Sure, you have returning characters and even some of the key voice actors like Michael J. Fox, Hugh Laurie and Gina Davis. They even bring in Wayne Brady, Peter MacNicol and Virginia Madsen to help fill in the list of stars. You'd think with names like that you could easily create a respectable movie. Unfortunately, name recognition doesn't help a poor execution.
Probably one of the biggest issues is that they left the live action combined with CGI format of the previous 2 films. That alone makes me think this shouldn't qualify as a 'sequel'. This film, to me, seems to be hastily thrown together, reminiscent of the type of animation used by kid's television shows - the ones that try to crank out weekly cartoons just to fill time slots. Unfortunately, it hardly lives up to the success of the previous 2 movies. Combine that with a story that's so cliché as well as basically stolen from every other 'summer camp' movie made, you can probably predict the path of this film within the first 10 minutes. It just wasn't worth the time it took to make this film.
I know some reviewers gave thumbs up to the voice actors, but I have to ask why. I will say that MJF did do well as Stuart, but the others were just, well, boring. Other than adding their names to the package so you can hope to sell more copies, I really don't see why you couldn't have saved money by going with some unknown folks. Honestly, it wouldn't have made a difference in the final product.
For me, quality kids shows - whether live action or animated, will be able to hold the attention of not only kids, but the adults that sometimes find themselves accompanying their children while watching them. This film simply couldn't do that. Maybe it's just that the movie is so reminiscent of many other kids films, completely lacking in any kind of originality.
If you have very young children (maybe 3-5), they would probably enjoy this simply because it's animated. But for older children (and the adults that may have to watch with them), I would say it's likely a waste of their time.
Probably one of the biggest issues is that they left the live action combined with CGI format of the previous 2 films. That alone makes me think this shouldn't qualify as a 'sequel'. This film, to me, seems to be hastily thrown together, reminiscent of the type of animation used by kid's television shows - the ones that try to crank out weekly cartoons just to fill time slots. Unfortunately, it hardly lives up to the success of the previous 2 movies. Combine that with a story that's so cliché as well as basically stolen from every other 'summer camp' movie made, you can probably predict the path of this film within the first 10 minutes. It just wasn't worth the time it took to make this film.
I know some reviewers gave thumbs up to the voice actors, but I have to ask why. I will say that MJF did do well as Stuart, but the others were just, well, boring. Other than adding their names to the package so you can hope to sell more copies, I really don't see why you couldn't have saved money by going with some unknown folks. Honestly, it wouldn't have made a difference in the final product.
For me, quality kids shows - whether live action or animated, will be able to hold the attention of not only kids, but the adults that sometimes find themselves accompanying their children while watching them. This film simply couldn't do that. Maybe it's just that the movie is so reminiscent of many other kids films, completely lacking in any kind of originality.
If you have very young children (maybe 3-5), they would probably enjoy this simply because it's animated. But for older children (and the adults that may have to watch with them), I would say it's likely a waste of their time.