Barney's Great Adventure

Though its budget and production values are a tad too low, the production team should be congratulated for what they've achieved here. It isn't a bad children's musical, and has our toddlerette captivated. The simplicity of the story is a good thing for her, as are all the colours - it's a very colourful film. And there some nice little touches, like the guy cooking in his truck, the Chez Snobbe restaurant, the juggler, and the library scene, where the set design is excellent. The child actors do a good job, too.

So, not really good enough for anyone over five, but great fun for the little ones.

This movie is getting such terrible reviews, and I don't understand why! Is it cheesy? YES. Does it make complete and logical sense? OF COURSE NOT. Why? BECAUSE IT IS A BARNEY MOVIE. Like all episodes of Barney, they are extremely cheesy and predictable. This movie is like a really long episode of barney. What I liked most about it compared to regular barney shows, was that there was much less loud and kid-sung songs. My son is 2 1/2 years old and absolutely loves this movie. I would chose this movie any day over a regular episode of Barney. He follows the simple story-line very easily and finds it highly entertaining.

All of these reviews are adults complaining that this movie is annoying and cheesy. But to a child, it's silly and joyful. This movie was not meant to capture an adult's sense of humor or attention. It's for kids! Kids enjoy this movie, and that's all that matters. Why is everyone so upset that THEY didn't like it? It's Barney, for pete's sake!!

I will remember this movie as the first I ever saw in theaters. I don't remember how old I was, but I was enraptured by the plot, kids, and, of course, Barney. Now that I'm older, I'm sure I wouldn't enjoy the movie as much as I did at 5 years old, but back then it was heaven on earth to watch Barney and his friends race against time. The songs were cute and I loved singing along. It's not a spectacular piece of cinema, but then again, it's Barney. What do you expect, Oscars? I would rent this for children and I know they would enjoy it. For those of you who worry about the quality of the actors, I don't think any small children will care how talented they are. I sure didn't and I actually remember the actors as being decent. Final verdict: Great for kids from ages 4-6 or 7, depending on which shows they watch.

Unlike the TV show, which is quite good for kids 2-4, this film is inappropriate for just about anybody. Very young children will be lost in the plot. And I don't really want to subject my child to slapstick humor (e.g. the sullen boy accidentally stepping on a cow pie).

One of the beautiful things about childhood is that cynicism has not yet crept into our view of the world. Children have no frame of reference for new experiences, and so they appreciate those experiences as wonderful and react to them with delight.

The preceding paragraph explains why your children love Barney, and why you hate it. There is no need to belabor the point. The important question is, what makes this Barney movie different from a typical Barney television episode?

Difference number one: The replacement of children who can't act with children who can. Granted, they don't have much of a script to work with, but work with it they do, giving a modicum of life to characters that are essentially, like all characters in Barney stories, cardboard.

Difference number two: An injection of...get ready...production values! Have you watched Barney on television lately? Or ever? Did you notice the missed cues, poor timing, blown lines, and incessant hamming? Did you ever wonder if the director was familiar with the term "retake"? Fear not, because Barney's Great Adventure gives you an edited script, rudimentary choreography, and even one or two in-jokes for the benefit of Mom and Dad (something Sesame Street and Bear in the Big Blue House always seem to get right instinctively).

But the important question is, does it matter? And the answer is a resounding "no." My three-year-old sat enraptured throughout the movie, as your three-year-old will, hardly taking time to breathe or blink. When it was over, she wanted to watch it again. She cried when I said three times in two days was enough. Just like she has done with every other Barney video we have ever rented or owned.

Is Barney's Great Adventure a good movie? No. Is it passable? I guess so. Should you rent it for your child? Of course. Just pop it in the VCR and go cook a nice dinner for your family. I guarantee you won't be interrupted.