over-amped garbage

Rating: 1/10 (21 February 2014)

I took two 5 year old boys (who adore Lego, BTW) for this movie and could not have been more disappointed. they certainly didn't enjoy it. this is just not a movie for young children with it's mile-a-minute, wannabe hipster historical and cultural references and inside jokes. it was over-amped, overloaded with way too much chaos, fast action, and (impossible for children to follow) fast cuts . . . let's face it, it was generally full of pumped up nonsense. a group of stoned college kids in the back roared with delight. and sure enough, it felt like it was made by a group of 20-30 some-things with short attention spans who were terrified of making something sweet, slow, charming, amusing, gentle and kind. guess that's not the currency of the realm in Hollywood? I, for one, feel sorry for the children who get subjected to this cultural insanity in the theater and then go to school laced with Ritalin because they are hyperactive. feels like our culture is in a sad place and usurped by stupid commercialism. made me miss Jim Henson before he sold out. boo hiss.