second adventure to the movies, the Rugrats invade our dear capital.
...the dramatic forces on which these rest Rugrats In Paris are the rather classical kind. The undertakings are similar to Disney, to which the authors takes a wink at here and there, such as a sequence parodying Lady And The Tramp. The songs and other nice events do not lack much. Rugrats do not take their young spectators ignorant, brainless creatures... the positions and dialogue show a certain inventivity, such as a great homage to Coppola's Godfather opening. A reference that does not suffice to return the essential thing, but that allows the bored-stiff adult accompanists a little less.
Cinema Review (website) 2.5 stars (James Berardinelli)
...many of those who thrilled to the animated protagonists' misadventures two years ago will have outgrown their heroes by now. Thus, the success of this [new] Rugrats movie will depend upon a new generation of real-life rugrats.
As was true of the first film, this new episode provides solid entertainment for its target age group [4 to 7 years]... there's enough music, color, and adventure to hold their notoriously short attention spans; and the running length isn't excessive (a slender 70-plus minutes, excluding the end credits). The difference... is that the number of adult-oriented in-jokes and additional "sophisticated" material has increased. Granted, the Paramount/Nickelodeon feature doesn't match the average Disney animated effort when it comes to across-the-board entertainment, but it's a step in the right direction. I found The Rugrats Movie to be a terminal bore; this one was only sporadically sluggish.
The storyline, like many animated storylines, makes about as much sense as an ice cream salesman at the South Pole.
One element included solely for the parents in the audience is a fairly constant level of Disney bashing. Rugrats In Paris takes a shot at the Magic Kingdom whenever an opportunity presents itself - from the EuroDisney-inspired theme park to a brief, mocking nod to Lady and the Tramp. I can't remember any other film, animated or otherwise, that has so openly acknowledged and challenged the people behind the Mouse.
Rugrats In Paris preaches the acceptance of a step-parent while re-enforcing the notion that the new mother or father is not attempting to replace the deceased [or divorced] one. The approach is simplistic but surprisingly effective, and will strike a chord with youngsters who find themselves in this position.
One of the primary underlying faults of the original Rugrats movie remains - the film's look. Admittedly, any attempt to change the characters' overall appearance would be counterproductive, since kids want to see in movie theaters what they watch on TV. Consequently, Rugrats In Paris looks like what it really is - a 77-minute long episode of the TV series projected onto a theater screen. And that definition, more than any other, should be the guiding principal in determining whether this Rugrats adventure is worth the time and money required to experience it.
# Clarín (Buenos Aires, Argentina) (Anibal M. Vinelli)
Rugrats en París - La película, segunda entrega en el largometraje de los dibujos creados en 1991, apunta hacia un público bien definido, aunque en la Argentina la cosa no sea tan clara. Uno de sus puntos fuertes son las voces de un espléndido elenco donde brilla Susan Sarandon con el cómico acento francés de Coco La Bouche, un ser apenas menos villanesco que Cruella De Ville. Pero todo eso se pierde —y con ello una atracción para los adultos— en la copia doblada a un castellano supuestamente neutro y finalmente confuso.
Y una de las simpáticas alusiones del filme junto, con más de una referencia a El Padrino en títulos y situaciones. Están también la rica banda de sonido con canciones de Sinead O'Connor, Isaac Hayes, Geri Halliwell y compañía, mientras que el dibujo es de profesional y eficaz solvencia, dentro de una línea tradicional.
Rugrats in Paris - The Movie, the second big screen appearance of the characters created in 1991, aims towards a defined, affluent public, although in Argentina, it's not so clear. One of their strong points is the splendid voices, where Susan Sarandon shines with the humorous French accent of Coco LaBouche, a being hardly less villianesque than Cruella De Ville. But all that is lost -- and with it an attraction for the adults -- in the supposedly neutral and finally confused dubbed Spanish copy.
And it also has likeable references to the movies, with more than one reference to The Godfather in titles and situations. There is also a rich soundtrack with songs by Sinead O'Connor, Isaac Hayes, Geri Halliwell and company, whereas the animation is professional and effective, within a traditional line.
Creative Loafing (Charlotte) 2.5 stars (Matt Brunson)
If there were any doubts as to whether this second screen take-off of the Nickelodeon series would contain anything of interest to moviegoers over the age of 10, those fears are immediately laid to rest during the film's opening sequence: Bratty Angelica, playing the role of a mini-Godfather, is confronted by twins Phil and Lil, who are holding up a severed rocking horse head they discovered in their crib. Almost on a par with 1998's The Rugrats Movie, this animated adventure certainly contains its share of dead spots (as well as a few too many potty jokes), but they're balanced by several moments of comic inspiration laced throughout the film.
RIP probably isn't markedly better than a sample episode of the show, but it's hard to dislike a movie in which someone spots an airborne Angelica and yells, "Look! It's a nerd! It's a pain!" In the Oscar bait sweepstakes, the picture includes a song titled "When You Love" (sung by Sinead O'Connor) that's quite pleasing -- meaning, of course, that it'll be ignored in the Best Original Song race in favor of a dreary tune from Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas called "Where Are You Christmas" (sung by Faith Hill and co-written by Mariah Carey).
Entertainment Today (Los Angeles) (Kevin Hanna)
I couldn't get past the 1950s viewpoint on women.
When Coco lies [to Mr. Yamaguchi] and says she is in fact engaged, the old man immediately promotes her. The only truly complete woman is a married woman? Isn't this the future? Aren't we into the 21st century yet?
Putting aside the antiquated feminist slant, let's take a moment to examine what Rugrats has going for it: 1) There are bright colors and it's pretty loud so maybe that will distract the kids. 2) Amidst the poop jokes there are pop cultural references for the adults and the more media savvy kids, including gentle jabs at Disney and an extended Godfather throughline. 3) Kids sure did dig the "Who Let The Dogs Out" music montage. 4) The Cyndi Lauper / Mark Mothersbaugh tune "I Want a Mom That Will Last Forever" is enough to make you pick up the phone and give your own mom a ring.
So ask yourselves these questions: Have you enjoyed the Rugrats at any time in the last 10 years? Think ambitious career women without families are the perfect movie villains for the post-Cold War? Want to see the new characters before they pop up on the TV show? Then for you, Rugrats in Paris: The Movie is c'est magnifique. If not, it's just so much stinky cheese.
FargoWeb (Fargo, ND) 5 out of 10 (Craig Maczkowicz)
"Rugrats in Paris" is perhaps a notch lower in quality than the first movie. It still has its moments[, like "The Godfather" spoof at the start of the film]. There are some humorous moments spread throughout, and as always, there is an uplifting message to be delivered.
On the other hand, this movie definitely has the feel of a cartoon being stretched way too thinly. This might have worked better as a forty-five minute show put into an hour time slot on TV; as it stands, the pace drags at times and too much filler material is used. It's difficult to assess the quality of a movie which is basically just a long cartoon for kids, but it just seemed to me that nothing flowed especially well. I suspect younger kids were confused, and older kids were probably just annoyed by the plot.
Still, the kids in the theater seemed to like it... I wouldn't recommend going to a theater just to watch little kids, and I wouldn't recommend (if you're an adult) going to the theater to watch "Rugrats in Paris," but all things considered, the combination of the two is a pretty entertaining experience.
Question I am still pondering: Is that incredibly annoying "Who Let the Dogz Out" song going to be a cultural phenomenon forever, or are its fifteen minutes just about up?
Kansas City Star 2.5 stars (Brian McTavish)
In "Rugrats in Paris the Movie," Chuckie's odyssey is sentimental stuff. Heck, it might even choke you up. But, in the end, it's all about the marketing.
"Rugrats in Paris" needs this special hook because, without it, it's just "Rugrats" on a bigger screen. Not that there's anything wrong with that, if you're so inclined.
Veteran "Rugrats" co-director Paul DeMeyer and a stable of five writers once again aim to entertain children with adventure and slapstick while offering clever takes on pop culture for adults. The former involves a titanic clash between a giant snail robot and giant Reptar dinosaur robot that ups the action ante from the first film. The latter includes a parody of "The Godfather," in which a Brandoesque Angelica grants requests that she can't refuse on her grandpa's wedding day.
Why put the Rugrats in Paris? There doesn't seem to be much of a reason, aside from the animators getting to create spiffy images of the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame.
Except for Top 40 music guru Casey Kasem as a DJ, the celebrity voices are virtually unrecognizable, although they do justice to the characters. Leading the pack are Susan Sarandon as Coco La Bouche, a shrewish EuroReptarland executive who woos Chuckie's nerdy dad for her own selfish gain, and John Lithgow as Coco's professional sycophant, Jean-Claude.
The soundtrack to "Rugrats in Paris" benefits from a standout song... "When You Love," an emotional ballad written especially for the movie and performed by Sinead O'Connor. It didn't quite put a tear in my eye, but I didn't mind it trying.
