Reviews

Curious George

1.0 star

By CHRIS WANGLER | February 9, 2006

1.0 Stars

How do you convey the whimsical complexity of Margaret and H.A. Rey’s beloved chimp if the celluloid version can’t utter a word? In an inappropriate (if predictable) move, the producers of this animated bore-athon focus the story on the Man in the Yellow Hat, a scatterbrained museum docent named Ted (voice of Will Ferrell) who befriends George on an African expedition to recover a 40-foot-tall simian idol. It seems only a blockbuster show can save the unprofitable museum from being turned into a parking lot, in part because today’s ADD rugrats find traditional exhibitions too boring. High jinks and bonding ensue. Ferrell’s matter-of-factness is occasionally amusing, but he receives little support from his doe-eyed love interest (voice of Drew Barrymore) or director Matthew O'Callaghan, whose mix of digital effects and the no-frills animation betrays too many seams. This monkey almost fell asleep.

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