After 35 years of being absent, the Peanuts gang is in theaters once again.

“The Peanuts Movie,” directed by Steve Martino and staring Noah Schnapp and Venus Omega Schultheis, gives a decent version of Peanuts for a newer audience.

Advertisement

Not a lot has changed for The Peanuts since they were last on screen. Snoopy is still chasing after the Red Baron, Charlie Brown is still being a blockhead; the status quo has been maintained, that is, until a red-haired girl moves to town.

With a new love interest in town, Brown decides it is his chance to prove he’s not a loser like everyone at school thinks he is. 

An old phrase says, “Why fix what’s not broken?” This new Peanuts film seems to agree.

This movie takes the aspects of The Peanuts people loved, left them alone and only updated the animation and voice actors.

People loved Schultz’s ability to both entertain a younger audience and an older group wanting something more philosophical. By adding lowbrow humor with musings involving loneliness, failure and what makes a good person, this movie hits the idea perfectly.

However, “The Peanuts Movie” struggles with having a fully coherent story.

Advertisement*

This may be picky for a G-rated film, but the entire movie is a bit of a mishmash of events with no connection to one another. 

Just because a film is geared toward a younger audience doesn’t mean it should abandon all forms of unity and intelligence.  This movie is best when it’s not pandering to younger children, such as having random slapstick humor and unneeded modern cultural references.

For a cast made up of only child actors, this film casted some pretty talented replacements for classic characters.

Kid actors have a sometimes unwarranted reputation for being bad and inexperienced. These performers show none of this.

Not only do they hit the notes of each role well, but Schnapp’s character brings an emotional connection to Charlie Brown’s notoriously emotional character.

Stars: 3.5 out of 5

Jacob Pierce can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @JacobPierce1_DE.