Life Network -- "Flick" (Canada) (Brent Bambury & guest Ruby Sniderman)
BRENT: What did you like about this movie?
RUBY: I liked the songs and I liked some of the humour and I liked the evil lady.
BRENT: The evil lady - Coco La Bouche?
RUBY: Yeah.
BRENT: But you're not really supposed to like her, are you?
RUBY: No.
BRENT: Then why did you like her?
RUBY: I think she had the most character and I liked her costumes and I liked her voice.
BRENT: That was Susan Sarandon doing the voice - I think she's pretty funny. What did you not like about the humour?
RUBY: I didn't like the bathroom humour.
BRENT: You're almost ten, right? If you were seven, what would you think about the humour?
RUBY: Then I would like it a lot.
BRENT: You've got a little brother. When you saw this movie and you told him about it, what did he think?
RUBY: He was rolling on the floor laughing.
BRENT: But is this more of a boy's movie than a girl's movie?
RUBY: Some of it would probably be more for boys, but I think girls would like the part about Chuckie finding a new Mom.
BRENT: The movie opens with Angelica playing the Godfather. Did you understand what was going on there?
RUBY: Not really.
BRENT: It was a parody of the GODFATHER movie. I think that was aimed at adults and not at Rubys. Did you like Angelica?
RUBY: She's kind of bossy.
BRENT: Did you like the music?
RUBY: Yeah.
BRENT: What song did you like?
RUBY: "Who Let The Dogs Out?"
BRENT: Noooooo! Isn't that song everywhere now?
RUBY: Well it came up at a good time because it is about the dogs.
BRENT: What did you do?
RUBY: I think I sang along.
BRENT: Tell me a little bit about what you thought when you came out of the movie.
RUBY: I didn't really like it that much.
BRENT: But did you change your mind?
RUBY: Yeah, because I asked some of my friends and they really liked it. They told me about a couple of parts that they liked and I sort of looked at the movie in a different way.
BRENT: Well your friends could be wrong. Maybe you're right and they're wrong.
RUBY: I know.
Miami Herald (Sara Wildberger)
It's telling that the only time kids at a Rugrats in Paris: The Movie screening really stood up and cheered was when the familiar woofs of Who Let the Dogs Out came over the soundtrack. With an overlong exposition, too many nudging jokes that only parents or guardians would understand, and a confusing plot, Rugrats seemed to leave most of its younger viewers mildly amused, and some of them bewildered and upset.
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, despite good animation and star-power voices from the likes of Susan Sarandon and John Lithgow, has a whiff of made-to-be-a-holiday-moneymaker about it. It also strains too hard to keep adults engaged.
Some of the scenes and musical segments in which Chuckie is missing his mommy had many in the audience breaking into spontaneous wails of commiseration. Losing a parent is a pretty tough topic for any age group, and this plot element might be too much for some children to take. The whole new-mommy-wish-fulfillment thing could be a little iffy, too. The basic lesson, about overcoming fear, is a good one.
There are some delightful segments -- Chuckie dreams he is a marital-arts action star to a tune sung by Isaac Hayes, for instance.
Where it succeeds smashingly is in the sound department. Sarandon's villainess has perfect timing, and songs such as Sinead O'Connor's When You Love, T-Boz's My Getaway, and the aforementioned Dogs are a great example of how good entertainment can appeal to all ages -- without getting snippy about it.
Mr. Brown's Movies (website) 3 stars (Michael Dequina)
Rugrats in Paris suffers the same problem that befell 1998's The Rugrats Movie--the needless inclusion of musical numbers, though like the first film, there is one song that works: a wonderfully over-the-top love ballad to Reptar, said Godzilla-like creature. But overall the fast-paced and energetic film, with its broad action-oriented sequences and witty riffs on (yes) The Godfather, offers plenty to amuse the young and young at heart.
Mr. Showbiz (Go.Com) 64/100 (Michael Atkinson)
Rugrats in Paris... veers too far from the Pickles' backyard to have much of an impact — but the rhythms, characterizations, and fish-eye perspectives are still at work. the frequent song interludes will distract the kids (but send the adults into comas), and the anti-Disney satire rages as never before.
For grown-ups, the jokes are often flat tires, largely thanks to their context — when the 2-year-olds are simply sitting around a hole in the backyard, attempting to understand the world, that's when Rugrats shines. Over-involved in high-flying chase scenes and obtuse narrative chicanery, the formula peters out. The stabs at Disney will keep your spirits high, however — during Reptar's stage show, music supervisor and Devo frontman Mark Mothersbaugh ladles in "Reptar, I Love You," which is probably the most devastating parody of a late-Disney power ballad ever recorded.
Movie Headlines (website) 7 out of 10 (Scott Chitwood)
Rugrats in Paris is a good way to entertain kids for an hour without parents going insane.
What Worked: Well, I found the movie tolerable. It's not something I'd go out of my way to see, but I didn't find it grating either. There were some funny moments in the film for adults as well as some parodies of films such as The Godfather, Jurassic Park, Lady and the Tramp, A Few Good Men, and more. The parody of Euro Disney was also funny with a cheesy Godzilla movie twist. The clash of French and Japanese culture was pretty funny. In what other movie will you see Sumo wrestler waiters singing karaoke with a little girl or French Ninja security guards?
What Didn't Work: Rugrats is totally geared towards kids with only the occasional bone thrown to the adults.
This movie is called "Rugrats in Paris", but the whole film takes place at this Euro-Disney parody with a Japanese theme. That's like calling a movie "X in Las Vegas" and having the whole film take place at Hoover Dam. Only a couple of moments occur at Parisian landmarks, but they were not key to the film. And surprisingly, the film does not go for the obvious jokes. How can you have a movie take place in Paris without making fun of the French?
["Who Let The Dogs Out?"] got resounding cheers from the little kids, a sure sign it's 15 minutes of popularity is over.The pop song really seemed the most out of place as the credits rolled.
Movieguide (Christian review magazine) 2 stars; wholesome
RUGRATS IN PARIS is a fun movie emphasizing morals, that is flawed by scatological elements that are often gross. While toddlers often do things that are not exactly pleasant, using these actions as comic points throughout a movie may hinder any parental efforts to try to deter or minimize these things, especially among small children.
New York Daily News 2.5 stars (Elizabeth Weitzman)
"Rugrats in Paris" has more toilet humor than [Adam] Sandler's latest movie. Of course, the target audience for the sequel to the first "Rugrats" movie is even more juvenile than that for "Little Nicky." And, boy, are they going to be happy.
If you have unwelcome memories of the Rugrats' last screen jaunt, rest assured this outing is a step up.
Low-key jokes include adult-friendly references to movies like "The Godfather," while serious issues are handled with a fair amount of tact.
Clever tunes — with the exception of the now cringe-inducing "Who Let the Dogs Out" — provide a welcome respite from typically corny cartoon songs. And the wisecracking kids themselves are pretty good company.
On the other hand, there is that endless parade of lost lunches and overflowing diapers. So, yes, parents will undoubtedly shudder now and then.
But, will Rugrats fans love it? Wee, we ... er, oui, oui.
Planet Out (Gay entertainment website)
The garish colors, brisk pacing, and intensely noisy soundtrack will keep the kiddies enthralled, and sly pop-cultural references and occasional brief detours into surreal humor make this parent friendly, but just barely. Childless adults, however, needn't bother with this animated juggernaut of infantile poo, pee, vomit, and booger jokes.
Sinead O'Connor contributes a lovely song about maternal love.
St. Paul Pioneer Press 2.5 stars (Chris Hewitt)
Watching a clever parody of an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, one of the babies in "Rugrats in Paris" kvetches, "I hate when they sing." Exactly. So why have the makers of "Rugrats" littered the movie with parts where they sing?
Bland musical numbers aside, "Rugrats in Paris" has its charms, and it's a big improvement on the sketchy, repetitive "Rugrats: The Movie."
Any "Rugrats" project, whether it's on TV or at the movies, whether it's in the United States or France, is an excuse to teach its young fans a lesson and to delight them with jokes about poop, boogers and oui-oui.
Animated in bright, clear hues, "Rugrats" looks like it was made with only the best colors in the Crayola marker box. The script has witty parodies of "The Godfather" and "Lady and the Tramp" and, unlike the slipshod first movie, the details are perfect (Coco's elaborate, Cruella De Vil-like costumes are particularly impressive).
I wonder about the movie's eventual insistence that Chaz needs to find a new mother for Chuckie, which steps all over the "Rugrats" message that there are lots of different ways to have successful families now.
On the one hand, it's great Chaz finds a woman to love. But it would also be nice if "Rugrats" reminded us that some kids do not have mommies, and that can be OK, too.
