bilbopooh's Full Review: VeggieTales - Larryboy & the Bad Apple
Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie''s plot.
This summer was a grand one for lovers of superheroes. Not only did it mark the return of Superman, it also brought another chapter in the adventures of that lovable plunger-headed superhero LarryBoy. Though this re-emergence flew somewhat under the radar for the general populace, die-hard VeggieTales fans were excited to see this heroic cucumber, who hadn't appeared in 3-D since the last century! He did star in several 2-D videos, but these were of lower quality and changed several aspects of LarryBoy's world, including his day job, which made him more like Superman.
There are nods to that airborne hero's saga here, but mainly just in the form of hard-hitting reporter (and video game junkie) Petunia, who is reminiscent of Lois Lane, and Jerry, her faithful Jimmy Olsen-like cameraman. There's a lot more Spiderman here than before, including the phrase "With great chocolate comes great responsibility," a villainess with robotic legs, LarryBoy's new plunger action that allows him to swing across town and one scene that recalls the famous upside-down Spidey kiss. But the primary influence is still Batman, as Larry cruises around in his LarryMobile, employs a variety of fancy gadgets and receives instruction from his faithful butler Alfred. The spinning LarryBoy signal that sets the scenes apart is the icing on the cake.
Unlike previous LarryBoy installments, LarryBoy and the Bad Apple includes countertop scenes at the beginning and end, during which Bob humorously translates all of Alfred's puffed-up language into everyday speech. There is no silly song, which is a shame but not surprising; LarryBoy adventures are not as musical as the typical VeggieTales episode. There are two songs, however: a reprised jazzy number by the brassy, seductive apple by the name of Temptation and an end-credits punk-rock tribute to LarryBoy, performed by the corn band Shux.
A lot of care obviously went into the design of this episode, for which creators had to rebuild Bumblyburg, making it look essentially the same but slightly updated. Larry's mansion is glorious, particularly when Temptation transforms it into a chocolate wonderland even Willy Wonka would be impressed with. She works her devious magic on other key citizens as well, showing the mayor (Madame Blueberry) a room full of fantastically glamorous outfits and allowing Petunia to leap into her favorite video game. These scenes are dazzling to the eyes, showing us how attractive temptation can be. Alfred's temptation is amusingly much more low-tech but somehow very appropriate to his character.
Also somewhat low-tech is the historical account Alfred finds that details the settlement of Bumblyburg by pilgrims and their temptation by an ancestor of the very apple tormenting Bumblyburg in the present. This curious aside reminds me not only of a Ken Burns documentary but also of episodes of The Simpsons dealing with Springfield's fabled founder. There are all sorts of allusions throughout the 45-minute tale, the most surprising of which is to Midnight Cowboy. As always, adults and children may find themselves enjoying this video for entirely different reasons.
The purpose of the video is to impress upon youngsters the dangers of letting our lives be taken over by frivolous things. Chocolate is fine in small doses, but too much of it can make a person sick. A video game now and then is nothing to worry about, but playing for hours on end can put a major damper on productivity. Moderation is a virtue worth nurturing in order for us all to be the people God wants us to be. Taking less than an hour out to watch this certainly isn't television overkill, so go ahead and indulge in LarryBoy and the Bad Apple. It's a tasty treat for the whole family.
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