Thanks for dropping by to read our opinions. When we say 'we', we mean Sharon & Andy. We have been...
Thanks for dropping by to read our opinions. When we say 'we', we mean Sharon & Andy. We have been members of Dooyoo for some considerable months in our own right, but decided to join forces and write together for Ciao. Thanks for all the kind comme...
Member since:19.03.2001
Reviews:14
Members who trust:18
After the first Rugrats movie, I swore never to go again. Guess what? Here I am, another holiday, another, ‘Can we go and see it mum?’ and off we trot to the cinema!
Rugrats in Paris lasted 1 hour 15 minutes and is a U rating in the UK.
Despite enjoying the film, I still feel that it really suits a 20-minute cartoon slot better than it does a movie. I'm surprised that this is the second film because I thought that the first one would have been enough. I don't feel that enough different things can happen to make another 75-minute film. Let's face it, how many times can you see babies get into the same trouble and strife but in different settings? Personally, twice is enough for me. The only way they could get away with it is to start to evolve the babies - but it wouldn't be Rugrats then, would it?
In the first film, Tommy got a baby brother, Dill. This time, I'm pleased to say that Dill has been evolved and now 'babbles' the odd word or two. There is also the introduction of 'Susie' another baby on the block. My children were watching Rugrats on cable the other day and pointed out to me that Chucky's new mum was in the cartoon series along with his new sister, so it looks like the continuity from film to series is good.
I did like this film better than the first Rugrats Movie. I feel that this time the story was a lot stronger, although does it really matter as long as it is funny and keeps the kids entertained? This time round, the story hinged on finding Chucky a new 'mom'. The way the issue was dealt with from an adult point of view was quite well done. My children completely missed the significance of the parts, which I felt were quite poignant. In the parts of the film when Chucky and his dad were looking through old pictures of his mum and where Chucky imagined the clouds forming his and his mums face together, I felt quite a lump in my throat. Maybe because I wondered if it would make my children think of their lost parent or not, I don't know. I expect it rang true with a lot of families out there who have lost a parent through one way or another.
The escapades of the babies were as funny as they normally are when watching on TV and it was definitely rib tickling enough to have my 2 children, aged 12 and 9, in stitches. I even had the odd titter!
There
seemed to be a little poke at Disney's Lady and the Tramp, when Spike the dog went off on an escapade to find a lady friend. It wasn't a very subtle dig, if it was meant to be a dig at all, because my 9-year-old daughter spotted the similarities straight away!
The film was very bright and colourful, which children love. It moved along quickly and even the little ones in the cinema seemed to be stuck to their seats, with the odd toilet trip interspersed! The animation was exactly what you'd expect when watching Rugrats on TV, fast, furious, well put together. Musically, Rugrats in Paris was a hit with the children, even if only for the Baha Men’s ‘Who Let The Dogs Out’, which delighted most of the kids, including mine and had me cringing! There were other little songlets in the film, which had my two tapping their feet.
It was a good film for children and killed an hour or so, even though it cost me £12.40 for our tickets (£3.50 per child, £5.40 per adult in UGC), which I found a bit high. Thankfully we took our own drinks and sweets.
If you don't want me to spoil your enjoyment of Rugrats in Paris, be warned, the next few paragraphs give a detailed account of the plot!
Rugrats in Paris is the second movie taken from the animated Rugrats series on the Nickelodeon channel on Sky and Cable TV.
It starts with the wedding of Grandpa Lou Pickles to Lulu. All the babies, Tommy, Dill, Angelica, Chucky, Phil, Lil and Susie are there playing the ‘Bobfather’ (Godfather) game. This has sprouted because Angelica managed to watch some scenes of The Godfather film her parents forgot was on. Angelica, of course is the ‘Bobfather’, who grants wishes in a very dodgy Italian accent, to the unsuspecting, but ever believing other babies. Of course, the wishes she grants often mean that someone else loses out along the line.
Angelica decides to grant Chucky a wish and when he sees all the mummies dancing with their babies, he decides that the one thing he really wants is a mummy. Chucky’s mum died when he was younger and although he has his dad, he yearns for a new mum.
Cut to Paris where the Japanese are currently building ‘Reptarland’. (Weird, I know!) The main Reptar robot falls apart and the nasty Mademoiselle Coco Labouche, park director, summons her PA, Kira, to phone Ed Pickles and get him over to sort it out. Ed sleepily answers the phone in the middle of the night and by the next morning the whole Pickles family, including the dog, and all their friends are flying en mass to Paris.
The babies get up to all sorts on the plane which includes finding what they think is a ‘mummy’ button. This is really the ‘call hostess’ button and they think Chucky might get his new mummy by pressing it. Unfortunately he gets a really nasty hostess who breaks his toy. Angelica, of course being a cut above the rest, is found in first class, being as obnoxious as usual. There is also a nice scene where Chucky can see himself and his mum in the clouds, which is a bit of a tearjerker.
