Rugrats Go Wild (2003)

40% of critics liked it
(84 reviews)
46% of users liked it
(16,797 ratings)

Two of the most popular animated series on the children's cable network Nickelodeon get wrapped up in one big-screen package in this comedy-adventure, featuring the characters from Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys. Drew and Didi Pickles (voices of Michael Bell and Melanie Chartoff) decide to take a… More Two of the most popular animated series on the children's cable network Nickelodeon get wrapped up in one big-screen package in this comedy-adventure, featuring the characters from Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys. Drew and Didi Pickles (voices of Michael Bell and Melanie Chartoff) decide to take a special vacation with their children, Tommy (voice of Elizabeth Daily) and Angelica (voice of Cheryl Chase), with their friends (both grown-ups and toddlers) coming along for the ride. However, the ship Drew has chartered isn't especially seaworthy, and their party ends up stranded on an uncharted island in the Pacific. The kids figure the day is saved when they discover that famous explorer and television personality Sir Nigel Tornberry (voice of Tim Curry) is also on the island with his family, but after he gets a world-class knock on the head from a coconut, Nigel's upper intellectual register gets knocked out of commission. The Rugrats are then forced to turn to Nigel's daughter, Eliza (voice of Lacey Chabert), who not only knows the wilds, but can talk to animals, which comes as quite a surprise to Spike (voice of Bruce Willis), the Pickles' family pooch. Rugrats Go Wild also features the voice talents of LL Cool J, Cree Summer, Nancy Cartwright, Jack Riley, and Flea. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 20 min.
Directed By: John Eng, Norton Virgien
Written By: Kate Boutilier
Genres: Animation, Kids & Family, Comedy

In Theaters: Jun 13, 2003 Wide
On DVD: Dec 16, 2003
Studio: Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

Michael Atkinson, Village Voice
As matinee probations go, the movie's tainted by too many bad songs and too much of Bruce Willis.
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
[T]his is harmless entertainment for very young children. Everyone else though, will be wriggling in their seats like 2-year-olds with wet diapers.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
For all the doubling of franchises, Odorama- smelling and smart-aleck references to famous movies and songs, there's nothing particularly bright and charming about the film.
Daphne Gordon, Toronto Star
The end product is surprisingly engaging, thanks at least in part to a pair of very stinky feet.
C.W. Nevius, San Francisco Chronicle
Who would have thought those bright minds at Nickelodeon would come up with a stinker?
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
A shrill, pointless animation in which two highly profitable Nickelodeon TV franchises come together with all the finesse of a direct assault.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Pleasant for kids, not too painful for parents.
Daniel M. Kimmel, Worcester Telegram & Gazette
[T]his is more like a TV sweeps month stunt than the beginning of new chapter of Rugrats history.
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
Since the odors on the accompanying Scratch and Sniff card aren't very strong, make sure your baby's bottom is clean before watching the film.
Josh Bell, Las Vegas Weekly
Nothing about Rugrats Go Wild is particularly bad or crass; it's just exhaustingly mediocre.
Neil Smith, BBC
Unless you're a Nickelodeon executive or a six-year-old who's never heard of Pixar, you'll be fervently hoping such desperate tactics signal the end of this tiresome spin-off franchise.
Mike Sage, Peterborough This Week
Rugrats Go Wild boasts tiresome plotlessness, TV-grade animation, and doesn't even propagandize the kids with hearty moral messages
Catharine Tunnacliffe, eye WEEKLY
As a Rugrats neophyte, I found it hard to understand what makes them so beloved: their voices are shrill and charmless, and so much of the humour springs from grating babytalk.

Read all 13 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Michael E

A good crossover but it has one thing i dislike about it, Bruce Willis as Spike. It just seems out of place for him to play Spike
Dead A

This was both boring and entertaining. Liked their adventures, there was some sad moments.
vieras e

Totally substandard compared to the cartoon.
Sunil J

I love Rugrats. I like the Wild Thornberry's. I do not care for them together.