The Salt Lake Tribune 2.5 stars (Sean P. Means)
Parents are scarcely in evidence in "Rugrats in Paris," the second movie based on the popular Nickelodeon cartoon. Parents bringing their kids to see this movie may want to follow suit -- though they should stick around to help their children deal with some surprisingly serious issues the cartoon raises.
"Rugrats in Paris" is dotted with solid soundtrack songs by Cyndi Lauper and Sinead O'Connor -- as well as the now-ubiquitous Baha Men hit "Who Let the Dogs Out?" which all the kids will be singing as they leave the theater -- and such celebrity voices as John Lithgow, Debbie Reynolds and Tim Curry. Like its predecessor, this sequel also spoofs several movies, with the mechanical Reptar doing a "Godzilla" on Paris and Angelica holding court on her "dumb babies" a la "The Godfather." Sure, kids won't get it, but for them are the many dirty-diaper jokes. "Rugrats in Paris" isn't just light, disposable fun, though. Chuckie's search for a new mommy is poignant and sometimes downright sad -- and parents may find themselves having to answer some pointed questions about death and remarriage. Be ready.
Screen It! (parental film website) 6.5 out of 10
While it's still too early to say what will ultimately become of the Rugrats movie franchise, it easily could become a victim of the "if it's successful and ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality.
Here, and feeling like one of those "special" episodes of "The Brady Bunch", the characters have been sent to Europe for the plot of their latest film, "Rugrats in Paris - The Movie." While that geographical touch gets them out of their homes and daycare, the old saying of "You can take a Rugrat out of mischief, but you can't take the mischief out of a Rugrat" (that I'm just now making up) still applies.
...the locale switching is pretty much a bust, as little of that scenery, the people or their culture comes into play outside some French accents, a bidet and Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower briefly being used as backdrops.
In fact, since most of the story takes place in EuroReptarland - a Japanese theme park that, along with a "Lady and the Tramp" type moment, are none too veiled swipes at Disney (but aren't anywhere near as funny or clever as Duff Gardens in "The Simpsons") - the story could have taken place in Des Moines as long as the basic plot elements were kept in place.
...the film's story is more complex than that offered in the original film and comes off as more accessible to viewers who've long since left the demographics of the film's target audience. That's not to say that childless adults will be clamoring to see this picture or that parents will be eagerly returning to see it, but that it's probably more palatable to adults than the first film.
Meanwhile, the vocal performances are as solid as in the original with most everyone returning to reprise their characters. While [John Lithgow] doesn't really add much to the proceedings despite the actor's distinctive voice, [Susan] Sarandon really sinks her teeth into a role that will undoubtedly draw comparisons to Cruella De Vil.
"Rugrats in Paris - The Movie" might not be the greatest film geared for children with adults also in mind, but it's clearly an enjoyable one in its own right.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer B- (Paula Nechak)
It's doubtful "Rugrats in Paris" will appeal to, well, all the rugrats in your household. But it very well could prove entertaining for adults and older kids with more sophisticated tastes.
There are references to film classics "King Kong," "Apocalypse Now," "The Godfather" and even a riff on Blake Edwards' wild food fight from his 1965 comedy, "The Great Race." All are re-enacted with tongue-in-cheek humor by bossy Angelica and the rest of the rugrat gang -- Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil and Baby Dil.
"Rugrats in Paris" may sink to sentimentality when it focuses on its heartfelt family crisis, but it has a stylish-if-despicable villainess in Coco. Oscar-winner Sarandon chews into the venemous wildcat with a vengeance and spits out an animated character on a par with "101 Dalmatians" bad girl Cruella De Vil.
Still, the rugrats steal most of the scenes. Looking at the world from their uniquely "pampered" perspective lends a comedic, oddly pragmatic slant to the festivities. "Rugrats in Paris" isn't great art but it does have a fair share of laughs, cleverness and, after all the silliness, a little rattle-shaking moral message.
The Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ) 2.5 stars (Stephen Whitty)
Ah, Paris.
Chestnuts roasting sweetly on the street corners. Lovers whispering romance over flutes of Moet. Small children with soggy diapers screaming for their blankets.
Which one of these three doesn't fit?
"Rugrats in Paris: The Movie" knows the answer, although it never quite puts in the work to exploit it. Instead of laying waste to French attitude, the Rugrats spend most of their family vacation at EuroReptarland. Instead of leaving PB&J handprints all over the Louvre, they're busy trying to keep Chuckie's dad from marrying the conniving Coco La Bouche.
Still, even though the new "Rugrats" movie doesn't take advantage of all its Parisian possibilities, it often delivers a decent number of smiles.
The story itself would make a good two-parter for the TV show (and easily could have, minus some of the obvious musical padding).
"Rugrats" has always been one of the few TV shows that children and parents can watch together without either being embarrassed, and this second feature tries hard to please both camps.
For pure entertainment value, 78 minutes does feel like a rather skimpy return on the price of a movie ticket. (What, Nickelodeon couldn't contribute one little bonus cartoon short?)
However, the first-grader I saw it with loved it. Most of the kids around her seemed to like it, too. As for me, I left the theater with a smile and without a headache. And in a year of Schlocky-mon movies, that's about as good as a kiddie matinee gets.
# TF1 (Olivier Corriez)
Nous avons aimé
- L'originalité du graphisme qui change des formats classiques à la Disney.
- Les personnages de ce film d'animation qui ne sont pas que "politiquement correct", bien au contraire.
- Les clins d'oeil à quelques films comme Le Parrain, Godzilla, King Kong...
- La bande originale du film qui compte Cyndi Lauper, Sinead O'Connor, T-Boz des TLC ou encore Mylène Farmer (même s'il ne s'agit que de 30 secondes pour cette dernière).
Nous avons moins aimé
- Une nouvelle fois l'image des Français qui roulent toujours en 2CV, la baguette ou encore le béret. Les clichés ont la dent dure.
- Le risque pour les plus grands d'être largués par le propos très codifié. Ceux qui ont suivi la série animée (les plus petits) ne devraient pas avoir trop de mal.
- Paris n'est vraiment utilisé comme décor du film qu'à la fin. Le gros de l'action se situe dans le parc et donc dans un décor fictif..
We liked:
- the originality of the graphics which changes the traditional formats in Disney's films.
- the characters of this animated film who are not only "politically correct ", quite to the contrary. -- winks with some films like The Godfather, Godzilla, King Kong...
- the original soundtrack which includes Cyndi Lauper, Sinead O' Connor, T-Boz of TLC and Mylène Farmer (even if she was heard for only 30 seconds).
We didn't like:
- Once again, the image of the French who always drive a [Citroen] 2CV, the baguette [(type of French bread)] or the beret. The stereotypes have the hard tooth.
- the risk of presenting material that only more mature audiences could understand. Those who followed the animated series (the smallest) have no clue.
- Paris is only used as a decoration of the film at the end. The largest action scene is located in the park in a fictitious scene.
TV Guide (US) 3 stars (Frank Lovece) [online only]
A rare sequel that's better than the original. This second movie based on the animated children's TV series moves its plot and its audience well enough to keep kids and parents alike amused. Though rarely laugh-out-loud funny, it cleverly mines the vein of humor in which outsiders and aliens innocently misinterpret native customs — in this case, those of adults.
Despite its hackneyed premise, the plot has a few imaginative twists, and the pack of Japanese sumo-wrestler waiters who grunt out a karaoke version of "Bad Girls" are a riot. But goodhearted Chas's personality is made soooooo drippy-nosed and unappealing that he's repulsive, which turns his romance with Coco's lovely assistant Kira (Julia Kato) into an utterly strained male fantasy. And some of the kids' perils are questionable — not the clearly fantastic stuff like animatronic Reptar catching a falling Angelica, but imitable things like the kids climbing out of a theme-park ride onto the tracks. You might say, "It's only a movie," but how would you feel about a similarly lighthearted scene involving a Rugrat playing with a gun?
# Télérama (Bernard Génin)
Le Public visé (2 à 10 ans) ne saisira peut être pas tous les clins d'oeil (au Parrain, à Jurassic Park...), mais il sera mis en joie par cet éloge de la pagaille organisée sur fond d'humour régressif (on rote, on pète et on bâfre à la moindre occasion). Et ravi d'apprendre qu'un troisième film est déjà en chantier...
The public concerned (2 to 10 years) will not understand all the winks (with The Godfather, Jurassic Park...), but they will be put in joy by this praise of the disorder organized on the bottom of regressive humour (a burp, a passing gas and a throw-up in the least occasion). And delighted to learn that a third film is already in production...