On landing in France, they are shipped to their hotel in Reptarland. Most of the adults crash out, which leaves Ed Pickles and Chucky’s dad Chas, to take all the babies out for a look around. They meet up with the lovely Kira, who is the PA and she takes all of them for a look around…or does she?
The poor dog, Spike is left behind in the hotel room, but spies a posh looking poodle running around the streets. When the maid comes to clean, he escapes and goes on a mission to find the attractive poodle.
The babies find their way into Coco Labouche’s office and completely trash the place. She arrives and being the child hater she is, throws them all out – except Angelica, who has sat herself, hidden, under the desk with a large bowl of very expensive chocolates. Angelica overhears a conversation between the Japanese Head of the company and Mlle Labouche. The head is retiring and will be looking for a replacement, someone who is a child at heart and who loves families and children. Coco does not automatically get it, which leads to her telling her boss that she is shortly to get married to a man with a child!
The conversation ends and Coco tells her right hand man she needs to find a ‘geeky man’ and child to dupe into marriage. A furious Coco discovers Angelica, but before she can be punished, she tells Coco that she can deliver a man and child. Poor Chucky! Angelica, being the mercenary little tyke she is, manages to get herself the promise of her own float in the parade, matching ponies and pretty dress if this all follows through.
Meanwhile, Kira the PA is getting on famously with Chucky’s dad and she has her own child, Kimi. When she hears that Coco is planning on taking them all round the Park the next day she is obviously disappointed. The devious Coco makes sure she has a secret link up to Kira who tells her how to relate to the children to make them like her. Unfortunately, for Coco, kids are very perceptive and they do not like her at all. Baby Dill, who now talks a few words, is sick all over her front.
Chucky decides that the Princess on the hill is the only one good enough to be his mum, and the babies escape from the back of a ride to go and find the princess. Kira alerts Coco and she sends the ‘ninja’ rescuers after them before Chas notices they have gone. This would otherwise harm her devious plan.
The babies reach the top of the hill, lead by Kimi who knows all the short cuts in the park. They reach the princess, not realising she is a puppet on a sliding rail who disappears just as they reach her. They are captured in time and returned before Chucky’s dad notices them gone.
Coco finds Chas a revolting, boring little man, but in her quest, she sends him a gold inhaler, which he says will remind him of her every time he wheezes! The poor guy has fallen hook, line and sinker, much to the other adults concern. Chucky tells the babies that he dislikes Coco and only wants the Princess for his mum. When Angelica tells Coco this, she dresses up in the Princess costume and gets rid of the actress playing the real one in the Reptar show. Chucky is overawed by the lovely voice and does not realise that there has been a swap. He goes towards the stage and Coco reveals herself. He is horrified and wants his bear that his mum gave him, returned. Chas is thrilled and says Coco is the one for him.
The wedding is set and the babies are all held prisoner by Coco’s right hand man until the ceremony is over. They decide to jump into Reptar and try and get to the church to stop the wedding, after Angelica has a turn of conscience and admits she has been very bad. Kira travels with Coco to the church, but when she realises what is going on, she vows to tell Chucky’s dad. Coco throws her out of the car and drives off. Enter Reptar as driven by the combined talents of Chucky and Tommy. The babies, wearing special gloves, a hat and running on a special board, which corresponds, to the robots movements, activate Reptar.
Coco tries to run through the ceremony quickly, but she underestimates the babies and they manage to defeat a robot driven by her right hand man. They turn up at the church just as the vicar goes into his, ‘anyone who knows why this can’t take place’, speech. Kira arrives on a ‘borrowed’ bicycle at the same time as Spike the dog and his newfound lady friend. Chucky enters the church and stops the service in time. Coco has to explain to the Japanese boss and is promptly fired. Kira apologises to Chas for not being able to stop Coco, but he forgives her….ahhhhh.
Cut to USA where sometime later another wedding is taking place. This time it’s the wedding of Chas and Kira. Chucky get’s his new mum and a stepsister into the bargain. Kimi gets a new dad and stepbrother. The babies are all playing the ‘Bobfather’ game again, but this time with Chucky as the main man.
The film ends with the new family dancing to the song played for mums and children at the beginning of the film.
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The second theatrical film from the popular television show,Rugrats in Parisis better than ... more
the original surprise hit,The Rugrats Movie. Instead of delving into their rich fantasy life, the Rugrats gang goes on a real adventure when their families visit...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
The second theatrical film from the popular television show,Rugrats in Parisis better than ... more
the original surprise hit,The Rugrats Movie. Instead of delving into their rich fantasy life, the Rugrats gang goes on a real adventure when their families visit...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Advantages: wonderfully told story that'll be a gem on video Disadvantages: woefully short on screen, and still has that "TV" feel of an episode.. you can just hear the tie ins coming...
Advantages: wonderfully told story that'll be a gem on video Disadvantages: woefully short on screen, and still has that "TV" feel of an episode.. you can just hear the tie ins coming...