A slightly dumbed-down version of its source material, “Mr. Peabody & Sherman” does not quite capture the quirky fun of the original “Peabody’s Improbable History”
Based on the 1960s animated phenomenon, “Peabody’s Improbable History,” “Mr. Peabody & Sherman” follows a genius talking dog named Mr. Peabody who dedicates himself to science, the culinary arts, athletics and technology until he realizes that there is something missing in his life. Turning to his adoptive son, Sherman, to fill this void, Mr. Peabody sets off on a time-travelling adventure with Sherman, using his newest invention, a time machine he calls the WABAC (pronounced “way back”). However, when the duo accidentally disrupts the space-time continuum, it’s up to Mr. Peabody to save the future and realize the true meaning of being a parent.
“Mr. Peabody & Sherman” replaces the ironic, deadpan humor of the original with more childish, superficial jokes that, despite having their own amiability, fall short of the understated wit of the original. However, “Mr. Peabody & Sherman” manages to recreate some of the original’s charm through its use of puns and historical references that unfortunately morph into distasteful gags. Regardless, the movie expresses the same spirit of its prototype by clearly depicting the magnetism of the unconventional love between the two heroes, despite the nauseatingly syrupy-sweet and sugar-saccharine montage introducing their relationship.
Although celebrity voice actors, including Stephen Colbert, drop by occasionally, director Rob Minkoff keeps them around only long enough to inject some entertainment from familiar voices into the movie without creating distractions. Therefore, the majority of the voice acting talent stems from Max Charles who effectively portrays the nerdy, endearingly insecure, giddy-with-excitement Sherman. Ty Burrell also captures the essence of the suave, sophisticated and delightfully cosmopolitan Mr. Peabody through his strong voice acting performance.
Additionally, “Mr. Peabody & Sherman” moves at a fast pace, which may appeal to the flighty young’uns, but will drive older audience members to exhaustion with its scatterbrained presentation. This fast pace seems like a feeble attempt to distract viewers from the shaky plot. Therefore, despite the movie’s appeal to younger viewers, older viewers will not be impressed.
Louder and more in-your-face than its source material, “Mr. Peabody & Sherman” is not quite insulting to its source, but fails to live up to expectations of old Peabody fans. However, although the movie lacks the old-fashioned charisma of the original, its fresh spin on “Peabody’s Improbable History” appeals more to its modern audience. “Mr. Peabody & Sherman,” consequently, forces older viewers to wake up to the harsh reality that the film industry must modernize along with its audience and, therefore, they must pass their favorite animated films into the hands of future generations.
Older audience members must understand that this is not the Peabody and Sherman from their day. This is the new Peabody and Sherman, and this is for the children of today.
My conclusion: 4/10