the_frog_princess

This is how I described this movie to my kids when I suggested they might like to see it, Baby Herman being something they saw in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and "Ow! My Balls!" being a fictional TV show in the movie "Idiocracy" which described a future run by complete idiots whose greatest form of entertainment is watching someone get his groin smashed again and again. The description appealed to them, and they ended up loving the movie.

It's one of those movies that you either love or hate, not because of the quality of production or acting or script, but because you either like this kind of humor or you don't. More importantly, though, this is a nostalgia movie. It is NOT a baby version of Home Alone, but has it's roots back in the days of black and white cartoons, and people who didn't grow up watching the catch-the-baby-in-peril episodes of Tom and Jerry or Popeye cartoons are not as likely to enjoy this movie, which doesn't really have much more of a plot.

However, if you DID love those old cartoons and don't mind the addition of multiple blows to the groin for the bad guys, this is a VERY well done live action version of that old art form, with a baby cute enough to inspire the same kind of "Aaaaaw!" reaction as produced by footage of fluffy kittens playing.

Before listing the numerous bad points I have to say there is one point about this show that is so amazingly good it almost makes up for the bad ones: it demonstrates with no doubt whatsoever that nearly ANYONE CAN BE ACTIVE no matter what their weight. A good deal more active than most people believe is possible. This is so important. It shows that change is possible. It also shows how people who do eat well and exercise can accomplish amazing things well before they reach their goal weights, that there are rewards for changing your lifestyle throughout the journey, not just when you reach that magical number you've been striving for on the scale.

Among the bad points are the cheap psychoanalyzing that goes on, which appears to be more for making drama moments than actually accomplishing anything constructive, product placements (especially for products one strongly doubts the trainers actually encourage the contestants to use), the necessity for some contestants to lose more weight than is healthy in order to win, and raising unrealistic notions of what constitutes an appropriate rate of weight loss or level of intensity of exercise would be safe for viewers at home without strict medical supervision.

I am perplexed at why this is rated so low. The only thing I can think of is that many people who rated this movie were expecting to see something else. The most tuned in audience for this film would be people who really enjoy comic books and/or superhero shows and are intellectual enough to appreciate the absurdity of them.

I understand that there was a Mystery Men comic before this. However, going in to see this movie because one liked the comic would be the wrong reason. It may be great for the same reason the comic is great (if it is great--I don't know. I've never read the comic), but unlike Spiderman, X-Men etc, it's purpose is not to look like the Mystery Men comic but to spoof others of the genre.