Toronto Star 2 stars (Jennie Punter)
Culture clashes, villains and madcap capers abound when the precocious animated characters leave their familiar TV neighbourhood and head to France, where "oui oui" takes on a whole new meaning. The foreign locale widens the scope for the animators, who have created a dazzling colourful new Rugrats world. But the visuals often overwhelm the characters' personalities, losing the in-your-own-backyard sphere and family dynamic that made the first movie appealing. Rugrats In Paris simply gets too caught up in its fancy French twist.
The Tribune-Review (Pittsburgh) 2.5 stars (Chuck O'Leary)
While watching "Rugrats in Paris: The Movie," I found myself caught in the same dilemma I did while sitting through "Barney's Great Adventure" a few years ago: Sure, the movie isn't very good, but it's obviously aimed at very young children - not jaded critics - and the last thing you want to do is come across as mean.
Besides, you alienate enough of the adult population when reviewing movies; why get the little dudes peeved at you, too.
And this is why "Rugrats in Paris" is getting a diplomatic two-and-a-half stars.
Having just become familiar with the Teletubbies thanks to my 19-month-old niece, I hadn't yet come across the Rugrats. So, I'd be lying if I told you that I understood most of what was going on during "Rugrats in Paris."
However, a screening crowd made up of mostly 3- to 6-year-olds seemed to enjoy it, and their attentive reaction almost guarantees it will be well-received among its core audience.
Parents, on the other hand, might find it a little difficult to sit though its 78 minutes without squirming a bit. The few jokes that adults can enjoy, like a spoof of "The Godfather" called "The Bobfather," are the ones likely to sail over the heads of youngsters.On the technical side, "Rugrats in Paris" is animated like a typical Saturday-morning cartoon, meaning it's mediocre at best. We're far from Disney territory here. On the plus side, however, the animation in "Rugrats" isn't of the bargain-basement variety that plagues those atrocious "Pokemon" features.
Amazingly, though, it took five screenwriters to pen the film's chaotic script, which doesn't supply enough clever dialogue and instead relies too heavily on jokes about bodily functions.
But I don't think the young fans of the Rugrats care about the mediocre animation, unimaginative dialogue and choppy editing. Presumably, what makes the Rugrats concept so appealing to young children is that it concerns a bunch of toddlers and pre-schoolers acting independently and actually having the power to solve problems.
In this respect, "Rugrats" is a harmless fantasy for kids. While it sorely lacks the educational value of "Sesame Street" and "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," I guess even the youngest of us deserve some sort of escapism every once in a while.
The Virginian-Pilot (Hampton Roads) 2 stars (Mal Vincent)
PARENTS GET rewarded with some clever satire in ``Rugrats in Paris -- The Movie,'' an animated entry that is a good deal better than any adult would have expected. Of course, the Nickelodeon TV version is a staple with kids age 3 to 14, and perhaps beyond.
Much better than in the first film, the characters are drawn with bright colors.
When the Rugrats say ``oui, oui'' they mean they have to ``wee wee.'' And don't let's forget the flatulence jokes. Kiddies never tire of them. Cartoon baby butts are in evidence. So is icky green stuff that Phil and Lil DeVille stuff into their diapers. Gross.
The Paris location is hardly recognized. The Rugrats could have gone to such Paris sites as the Louvre or Monmartre. Instead, they stick with metallic-like buildings.
At one hour and 20 minutes, the film is just about the perfect length. It doesn't overstay its welcome.
Missing is any real use of the Paris location for jokes, but the film tries to expand the formulaic level of animated films. It replaces sweetness with edge.
Washington Times 2.5 stars (Gary Arnold)
''Rugrats in Paris — the Movie" maintains a very professional consistency with its successful prototype of two years ago, "The Rugrats Movie." The redundant subtitle is a bit of a puzzler, unless Nickelodeon plans to launch a supplementary TV series called "Rugrats in Paris." Because it amuses the animators to stomp Paris into ruins as a farewell jest, lingering residence in France seems unlikely. I guess we're confronting an inside joke whose humorous component is on the microscopic side.
The Disney allusions begin to look a little insecure, as if the filmmakers needed to pinch themselves for reassurance that the Rugrats movie had indeed rivaled Disney in its own area of specialization by grossing more than $100 million. It did. It pretty much deserved to, too. Now snap out of it.
The Coco-Kira rivalry also is bemusing on grounds of favoritism. Is it necessary to go to France to match up Chas Finster with a Japanese bride? Or to simulate a ranting French shrew in order to underline Asian delicacy? Because EuroReptarland is a copy of the Tokyo prototype, why not travel to the home park? "Rugrats in Paris" never seems as sincerely infatuated with the city as American movies made in the aftermath of World War II. Big deal. If you would prefer to go far east, go far east.
Everything considered, the "Rugrats" movie franchise remains lively and
secure, but the Pickles family and friends might want to choose their next
travel agent with more care.
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Ebert & RoeperOn the syndicated TV program Ebert & Roeper & The Movies for the weekend of 11/18/2000, the reviews for Rugrats In Paris were mixed. Chicago Sun-Times columnist Roger Ebert gave a "thumbs up" for the film; in a print ad for the film, it quoted Ebert saying that the film was "bright and funny", then saying that the film "is not only fun for its target audience, but entertaining for grownups as well." (See above for his review for the Sun-Times.) Richard Roeper, also a Sun-Times columnist, but in the paper's "Commentary" section (Roeper became a permanent replacement for the late Gene Siskel in the fall of 2000), gave a "thumbs down", citing that the Rugrats were "little snots", and that the film may be for kids, but not for him, despite some of the qualities the film has to offer. On a side note, it should be known that Ebert's newspaper reviews often reflect whether the film is a "thumbs up" or a "thumbs down" for him. According to the book "Questions for the Movie Answer Man", a film must be at least 3 stars in his paper review, in order to get a "thumbs up" on Ebert & Roeper. Anything lower than 3 stars, even 2.5 stars, is considered "thumbs down". (Left: From the 11/18/2000 edition of Ebert & Roeper & The Movies; © 2000 Buena Vista Television.) |
The following critics don't approve of the film, as they claim the film has little or no merit.
# ACE Weekly (Lexington, KY) (Rob Bricken)
[Please keep in mind that this is an English paper; the reviewer chose to write the review in French.]
Zut Alors! C'est une tragédie pour le cinéma! Mettez les bébés De Conserves au Vinaigre dans une micro-onde!
Good grief! This is a cinematic tragedy! Put these pickled babies in the microwave!
# Aden (Philippe Piazzo)
...une succession d'aventures pleines de gags prévisibles et de bêtises pas franchement drôles, le tout ponctué de chansons qui n'en finissent plus. Finalement, la série, c'était pas si mal...
...a succession of adventures full with forseeable gags and silly things that are, frankly, not funny, the punctuated songs which never finish. Finally, the series, it was not so bad...
BBC 2 stars (Neil Smith)
One can just about tolerate these ghastly nippers on Saturday morning television, but on the big screen they outstay their welcome faster than it takes a newborn to soil its nappy. Guest vocal appearances from Susan Sarandon, John Lithgow, and Debbie Reynolds raise the stakes a touch, but otherwise this is nothing more than an extended TV episode.
Apart from the amusing parodies of "The Godfather Part II" and Lady and the Tramp (similar in style to the Indiana Jones sequence from the first Rugrats film), there's little imagination and even less wit to be found here. Instead we get nauseating homilies on the values of friendship, family, and parenting and a soundtrack full to bursting with vacuous pop acts. Where is Uncle Walt when you need him?
The Buffalo News 1 star (Lauri Githens)
Why, why, WHY do movies only show a father raising a child alone because Mommy is dead? That's not the only odious message this cartoon sends, but it's the most annoying. Rugrat Chuckie Finster's Dad, Chas, is a Felix Unger-class bumbler whose search for love in Paris leads this film to offend nearly every demographic imaginable, from single parents, children and the Japanese to -- believe it or not -- the French and Americans in general. Kids older than 7 will probably hoot, but this is loud, often scary, at times far too adult and terribly cliched nonsense.
Charlotte Observer 2 stars (Lawrence Toppman)
The parents who strolled in and out of the sneak preview of "Rugrats in Paris," unconcerned about what had already happened or would happen next, had the right idea. It's a mass of interchangeable moving images, none much more significant than the others, linked to a plot looser than a 2-year-old's shoelaces.
The usual songs about love lasting forever and life being a party flit in and out of the picture like shiny little butterflies, though the kids in the audience didn't pay attention until "Who Let the Dogs Out?" bayed over the soundtrack.
Youngsters laughed hardest at the toilet humor, the level of which makes Adam Sandler seem like Bob Hope. A dog can't walk past the Eiffel Tower without peeing on it. We're treated to a series of "ripey diapey" jokes, and the babies eat everything from vomit to boogers to the sludge found underthe railroad tracks in the park's Oooey Goooey Land.
