Unlike the MPAA we do not assign
one
inscrutable rating based on age, but 3 objective ratings for SEX/NUDITY, VIOLENCE/GORE
and PROFANITY on a scale of 0 to 10, from lowest to highest,
depending on quantity and context.
The first feature film based on the popular direct-to-video children's series that features talking
Christian vegetables and fruits, adapts the Biblical tale of Jonah and the whale, framed within a contemporary story. Jonah is an
asparagus, while the whale remains a whale. With the voices of Phil Vischer, Mike Nawrocki, Kristin Blegen and Lisa Vischer. [1:23]
SEX/NUDITY 0 - A pair of boxer shorts are stuck on the windshield of a bus.
VIOLENCE/GORE 2 - We hear what sounds very much like the "Jaws" theme as a veggie sits in the sea, and we see a shadow of an
enormous creature beneath him; then a whale shoots to the surface with its mouth open wide and grabs the veggie (we see him later in the
whale's stomach). A whale jumps out of the water and grabs a bowling ball that had been shot at him (there is a caterpillar in one of the
finger holes). We see a pumpkin smashed by some sort of fish-slamming contraption (we hear a squish and see shrapnel hit the veggie next
to it). A veggie is arrested and, with two others, they're tied to poles where they are threatened to be squashed by an enormous fish. A
whale spits out a veggie. A guard lowers a stick with a sharp blade on the end toward a veggie. We see many veggies hitting each other
with fish. A veggie is shot in the back by a porcupine quill and when he pulls it out later we see a hole remaining. A guitar gets caught
in the steering wheel of a bus and when a veggie tries to free it the steering wheel pulls off with it; the bus loses control swerving
back and forth across a road and nearly hitting a family of porcupines in the road, but the tires are shot out (by a porcupine quill) and
the bus hurdles down a hill, gets caught up in a laundry line that breaks, the bus continues toward a river, but is finally stopped by a
tree stump. A caterpillar starts a boat motor that gets loose and chases veggies around the deck of a ship. A veggie is threatened by
guards with fish on sticks. A ship full of veggies fills with water in a storm and one veggie is chosen to walk the plank in order to
appease God and stop the storm. A veggie hits his head on a placard. We hear about people being punished by being hit with fish. Veggies
argue in several scenes, exchanging insults, blame and accusations. A veggie bus driver is hit on the head repeatedly by another veggie
playing a guitar, causing him to swerve on a winding road. It is said that the "Israelites wished that God would wipe Nineveh off the face
of the earth." A ship hits two smaller boats as it pulls out of port. Some veggie-tots sing a song that includes lines about a clumsy
veggie who "pulled out all his hair," was "poked in the eye," etc. A veggie sits on a ledge waiting for God's destruction of a people (he
does so with glee). We see some rotten fish with flies buzzing around them in a market. A caterpillar pushes out through a bag of cheese
curls.
DISCUSSION TOPICS - Prophets of God, God's wrath, God's chosen people, bragging, teasing, selfishness, pirates, mercy,
second chances, greed, celebrity, ethics vs. piety, compassion, being lazy, motivational tapes, licensed merchandise, punishment.
MESSAGE - We need to offer second chances even if someone does not deserve to get one. Doing what God tells you is the pious
thing to do.
(Note: Many of the themes of Christian piety and obedience touched upon in this feature may be of concern to members of some
Christian denominations, non-Christians and non-believers.)
A CAVEAT: We've gone through several editorial changes since we
started covering films in 1992 and some of our early standards were
not as stringent as they are now. We therefore need to revisit many
older reviews, especially those written prior to 1998 or so; please
keep this in mind if you're consulting a review from that period.
While we plan to revisit and correct older reviews our resources are
limited and it is a slow, time-consuming process.
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