It’s your first ever CGI film, Charlie Brown!
Even if you’ve never read Charles “Sparky” Schulz’s seminal comic strip, or seen one of the many TV specials over the past 50 years, you know exactly whom Snoopy, Charlie Brown and Lucy are. “Peanuts” is one of the most influential and memorable American comics of all time.
It’s no surprise, then, the franchise would eventually get its own CGI film – if anything, it’s surprising it’s taken this long.
“The Peanuts Movie” opens with Charlie Brown, everyone’s favorite little round-headed kid, starting a new school year. When a certain Little Red-Haired Girl joins the class, Charlie Brown is immediately smitten and sets out to impress her, even if he can’t make eye contact with her without running away. Charlie Brown spends the school year trying to succeed at various things and failing every time, all to impress a girl who he’s convinced doesn’t know he exists. Throughout this bare-bones plot are scenes fans have come to expect, such as the constantly crabby Sally insulting Charlie Brown at every opportunity, Linus offering sage advice to Charlie Brown while clinging to his security blanket and Peppermint Patty sleeping through class while Marcy tries to wake her. And of course there’s Charlie Brown’s dog Snoopy, who steals every scene he’s in whether he’s actually helping his owner or living in his own vivid fantasies as the World War I Flying Ace. It gives the film a very episodic feel, much like the comic it’s based on.
The film digs into its extensive archive of classic comics and cartoon specials for material, resulting in a movie heavy with nostalgia for everyone who has grown up with Snoopy and the gang. The film lifts snippets of dialogue from the comics and the music predominantly uses familiar tunes, such as the classic “Linus and Lucy.” Even the animation evokes this, done in such a way to harken back to the sketchy, poorly animated early specials. The total lack of cell phones and more modern trappings make the movie feel like it’s stuck in a time warp.
The animation’s blending of traditional 2D with advanced CGI gives it a look that’s simultaneously familiar and like nothing else on-screen. And these are still some of the most beloved characters in fiction. Charlie Brown has always been unique compared to other protagonists because he tries as hard as he can and still fails, a breath of fresh air among the glut of “try hard enough and you can do anything!” protagonists in other all-ages films. The fact he’s always so optimistic and tries his hardest, no matter how hard he falls, makes us root for him all the more and makes his rare accomplishments all the greater, even if it’s as simple as finally talking to the girl he’s always liked.
Fans of “Peanuts” will find plenty to like here, as the movie went out of its way to stay as true to Shulz’s original vision as possible. New fans will also find plenty to enjoy in the likeable characters and heartwarming story. It’s a fun way to spend an evening and a worthy successor of the “Peanuts” brand.