Susan Sarandon gives a tart performance as Coco, and the actors voicing the kids do a collectively good job. The adult performers are less interesting, which may be apt: Their characters are less well developed.
Be warned that there's a lot of gushing about the incomparable joys and beauties of child rearing, and I don't think it's meant to be ironic. At times, I thought I was stuck in Oooey Goooey Land.
# Cinema "Thumbs Down"
Das zweite Leinwandabenteuer der hastig hingekritzelten Windelträger führt die chaos-Säuglinge in die französische Hauptstadt. Die Kinder im Publikum werden der wirren Geschichte und 80 Prozent der seltsamen Witze kaum folgen können. Und die Erwachsenen werden bei der bunten, zuckenden Bilderflut und dem unentwegten Gekreische von Kopfschmerzen heimgesucht.
The second big screen adventure of the hastily scratching diaper wearers leads the chaos babies into the French capital. The children in the public will hardly be able to follow the confused story and 80 per cent of the strange jokes. And the adults are afflicted with the multicolored, twitching pictures that may cause a headache.
# Cinemagazine 2 stars (María Lavilla)
Lejos de la estética Disney. De sus líneas perfectamente perfiladas, de su concepto de belleza y de su política corrección. Los Rugrats vuelven a la pantalla para mostrar sus desproporcionadas y bultosas cabezas y llenar de mocos, vómitos y viscosidades la pantalla. Pero sin ser, ni mucho menos tan polémicos como los Simpson o los pequeñuelos de South Park. Y quizá esto les haga caer en la mediocridad. Cayendo en clichés, ternuras estereotipadas y abuso de música para llenar cinta. Destacándose sólo por la simpleza de hacer destrozos y tirarse los mocos, ahí radica su diferencia, su "incorrección". Y esto sabe a poco, muy poco.
Y lo peor es que, quizá la misma historia, sea un cliché. Un cliché, además, al más puro estilo americano. Tan notable incluso, que a veces hace pensar que se está asistiendo a una crítica cultural. Porque es bastante criticable, aunque quizá esto no alcance a los niños. Y es que, durante algo más de una hora, el espectador puede asistir a una historia con referencias cinematográficas como "El padrino" o "King Kong", en la que se viaja a París para visitar un macroparque de atracciones, un Eurodisney magnificado, y donde el único que sale a pasear por la ciudad de las luces es el perro, que además, se mea en la primera esquina, que resulta ser la torre Eiffel (¡esos líquidos incorrectos otra vez!). Al final, lo único de agradecer resulta la crítica a uno de los elementos más adorados por la cultura yanqui, la ambición. Y que logran no comer ni una hamburguesa. Quizá sea esta su máxima incorrección, y mocos, orines y vómitos no queden solos en el mundo de los Rugrats.
Far from the aesthetic Disney. Of its perfectly outlined profiles, their concept of beauty and its political correction. The Rugrats returns to the screen to show their disproportioned and bultuous heads and to fill the snots, vomits and viscosities onto the screen. But it is far from controversial as The Simpsons or South Park. And perhaps this makes them fall into mediocrity. Falling in cliches, stereotyped tendernesses and abuse of music to fill the film. Standing out only by the simplicity to make destructions and to throw snots, there is a difference, its "incorrecction". And this knows little, very little.
And the worse thing is, other than the same story, is a cliche. A cliche, in addition, to the purest American style. So remarkable even, that sometimes it makes you wonder why it was seen by a cultural critic. Because she is quite critical, perhaps, although this does not reach the children. And she is that, during something more than one hour, the spectator can view a story with cinematographic references like "The Godfather" or "King Kong", which takes place in Paris at an amusement park,a magnified Eurodisney, and where the only one that leaves to take a walk in the City of Lights is a dog, that pees in a corner, which turns out to be the Eiffel Tower (those incorrect liquids again). In the end, the only thing the critic is thankful for is one from the elements more adored by the Yankee culture, the ambition. And that manages not to eat a hamburger. Perhaps it is this greatest incorrection, and snots, rust and vomits are not in the world of the Rugrats.
City Life (Las Vegas) 2 stars
The newspaper ads quoting "critics" should say, "Not bad, for kiddie slop" or "Take your kids, then go to the bathroom for two hours." Lots of bad music, clashing colors and fart jokes does not a film for all ages make. In the sequel to the 1998 hit, the 'rats go to Paris to fix a giant reptile robot, and spend most of their time at Euro-Reptarland theme park. There's also a love story and villains (Susan Sarandon, John Lithgow), but does anybody care? If you thought Adam Sandler and the Farrelly Bros. had cornered the market on fart and pee jokes, you're in for a big surprise.
City Pages (Minneapolis) (Jim Ridley)
There's a reason it isn't called Rugrats See Paris or Rugrats Do Paris. Yes, the Rugrats go to Paris--but [they] never spend any time at the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs Elysees, or any of a hundred other attractions in the City of Lights. Instead, they spend almost all their time in a mildly exaggerated EuroDisney, which allows for some amusing Mickey-bashing; but since the park is backed by Asians and features a giant lizard robot, there's no danger of alienating American audiences. French viewers, on the other hand, may object to being characterized as inept, cowardly, conniving buffoons (voiced by Susan Sarandon and John Lithgow with the broadest of Pepe le Pew accents)--especially since the movie omits any traces of French culture. The Eiffel Tower turns up long enough for Spike the pooch to lift his leg on it, which typifies the movie's attitude toward all things Gallic. Still, it's hard to tell whether this is a parody of French worries about the infiltration of American pop culture or simply one more reason to worry ourselves.
Cleveland (OH) Free Times (Soyon Im)
For kids only, this second movie based on the animated Nickelodeon series has the squeaky-voiced Rugrats and their parents traveling all the way to France, only to stay in EuroReptarland, an over-the-top Japanese reptilian theme park that's a cross between Disney World and Las Vegas. Except for one brief amusing scene involving a trio of sumo wrestlers singing Donna Summer's "Bad Girls," there's very little here for parents and babysitters.
Creative Loafing (Greenville, SC) 2 stars (David Windhorst)
Rugrats in Paris -- because Rugrats in Vatican City would be silly.
The most noticeable differences this time, besides the setting, are bigger stars for the guest voices (Susan Sarandon, John Lithgow), fewer stars on the less-interesting soundtrack (the original had Lenny Kravitz, Iggy Pop, Lisa Loeb, Jakob Dylan, Laurie Anderson, Beck, Patti Smith, Fred Schneider, and Cindy Wilson; the sequel has "Who Let the Dogs Out"), more nauseating consumption of junk food (these kids down enough sugar to send the entire Ukraine into a diabetic coma), and more excretia-related humor (that's what you get when you cross Nickelodeon with an ex-"Baywatch" writer). It's big, fast-paced, prettily colored, sweetly plotted (about finding a new mom/wife for Chucky and dad), and sometimes funny, so if you can stand all the rather misplaced body-function content (I tried to keep subtotals on booger, vomit, belch, fart, and numbers 1 & 2 jokes, but literally lost count in the first five minutes) it's probably not as bad as letting your kids watch a movie about cannibalistic South American soccer players.
DVDmg (Colin Jacobson)
...the story is tremendously shopworn and tedious. RIP - an appropriate acronym - takes the entire gang to Paris where Stu Pickles has to fix a robot Reptar he created for a show at EuroReptar. (No, it doesn't make much sense for Pickles to tote along his wife, kids, friends and their children as well - the movie offers a lame gag to have this happen.)
I found RIP to be disenchanting just due to the general crudeness of the project. The animation showed the usual stiff, lifeless action typical of TV work; although the images actually looked quite attractive much of the time - RIP boasts a nicely-rendered color palette - the movement was awkward and lacked fluidity.
Apparently the Rugrats style delights in the glorification of excrement. This movie features material that would be too gross for a Farrelly brothers flick! I guess they can get away with it because it's animated... but it still seemed nauseating. I thought RIP's dependence on these scatological bits was pandering and excessive.
On the other hand, RIP attempted to seem sophisticated and literate with its occasional cultural references. Unfortunately, these allusions fell flat for a couple of reasons. For one, they were all tired bits; none of them seemed clever because the referenced material has been sent up so many times in the past. Also, the gags seemed forced. They felt like nothing more than a weak attempt to pander to the adults in the audience. As such, they provided no humor or inventiveness; if anything, they made me dislike the movie more.
Just because a movie is aimed at kids doesn't mean that it has to be cheap and pandering. Unfortunately, Rugrats In Paris clearly falls into those categories. It's a joyless, lifeless, witless and unfunny piece of work that failed on virtually all levels.
If you or your kids likes Rugrats, you should be happy with this production, but those unfamiliar with the series should probably skip it.
Daily Express (London) 2 stars (from Ananova)
No better or worse than the irksome animated series that spawned it.
Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland) 4 out of 10 (from Ananova)
About as much fun as a filthy nappy.
