Rugrats Go Wild (2003)

Directors:

John Eng
Norton Virgien

Writer:

Kate Boutilier (written by)

Release Date:

13 June 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Family

Tagline:

The family vacation just went overboard.

Plot:

The Rugrats get tangled in an exotic adventure, where they're helped by the Thornberrys, a family that travels the world making nature documentaries.

Plot Keywords:

Rugrats | Kid | Children | Smells Used In Cinema | Crossover

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Elizabeth Daily	...	Tommy Pickles (voice) (as E.G. Daily)
Nancy Cartwright	...	Chuckie Finster (voice)
Kath Soucie	...	Phil DeVille / Lil DeVille / Betty DeVille (voice)
Dionne Quan	...	Kimi Finster (voice)
Cheryl Chase	...	Angelica Pickles (voice)
Tim Curry	...	Nigel Thornberry (voice)
Joe Alaskey	...	Grandpa Lou (voice)
Tress MacNeille	...	Charlotte Pickles (voice)
Michael Bell	...	Drew Pickles / Charles 'Chaz' Finster, Sr. (voice)
Melanie Chartoff	...	Didi Pickles (voice)
Julia Kato	...	Kira Finster (voice)
Phil Proctor	...	Howard DeVille (voice)
Jack Riley	...	Stuart 'Stu' Pickles (voice)
Tara Strong	...	Dil Pickles (voice)
Cree Summer	...	Susie Carmichael (voice)

Also Known As:

Rescue Me (USA) (working title)
Rugrats 3: Rescue Me (USA) (working title)
Rugrats Meet the Wild Thornberrys (USA) (working title)
The Rugrats Movie III (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild crude humor.

Runtime:

USA:84 min | Germany:81 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Brazil:Livre | Chile:TE | Germany:6 | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:G | Philippines:G | Singapore:G | UK:U | USA:PG (certificate #39950)

Company:

Klasky-Csupo

Trivia:

When the film was originally released theatrically, a Scratch & Sniff stunt called "Odorama" was used. Special numbered cards, each representing a particular smell, were available with kids' meals at participating Burger King restaurants and separately at Blockbuster Video stores. Participants picked up the cards, then took them to the movie theater showing the film. When a particular number flashed on the screen, viewers scratched off the scent that had that particular number on it. Numbers flashing in red mean that the viewer should find the corresponding number on their card (glow-in-the-dark for their convenience), and be ready to scratch-and-sniff when the on-screen number turns green. The scents are as follows: #1 is strawberry, #2 is peanut butter, #3 is a flower, #4 is smelly feet, #5 is a root beer float, and #6 is a fish.

Goofs:

Continuity: Dil disappears during the chase, and is not shown again until the end of the sequence.

Quotes:

Spike: Well, Eliza, as dog as my witness, I will never lose my babies again!

Movie Connections:

References Star Wars (1977)

Soundtrack:

Holiday

To paraphrase Debbie Thornberry at one point, when I write about this film - and I will - I will not be kind.

The end credits for "Rugrats Go Wild!" include a section headed "Klasky Csupo Accounting," which unfortunately figures; this third theatrical outing for the Rugrats and second one for the Wild Thornberrys plays more like a marketing exercise than an actual movie.

With this big-screen crossover of two TV shows, you'd think that they'd both get equal time, but due to their show having been more successful and having their full name in the title (it was originally called "Rugrats Meet The Wild Thornberrys" before someone decided that was too obvious), Tommy, Chucky and the rest get more time on screen than the far more appealing Eliza Thornberry and Co; it's not until near the end that they're on anything like equal footing, and by then the movie's been sabotaged by a plot that's too skimpy for words (the Pickles, Finster and DeVille families - plus Susie - get stranded on the same island that the Thornberrys have pitched up on for their latest jaunt, and cue much running around and shrieking), an ounce of actual amusement amongst a ton of shrill and strained gags, too many characters squeezed into too little time, and far too many songs, pop or otherwise (Chrissie Hynde. Why?).

Having Bruce Willis do the voice of Spike doesn't help much, and neither does including some of the most heavy-handed movie references this side of a Leslie Nielsen comedy. In fact, the movie officially becomes a waste of time when their boat capsizes and it turns into a mini-homage to "The Poseidon Adventure," capped by Angelica singing "The Morning After" in her toy karaoke machine. (If only she had been the character played by Stella Stevens.)

But even that's more forgiveable than having Stu say "I can't help feeling partially responsible." Stealing lines from "The Simpsons" is the final insult... Eliza's older sister and Betty DeVille are the only ones to emerge intact. Note to Paramount: ENOUGH ALREADY!