ANIMAL CRACKERS | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"ANIMAL CRACKERS"
(2020) (voices of John Krasinski, Ian McKellen) (Not Rated)

QUICK TAKE:: Computer Animated Dramedy: After giving up the circus life introduced to him by his uncle, a young man is pulled back into that world by another uncle trying to steal the secret that made his brother's circus so successful.

PLOT:

Once upon a time -- the 1960s to be exact -- Horatio P. Huntington (voice of IAN McKELLEN) and his brother Buffalo Bob (voice of JAMES ARNOLD TAYLOR) ran a successful circus. But then a woman -- Talia (voice of TARA STRONG) -- came between them, causing the siblings to go their separate ways, Bob with Talia and a magic box of animal crackers given to them by Talia's aunt.

Years later, and having grown up around the circus, Bob's nephew, Owen (voice of JOHN KRASINSKI), is hoping to keep doing that for the rest of his life with fellow circus fan Zoe (voice of EMILY BLUNT) as his wife. But her father, Mr. Woodley (voice of WALLACE SHAWN), is so against the idea that Owen gives that up to marry Zoe.

Seven years later, they have a daughter, Mackenzie (voice of LYDIA ROSE TAYLOR), but Owen is miserable in his job not only due to taste-testing dog biscuits every day, but also because of the constant belittling at the hands of his father-in-law as well as coworker Brock (voice of PATRICK WARBURTON). At least he has a friend in Binkley (voice of RAVEN-SYMONE) who's hoping to make those biscuits taste like human food.

While all of that is happening, Horatio -- still holding a grudge against his brother -- tries to steal the secret that's made Bob's circus so successful, but ends up catching his carriage on fire, causing all involved -- including Chesterfield the clown (voice of DANNY DeVITO), canon-fired Bullet-Man (voice of SYLVESTER STALLONE) and fat lady Petunia (voice of DONNA LYNNE SAVA) to believe that Bob and Talia perished in the fire.

With them out of the way, Horatio declares he's taking over his brother's circus and orders his henchmen -- motorcycle riding Mario Zucchini (voice of GILBERT GOTTFRIED), strongman Samson (voice of KEVIN GREVIOUX), knife-thrower Stabby (voice of TONY BANCROFT) and fire-breather El Diablo (voice of ANTHONY SAVA) -- to get their hands on the magic box of animal crackers now in Owen's possession.

But with him not knowing what they are, he ends up eating one and turns into the animal from the shape of the cookie. From that point on, and changing into various other animals, Owen tries to resolve his work-life all while contending with his uncle and that man's goons.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Being an animated film featuring -- at times -- talking animals -- it's a good bet it will be enticing to some younger ones.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: Not Rated: While not officially rated by the MPAA, the film is the equivalent of a PG for violence, some scary scenes and crude humor.

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