# Express (Cologne, Germany) (Uwe Mies)
Auf dem Wege zum Happyend gibt es natürlich eine Menge Durcheinander, zumal die Kinder sich für ihren Ritt durch Paris ausgerechnet eines sehr stabilen Raaptor-Roboters bedienen. Wenn also die Stadt der Liebe hinterher nicht mehr ganz so glanzvoll ausschaut, dann gibt das auch eine Vorstellung des Humors, den gewisse Filmemacher unermüdlich auf ihr Publikum gießen. Und weil Amerikaner sich zwar gerne Europas Kulturdenkmäler anschauen, noch mehr jedoch an der nächst gelegenen McDonald's-Filiale interessiert sind, darf der Vandalismus des zweiten "Rugrats"-Films durchaus auch als eine Art Realsatire begriffen werden.
Und damit wären die interessanten Aspekte auch schon erschöpft. Es ist einfach lähmend... Dabei waren die Rugrats als besonders hässliche und gemeine Rasselbande ohnehin bloß Resteverwerter im Kielwasser der von Beavis & Butthead und den Simpsons gepflügten Schneise von politisch inkorrekter Zeichentrickunterhaltung. Was aber anfangs noch wild und wüst war, das war bald nur noch laut und albern. Und als vor beinah genau zwei Jahren der erste Rugrats-Film in die deutschen Kinos kam, da war der Trend schon weitgehend verebbt.
Der zweite Rugrats-Film plumpst nun in eine Ödnis des Desinteresses. Ohne begleitende Kult-Euphorie bleibt nur der ungetrübte Blick auf eine schludrige Animation, die ihre pickligen Helden in zappeliger Bildhektik und mit pausenlosem Getöse über die Leinwand krabbeln lässt. Witz oder gar Geist gibt es nicht, nur eine endlose Folge von chaotischen Situationen, die von der zähen Einfallsarmut in Buch und zeichnerischer Umsetzung ablenken sollen. Das ist nicht lustig, pfiffig oder gar radikal - dieser Film geht einfach nur auf die Nerven.
On the way to the happy ending, there is a quantity of natural disorders, particularly since the children avail themselves for their ride in Paris in a very sturdy Raptor robot. If the City of Love does not look completely glossful, then it also gives a conception of the humor, which certain film producers pour untiringly onto their public. And because Americans are interested in the European monuments, still more, however, are interested in the McDonald's next to it, the vandalism of the second "Rugrats" film is understood as a type real satire.
And thus the interesting aspects would be already exhausted. It is simply paralysed... The Rugrats was only a particularly ugly and common rattle gang in the wake of politically incorrect animation, started by Beavis & Butthead and the Simpsons. While itw as wils at first, that soon became only loud and ridiculous. And almost exactly two years since the first Rugrats film came into the German cinemas, the trend, to a large extent, already ebbs.
The second Rugrats film is now clumsy, a waste and a lack of interest. Without the accompanying cult euphoria remains only the clear view of sloppy animation, which lets its pickled heroes crawl in a fidgeting, hectic picture, with a nonstop din on screen. Jokes or spirit is not there, only an endless consequence of chaotic situations, which are to divert from the tough incident of poverty in a graphic conversion. That is not merrily, sharp or radical - this film goes simply only on the nerves.
Eye (Toronto) 2 stars (Gemma Files)
Yet another bodily-fluids-obsessed romp from the same folks who put the TV show together, unleashing a posse of stinky-diapered, pre-vocal toddlers on everything in sight. After red-headed scaredy-cat Chuckie decides he wants a new mom to replace the one who died -- pretty strong stuff, for a kids' flick -- he, his dad and all their chums end up in Paris, France, where the lunatic manager of a Japanese monster-movie-based theme park plots to become Chuckie's stepmom from hell. Inventive animation and a sly, adult-friendly script make this a viable proposition for parents, but just barely; the childless need not even apply.
Focus On The Family (Jesse Florea, editor of Clubhouse, FOTF's magazine for Christian children)
If parents are wanting more of what they see on the Rugrats TV show (plenty of potty humor, disrespectful language and zero discipline), then this movie lives up to expectations. Never is a child scolded for making a mess or reprimanded for being rude (of course, some of this is due to the fact that many of the characters aren't old enough to talk and only communicate with each other). The movie is cleverly written—it actually has the ability to hold adults' attention for longer than three minutes—but it's not funny that chaos is the norm and children get to do whatever they want whenever they want. Neither is it appropriate for a children's film to tip its hat to such R-rated flicks as The Godfather and A Few Good Men.
These little rugrats wipe boogers on people, throw up and put food in dirty diapers. Is that what you want your children to learn on their next trip to the theater?
The Globe & Mail (Toronto) 2 stars (Liam Lacey)
The first movie spinoff, two years ago, earned a massive $100-million in gross box office. One strange report claimed that part of the movie's box-office bounty came from an unlikely source: Rugrats, had become a midnight-movie phenomenon among college students. Why students who read Heidegger and studied advanced topology felt the urge to see Tommy Pickles lisp malapropisms and complain about his full diaper remains a tantalizing mystery. Is there more to a line like "She must have got up on the wrong side of the bread this morning" than meets the ear?
Musically though, the Rugrats sequel is a big step backward. The original soundtrack, overseen by Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh, included a chorus of singing babies voiced by Beck, Laurie Anderson, Jakob Dylan and Patti Smith. The current movie uses tired disco hits (Bad Girls, That's the Way I Like It) and one trembly new ballad, When You Love, sung by Sinead O'Connor.
For the college audience, it should be pointed out that, thematically, the Rugrats sequel moves from the microcosm of the original (sibling rivalry) to a call for global interdependence. If The Godfather series delineates how the American Dream was, for immigrants, inevitably linked to corruption, Rugrats in Paris takes a more planetary approach, reflecting a turning away from the Atlantic/European influence of the past, toward the Pacific Rim/Asian orientation of the future.
Symbolically, of course, [the end scene involving the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame] represents the benevolent victory of unified Japanese and American culture over the once-hallowed European institutions. For those audience members who aren't working on their undergraduate degrees, there's an excellent scene where Coco gets her fancy dress torn and everyone sees her bum.
The Independent (London) (from Ananova)
Only under the direst emotional blackmail should you agree to accompany the kids.
The Irish Times 3 stars (Harry Browne)
Rugrats in Paris... goes for a ludicrously, would-be-hilariously epic scale: its cinematic reference points include The Godfather; King Kong and any of a number of Godzilla flicks. In a little-kids' cartoon? I kid you not.
What the heck. There's been more than a hint of torpor around the TV show lately anyway, and this exercise in crash- wallop looks like desperate shake-it-up stuff.
So you've got allusions, you've got Hollywood-star voices and cameos, you've got Baha Men, Cyndi Lauper and Sinead O'Connor on the soundtrack, and you've even got some trendy Japanese visual style. (In spite of the title, the movie is actually set in a Reptar theme-park.) It all adds up, dispiritingly, to very, very little, mainly because the script - credited to the dreaded five separate writers - lacks an ounce of the wit that was apparent in early episodes of the TV show. The mucking-about with Chas's situation, in particular, is ill-judged, and the other parents are virtual bystanders.
The third star in my rating, by the way, is at my kids' insistence. Make of that what you will.
Los Angeles Times (Robin Rauzi)
In the history of American cinema, sequels that match or surpass the quality of their predecessors are not unheard of. Many critics preferred "The Empire Strikes Back" to "Star Wars." "The Godfather, Part II" is always ranked right alongside the first installment. And despite a seven-year gap between them, "Aliens" showed no stylistic drop-off from "Alien."
Alas, "Rugrats in Paris--The Movie" does not fall into this category.
This will matter not one lick to 6-year-olds. Plots just don't seem obvious to first-graders. They generally don't complain, later, over a grande apple juice, "You know, I didn't think Coco LaBouche was a fully developed character." They will be mostly entertained for most of the movie's 80 minutes and leave the theater shouting, "Who let the dogs out? Woof! Woof-woof! Woof-woof!"--the song used in the movie (and just about everywhere else in the world).
So the rest of this is not for our first-grade readers, but for their guardians who are wrestling with options: Take the kids myself, pawn them off on some friend's parent, or hold out for the video.
"Rugrats in Paris--The Movie," on the other hand, feels like a half-hour TV show inflated into a feature film. The prominent placement of the Baha Men's song "Who Let the Dogs Out," is a completely tangential sequence. About half the running time is spent setting up why the Rugrats and their families are in Paris, how they got there, and who the new characters are.
Yet for all the machinations and theme-park attractions, the plot doesn't cover much ground. The babies still speak in amusing malapropisms--"over my dad's potty" for "over my dead body"--but this Parisian edition offers few observations that will be clever to parents. The animation itself is unremarkable; the hand-painted and the computer-generated parts sometimes don't blend well.
