Rocky and Bullwinkle first appeared in an animated TV series in the late 1950s. Decades following the cancellation of the show (which lasted only a few years), some film and video game adaptations were made but they all only generated lukewarm responses, although I do enjoy the video games.Here, we have this film called The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle. Like all films based on the TV series, including the one called Mr. Peabody and Sherman, this film could not breakeven in box office numbers, let alone make a profit.I can only wonder why any adaptation, film or game, based on the TV show can't get any success. Perhaps it goes back to TV show itself. Because the flying rodent is male, they could have selected a boy to do his words. But instead, they selected a hag which is unauthentic, untraditional, and artificial. I guess that really hurt the rodent's popularity as the moose gained more attention in the show's later years. Strangely though, they continue to use the hag for this film as well as the 2014 short film. Well I'm glad that the pesky hag has finally kicked the bucket. This time could a brighter and better era for the franchise.

I'm not sure why this movie is hated so much. I'm a rather cynical fellow, and I thought it was pretty cute and fun.It's always risky bringing animated characters to life with real actors, and I don't think anyone could have done better.The very capable cast gave it their all. It was great to hear June Foray do her unmistakable voice of Rocky. I felt the spirit of the old show intact, thanks to Ms. Foray and an excellent, enthusiastic voicing of Bullwinkle by Keith Scott. Of course, Piper Perabo was adorable as expected.The story itself was not groundbreaking, and probably not quite interesting enough for a feature length movie. That covers most movies these days, so don't consider that a deal breaker.All in all, and fun way to blow an hour and a half... as long as you're old enough to know the original series, and keep your expectations as low as they were back in the day.

What is it about cartoons failing financially at the movies? What is missing in the transition from the TV to the big screen? Is it the lack of substance? Or could it be that a cartoon's charm is only limited to a twenty-minute time slot? I'm not quite sure myself but it is disappointing that most adaptations to the big screen end being a flop. Thankfully there are some that try really hard to stick to the old and not involve the characters in a non-cartoony plot.A movie that can mirror this kind of description would be The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle. Sure this movie has not gained a whole lot of appreciation but for the fans who truly respect the original series, you can see why this movie is one of those live action cartoon movies that stands out from the others. How come? Because the film uses its goofiness from its original episodes and uses it throughout the film. This movie is similar to The Muppets (2011) movie plot. Over a certain length of time, Rocky and Bullwinkle have been forgotten in the past until they are needed again 35 years later. So has anything really changed character-wise in this movie, absolutely not. Rocky, Bullwinkle, Fearless Leader, Boris, Natasha and even the narrator are all in this movie. Even the screenplay between all live action characters are like the original. After a misunderstood conversation between Rocky and Bullwinkle, the narrator states, "Yes even their word play had become hackneyed and cheap" and then Bullwinkle replies to the narrator, "No, it was always like this". Oh how right you are Bullwinkle!Aside from the main cartoon characters, Piper Perabo who plays Agent Karen Sympathy is given the assignment to get the daring duo out of the cartoon world and into the real world. The mission: to stop the nefarious Fearless Leader played by Robert De Niro. De Niro is actually a wise choice for the role of Fearless Leader. I truly can't imagine another actor playing that part. Fearless Leader is a difficult cartoon character to mimic verbally and physically so I give De Niro credit for that. Jason Alexander and Rene Russo team up as the Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale. They too both mimic their cartoon characters fairly well.So what is there about this movie that makes it a good cartoon adaptation? Well besides the main cast, there are many famous actors that make cameo appearances. A couple that come to mind are John Goodman, Billy Crystal and Don Novello. Some play multiple characters while others play only one. Either way, this movie has a lot of star power.The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle may look like another worthless cartoon adaptation but it sticks to its roots and gives all that it has. Thanks to a good cast of actors, not only are the cartoon characters supported but it also makes its cheery screenplay work well too.

I had to "up" the ratings and say a word about this movie. It was a real surprise and a treat for me- I just got satellite and it was one of the selections, so I tuned in out of curiosity. Never did I think that Rocky and Bullwinkle could be recreated so well, bad puns and all. It took me back to my childhood when Rocky and Bullwinkle were my favs, along with Crusader Rabbit, Mr. Peabody and Sherman, Fractured Fairy tales, Dudley Do Right and Gerald McBoingBoing (I don't remember much about him except the funny name!). Anyway, it was great fun to watch this movie, especially with all the cameos as an extra bonus: Robert DeNiro as Fearless Leader (he seemed to be enjoying himself) and Carl Reiner, Johnathan Winters and John Goodman to name a few. If you are an aging baby boomer, this movie will be a trip down memory lane.