I’ve been a fan of animated movies since I was a child. Then again, there are a great deal of adults who are just like me.

 

We never really grew up.

 

We enjoy animated movies, be it traditional cell animation or the more current computer animation.

 

Over the past decade, there have been several that I loved. Shrek and Madagascar being the ones at the forefront of this pack, followed by several Pixar movies (Incredibles), and a few others.

 

Even Disney had a few entertaining movies this decade. Some not great, but lots were enjoyable.

 

This year, there haven’t been too many animated movies, so I was quite interested when I saw the trailers for Igor and of course Madagascar 2.

 

Igor was the one I saw recently. The other, it’s still off in the future.

 

I have to be honest; I was very disappointed in Igor, which really surprised me. When I first saw the trailer, it looked very entertaining, and it had quite the pedigree when it came to the actors lending their voices for the characters.

 

First, before I continue my usual disclaimer. I will not give any spoilers in regards to the movie that you couldn’t get from watching the trailers online, in the theater, etc. etc.

 

I didn’t laugh while watching the movie. I didn’t even crack a smile. The theater was about half full when I saw the movie, and truth be told, I wasn’t the only one… I heard a couple of giggles coming from the younger kids.

 

The movie just wasn’t funny! It was barely in the cute category.

 

I think the main reason is the whole theme of the movie. It was very dark, and dealt with some very adult themes, some that I found really weren’t appropriate for kids.

 

A small country in which Evil scientists are treated like Rock Stars and actually are the only means of income the country has… since it’s kept perpetually in darkness and it rains all the time, the country can’t grow food.

 

So, instead they come up with the most diabolical and evil inventions that they can in order to blackmail the rest of the world to keep them from unleashing these horrors.

 

 

Servants who’s only purpose in life is to be at the beck and call of their masters, and are forbidden to have any motivation or ambition.

 

When one particular Igor has both, and turns out to be smarter than the evil scientist that he’s been assigned to, it’s pure hell for him.

 

Until his stupid master dies while trying to perfect one of his experiments.

 

Ok, sounds like it would be entertaining, doesn’t it? But at the same time, these above themes are pretty dark and grim, not what you’d really want kids to watch, eh?

 

And then there is the suicidal rabbit who can’t die, who spends a good part of the movie trying to off himself.

 

That alone is not what I would want kids to watch. It’s kind of funny for an adult, but totally WRONG for a child.

 

The only bright spot of the movie was the monster herself, Eve. She was a bright ray of sunshine in an otherwise gloomy movie, completely ignoring the reason she was created to follow her own dream.

 

So, there you have it.

 

The animation was ok, pretty standard stuff when it comes to computer animation, although the characters were – well, grotesque.

 

Of course, there was no real violence in the movie, so it is kid safe, although some of the scenes could be a little intense for those under 7.

 

I was sorely disappointed in the movie, and I really hope that some of the upcoming films such as Madagascar 2, and Bolt, will make up for this poorly constructed film.

 

2 out of 5