But the appeal of "Rugrats" was never based on the quality of its animation, and all of this film's faults are nearly forgiven for the short but memorable scene of sumo wrestlers singing a karaoke version of "Bad Girls." Fortunately, the lyrics for that Donna Summer song will probably go over 6-year-old heads.
Maclean's (Cheryl Hawkes)
Fans of the late Charles Schultz may find it galling to hear creators of the popular children's TV series Rugrats refer to their motley gang of diaper-clad, booger-and-poop-joke-dispensing babies as the Peanuts of their generation. Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, the second feature about the little darlings, leans on that fail-safe device -- the dead mommy and Dad's impending marriage to a really mean stepmother -- to hook the little ones.
Chuckie is oblivious to the plot at first. Even more clueless is dear old Dad, who becomes engaged to the shrew. Coco can only manage a quizzical, "Hello! You are not 'orrible!" when she first meets the kids. A happy ending eventually ensues, but not before one of the Maclean's panel of experts, a six-year-old, starts to weep for the comfort of her own mother. Adults, meanwhile, may want to weep at the inanity of it all.
If you can't figure this one out from the title [Rugrats In Paris], then you can safely assume you're not in the right demographic. And consider yourself lucky.
NME 4 out of 10 (Kitty Empire)
Rugrats In Paris is a knowing musical that digs hard at Disney. One cartoon tot even groans, "I hate it when they sing!" as yet another hyper-ballad revs up. But the sly humour and absurdist comedy of the TV series are muted in this second feature-length outing for the badly-drawn boys and girls, drowned out by the kind of mawkishness you'd never catch The Simpsons sinking to.
A basic affection for Tommy and his crew can just about render the whole caper palatable. The animators certainly have a field day, with trippy dream sequences and references to The Lady And The Tramp and The Godfather. But even thoughformer Devo Mike Mothersbaugh is sending up Disney with saccharine tuneslike 'Reptar, I Love You', they're still execrable.
New York Post 2.5 stars (Lou Lumenick)
THEY call it "Rugrats in Paris: the Movie," but really, what exactly is the point of setting a movie in the City of Light if almost all the action takes place in a Japanese theme park?
Maybe I'm being a bit of a grinch and yes, it is only an animated cartoon, but is it really asking too much for children's film to show enough imagination to keep adults from squirming in their seats?
The opening parody of "The Godfather" is fun - but too much of what follows is by-the-numbers cartoon plotting and video-game-like action unlikely to engage anyone over the age of say, 7.
While "Rugrats in Paris" has its moments (like their first encounter with a bidet - "wow, a potty that squirts you back!"), it doesn't have enough of them, even if the voice work and animation is much better than the first "Rugrats" movie, which made more than $100 million.
With so few films aimed at this segment of the audience, it's a shame that "Rugrats in Paris" (like "Dr. Seuss' the Grinch that Stole Christmas") seems more like a merchandising ploy than a successful attempt to entertain kids and their parents.
One Guy's Opinion (website) C- (Dr. Frank Swietek)
The second feature based on the successful Nickelodeon cartoon series will probably appeal to the tykes devoted to the small-screen version, but the wider audience will just wonder what the attraction might be. This extended episode (which runs some 78 minutes) has been cobbled together by no fewer than five writers, and from the result each must have wanted a completely different storyline; the narrative is a hodgepodge which veers from segment to segment with remarkably little logical connection, even for a kidflick.
What's really true is that the only consistent element of "Rugrats in Paris" is its reliance on the sort of crude humor that's regularly employed to appeal to kids nowadays. Even the largely passive and apparently underwhelmed audience of fans at the screening this reviewer attended came alive at the mention of such words as "poop." "booger," and, given the French setting, "wee-wee," as well as the periodic visual references to like matters (and surprisingly frequent shots of semi-bare derrieres, of children and other characters). But most of this stuff is devoid of any real charm, and will hardly elevate the minds or hearts of young viewers.
If your kids are already turned on by the TV "Rugrats," they might find this feature version amusing enough. On its own, though, it's a mediocre effort in today's toon marketplace--better than another "Pokemon" or "Digimon," to be sure, but otherwise of marginal interest--and adults will probably find themselves snoozing through much of it. It will doubtlessly have a long life on video shelves, though.
The Oregonian (Portland, OR) (Shawn Levy)
Some movies aren't long enough to contain all the ideas in them.
At a mere 73 minutes, "Rugrats in Paris" has no such problem.
...the plot is barely strong enough to pack half of the film's skimpy running time; even at little more than an hour, "RiP" feels stretched to the breaking point.
You'd have to be a real heel not to like the Rugrats per se: The characters all have vivid personalities -- adults and children alike -- and the continually inspired use of bizarre camera angles and motion tricks enlivens the animation. That said, there's barely enough story or humor in this outing for a single episode of the series (20-odd minutes, in other words); compare how much gets stuffed into the average episode of "The Simpsons," and this film feels particularly lax and flabby.
As with the 1998 film, which introduced baby Dil, "RiP" was clearly designed to stir two new characters into the franchise. No harm done. But no great shakes, either.
Ottawa Citizen 2 stars (Jay Stone)
Rugrats, at least as presented in this film, are a big pain in the diapee, a bunch of post-modern toddlers whose involvement in the world of drool, potties, cutesy little-girl voices and saccharin little-boy longing for a dead mommy who is probably in heaven, is enough to make you swear off children, if not sex, altogether. One has a bit of sympathy for one Coco La Bouche, the French villainess of the piece. As voiced by Susan Sarandon, she speeks like zis all of zee time, but at least she has the good taste to loathe zee feelthy leetle bookends who crawl around her Paris office.
There is, by my count, one joke that has anything to do with being in France (a bidet is "a potty that squirts you back"), but several parodies that the two- to 11-year-old target audience couldn't possibly get. The film opens with a Godfather take-off, and later throws in salutes to King Kong, the Bella Notte scene in Lady and the Tramp (with the shared strand of spaghetti replaced by a shared pizza), the Small World ride at Disneyland (here called Ooey Gooey World), and a satire on a Andrew Lloyd Webber musical in which a beautiful Asian princess in a theme park musical sings a torch song to the reptar that is breathing fire on stage.
Nor would the karaoke/sushi restaurant where all the waiters are sumo wrestlers have an automatic resonance, one would think, although I suspect they were thrown in so one of the babies could look at a sumo thong and say, "That must be one stinky diapee."
The children in the preview audience last weekend seemed fairly unimpressed by most of this, although the baby Rugrats, who are constantly eating disgusting food or rescuing vomit bags from the floor of the airplane or defining the world by its resemblance to boogers, brought on the requisite "ewwws." On the other hand, if you can't make an audience of children go "ewwww," it's time to hang 'em up. Rugrats in Paris -- The Movie is one stinky diapee.
Philadelphia Daily News (Gary Thompson)
It would seem an easy thing for "Rugrats in Paris" to duplicate this durable [TV] formula, but the movie pretty much botches the job.
Children relate to the TV show because the adventures of Chuckie, Tommy and friends are always in the forefront, with parents around for comic relief.
Here, the situation is puzzlingly reversed. The plot has Chuckie's single dad, Chaz, pursued by a ruthless businesswoman who needs a husband to help her career. The woman who is actually best suited for Chaz, a young Japanese single mother, plays Cyrano to the businesswoman, feeding her the words that make Chaz fall in love.
The Rugrats have a role in setting things right, but I'm afraid the plot details won't matter much to younger children.
The movie is smart enough to include several action sequences (a giant mechanical Reptar gets loose in Paris), and it has a basic understanding of its target audience — there are nose-picking, poop, and vomit jokes in the first few minutes. A visual highlight: Spike the dog pees on the Eiffel Tower.
Even so, it's not a great-looking movie. Efforts to add shadow to their characters' faces make the toddlers look like they have three-day beards.
The whole thing has a quick-buck feel to it. The disadvantage to for-profit entities like Nickelodeon is that pursuit of the dollar encourages bad decisions.
It's clear from the plot of "Rugrats in Paris," with its European locations and new Japanese characters, that the movie is making a mercenary decision to conquer international movie markets.
The movie positions itself as an ode to family and love, but beneath lies the soul of Angelica.
PopMatters (John G. Nettles)
With Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, it's obvious that the folks at Nickelodeon have been studying the Way of the Mouse — early buzz, aggressive advance marketing, a merchandising blitzkrieg, a soundtrack guaranteed to sell itself, name actors providing voices, and a Thanksgiving release date. There is simply no way this movie is not going to be a hit (in fact, it opened its run at second place at the box office, behind that Jim Carrey atrocity with Dr. Seuss' name on it).
