Enchanting for the kids, slumberland for adults
Splendiferous is a word the little protagonist uses often, and it certainly applies to the lush visuals of Wonder Park. Viewers in the target, single-digit age group are likely to be enchanted. Grownups are likely to spend their time in slumberland.
Here’s t he plot: A plucky 12-year-old (voiced by newcomer Brianna Denski) stumbles upon an abandoned amusement park. It appears that she had actually conceived the ‘Wonderland’ in her imagination when she was a child. It’s now falling apart, so she sets off on a rollercoaster odyssey to save it from destruction and bring it back to life, with the help of some animal friends.
There is a semblance of emotional connect between the youngster and her parents (Jennifer Garner-matthew Broderick), but any sense of true wonderment is missing from the proceedings.
The animated fantasy flick had a troubled production history that probably didn’t help. The original director, Pixar veteran Dylan Brown, was fired fol- lowing allegations of sexual misconduct. Subsequently, the credit titles only emphasise the contributions of the three writers who wrote the story / script.
Though the principal characters in the film are somewhat bland, they’re compensated for by a talented supporting voice cast including Mila Kunis as a warthog, John Oliver as a porcupine and Ken Hudson Campbell as a sheepish blue bear. What really helps is the concise 90-minute runtime. Wonder Park doesn’t have the time to wear out its welcome.