Wonder Park – An Obnoxious Children’s Film

It’s a wonder how this film is even a theatrical release.

Synopsis: Wonder Park tells the story of an amusement park where the imagination of a wildly creative girl named June comes alive. (IMDB)

Starring: Brianna Denski, Mila Kunis, and John Oliver

Writers: Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec

Director: here

Rating: G (Canada)/PG (United States)

Running Time: 85mins

Trailer: 

Some animated films aren’t for everyone and Wonder Park is yet another example of this fact. While their primary audience is children, they don’t always appeal to the adults who are taking them to the theatre. In this film’s case, some children will surely find enough to enjoy here while most adults will surely be rolling their eyes at all the overly cheesy material on display here as long as either can overlook the elephant in the room. The story was about a young girl named June (Denski) whose amusement park from her and her mother’s (Jennifer Garner) imagination comes to life.

After June’s mother fell ill (presumably of cancer), June’s park would be an escape for her. She took her mother’s illness particularly hard and needed to be reminded to keep believing in her own imagination. The film pretty much drops the lead and this fact would sort of become the elephant in the room. June would have to face her own darkness and rebuild what used to be a thriving park. Expect plenty of obnoxiousness and obvious lessons along the way as well as plenty of cheesy material more worthy of an animated television show than a full length theatrical release.

The film may be relatively short, clocking in at just under 90 minutes, but it will definitely feel longer. The humor and all the cuteness won’t be for everybody and will make it a chore to watch. Though the animation is nowhere near the best today, it is still better than average. The voice acting was fine, however, it could only go as far as the material. Although everyone would have some kind of funny lines, Oliver as a porcupine named Steve will be the most memorable.

Overall, Wonder Park was an obnoxiously cheesy animated children’s film that won’t be for everybody and will ultimately appeal to younger audiences more than the adults taking them to the theatre. The animation may be fine and the film may be short but the humor and story will surely test your patience. All in all, this film had no business being a theatrical release to begin with.

Score: 3.5/10

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.