Unfortunately Rugrats in Paris works too hard to out-Disney Disney. The movie itself has to live up to its promotion and it exhausts itself trying, becoming an incredibly cynical film based on a television cartoon that garnered its fans by being steadfastly non-cynical. Where the TV show plucks at the viewers' heartstrings, this movie baldly attempts to strip-mine their chests. Shrill and manipulative, most of its choices appear to have been made by Nickelodeon's merchandising department rather than by the creators of the show.
The film's only truly inspired moment is itself a sendup of another Disney film...Lady and the Tramp. It would be a nigh-perfect sequence if [it] weren't accompanied by the Baha Men's "Who Let the Dogs Out?", a song approaching "Macarena"-level media saturation.
Rugrats, the concept, has always been heavily merchandised, but this is the first of their adventures, including the 1998 film, that seems to have been written by committee and punctuated by offscreen cha-chings.
The fact is, that unlike Disney's surfer-boy Tarzan or dumb-jock Hercules, the heroics of these babies are rooted in their simple, joyful humanity. They deserve better than to wind up as collateral damage in Nickelodeon's excursion onto the Mouse King's turf.
# Repérages 2 stars (Julien Welter)
Les rejetons de la famille Cornichon et leurs turbulents amis vont s'encanailler dans la capitale du pays... bien entendu: le chien de la famille fait son besoin au pied de la tour Eiffel, tandis que les bambins sont omnibulés par un parc d'attractions (faudrait leur dire qu'il se trouve à Marne la Vallée et non à Paris !). Ce dessin animé se regarde comme un rejeton des "National Lampoon" fameuse série de films familiaux des 80's, emmenée par le comique Chevy Chase. Avis aux amateurs.
The kids of the Pickles family and their turbulent friends go loose in the nation's capital... of course: the family dog does his business at the foot for the Eiffel tower, while the small children are too busy at the theme park (would be necessary to say to them that it is in the Marne Valley and not in Paris!). This animated film looks like the famous " National Lampoon" series of family films of the 80s, taken along by comic Chevy Chase. This is the advice of amateurs.
Seattle Times 2 stars (John Hartl)
Class. That's not what you get from a Rugrats movie, and it's probably not what you expect.
Why does this movie get by with a G while "The Grinch" is rated PG for "crude humor"? "Rugrats in Paris" is sometimes as crass as "The Klumps" and "Scary Movie," and suggests once more that the Motion Picture Association's rating system is due for an overhaul.
As for the new location: There really wasn't much need to take the Rugrats to Paris,because they spend much of their time there in a Japanese theme park where they're entertained by sumo wrestler-waiters at the Sushi Karaoke Restaurant.
Occasionally there's a line that actually has something to do with the French, though it's usually from a dopey-American perspective ("I love their fries and everything"). It took a team of five writers to come up with lines like that.
When the writers aren't preoccupied with poop and booger and laxative jokes, they do have some fun sending up "Jurassic Park" and "The Godfather" (the opening scene casts the bratty Angelika in Brando's role) and "Lady and the Tramp" (the romance of Disney's spaghetti-eating episode is thoroughly trashed).
The animation is less crude than in the first "Rugrats Movie," and the celebrity voices are higher-profile (Susan Sarandon plays Coco, John Lithgow is her sidekick, and Debbie Reynolds plays an energetic senior citizen called Lulu Pickles). But you really can't take these kids anywhere.
Eigentlich ist die Kernidee der Rugrats-Comics gar nicht so schlecht, und allzu weit hergeholt ist sie auch nicht. Und im überschaubaren Fernsehformat trägt die Idee mit ihrer Umsetzung in originell reduzierter Zeichentrickform durchaus und lässt im besten Falle sogar ein wenig Charme aufblitzen. Leider geht der aber bei der in vielerlei Hnsicht unnötig aufgeblasenen Kinoversion der Stoffes flöten. Wie schon im ersten Kinofilm verlassen die Rugrats nämlich ihre häusliche Umgebung und damit das Umfeld aus dem die meisten amüsanten Gags sich speisen.
Anstatt also Charme im Kleinen zu suchen, flüchtet sich der Film in monstermäßige Action, die den Rahmen der reduzierten Machart der Serie geradezu grotesk sprengt. Irritierend auch, dass "Rugrats in Paris" sich in langen Anspielungen auf Filmklassiker (ÆDer Pate") ergeht, die Kinder beim besten Willen nicht verstehen können. Und für Erwachsene, wenn sie nicht gerade das geistige Niveau der Rugrats-Eltern teilen, ist das schliche Filmchen entschieden zu albern.
Actually the core idea of the Rugrats Comics is not at all so bad, and is also not all too far-fetched. And on TV, the originally reduced cartoon form quite carries and lets in the best charming cases. Unfortunately, this is not the same with the cinema version, with the material blown up unnecessarily. As in the first motion picture, the Rugrats leaves their domestic environment and the surrounding field from that the most amusing gags comes from.
Instead of looking in the charms of the young, the film flees itself into monster-moderate action, which blows up the framework of the reduced design of the series in an almost grotesque matter. It is also irritating that "Rugrats in Paris" parodises a classical film ("The Godfather"), which is not understood by children. And for adults, if they do not divide the even mental level of Rugrats parents, is simply decided in the film to talk nonsense.
Spliced Online 1 star (Rob Blackwelder)
I might be a little sensitive to the subject, but in a cultural climate in which kids seem to get kidnapped (and often murdered) more and more frequently, do we really want G-rated movies giving our little ones the impression that going missing is great fun?
The fact that talking tots meander the world at will is not my only qualm with "Rugrats in Paris," in which the show's drunkenly-drawn and word-slurring tykes have the run of a Japanese monster theme park in France. The story also leaves a lot to be desired.
Aside from their cutsey-poo kiddie malapropisms ("for feet's sake," "over my dead potty," etc.), the Rugrats themselves are almost uniformly unlikable, obnoxious or just plain mean -- another great lesson for impressionable youngsters. What's worse, these are feature films written and directed by people who seem to think the occasional grown-up reference (e.g. a sorry "Godfather" homage) will be enough to keep parents from fidgeting in their chairs like, well, little kids.
Maybe I'm missing something here. Maybe "Rugrats" fans will like this movie. Maybe if they do, one of them could explain the appeal to me. But no matter what they say, I don't think they could convince me the subconscious lessons taught in "Rugrats in Paris" are good for kids.
What is the appeal of these none-too-cute animated kids anyway?
Terminal City (Vancouver, BC) (Lori Schneider)
If you're anything like me the only thing that could be worse than seeing just the cartoon idiocy of the Rugrats is seeing the cartoon idiocy of the Rugrats - in Paris! But see them you will! If you have children! If you have a lot of money! If you just want some peace and quiet at home for once! This instalment of the Rugrats is being talked up as having something for the parents so they won't be bored out of their @#$%-in' minds but that's just plain not true. I've been thinking... Why don't theatres just move a few pinball machines into the back of moviehouses so that the kids will have something to do during the long, talky expository parts of the movie?
Tucson Citizen C (Chuck Graham)
Parents who have adjusted to the Rugrats' rudeness will find more of the same in this second cinema outing of the Pickles' family and their friends.
There is not, however, a lot of Paris in "Rugrats in Paris: The Movie." We do get to climb the Eiffel Tower, and slide back down, while also attending a wedding at the cathedral of Notre Dame. But that's about it.
The plot to "Rugrats in Paris" has several uplifting messages about every child's need for two parents.
If only Coco didn't hate all children with a passion.
USA Today 2 stars (Mike Clark)
You sense that someone behind the camera has gone the extra mile when a movie intended for the spit-up demographic opens with a "Godfather" parody. And indeed, eyewinks among adults abound in this sequel to 1998's "The Rugrats Movie", which cracked the $100 million mark and perhaps a lot of jaws that dropped over that total.
But when one of the sporadic production numbers rhymes "party" with "potty", it's easy to see what's really up.
Great movies are sometimes described as filet mignon or champagne, but this one is more like a pacifier. Its germs won't make anyone sick, but it won't hurt to wash your hands when you're finished gumming it.
Venue 2 stars
Another unwisely extended, feature-length dose of poorly animated... gags aimed at bodily function-obsessed 2-11 year-olds, interspersed with a steaming nappy full of cheesy songs... written by some bloke who used to be in Devo. The moderately good news for long-suffering parents is that this sequel has rather more in the way of adult humour and film parodies that are likely to go right over the nippers' heads than its predecessor. Pay attention and you'll find references to 'Godzilla', 'Jurassic Park', 'King Kong' and 'Lady and the Tramp' along the way. There's no obvious reason why they bothered to set this one in Paris, apart from the opportunity to include all the usual landmarks, a sly dig at EuroDisney, and - naturally - a handful of bidet gags to provide much-needed variation on the Rugrats' familiar toilet-orientated humour.
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