The trick to making a good kids movie is it should appeal to children as well as adults. After all, it’s the adults who get stuck taking their kids to the theater, and they too sit through the entire length of the film. Fortunately these writers were smart enough to recognize this, which is why JIMMY NEUTRON, BOY GENIUS is a pleasure for all. Kids will dig the animation as well as themes of space aliens and amazing gadgets Jimmy is forever inventing. Adults will dig the animation as well as some wry humor intended specifically for them.

JIMMY has launched a communications satellite to speak with other life forms, but his toaster-and-spatula contraption (Kids: Don’t try this at home.) backfires on him when evil aliens intercept his device. Instead of interplanetary good will, they decide parents would make a good snack, so they kidnap the adults in town, leaving Jimmy and his classmates by themselves.

After realizing their parents are gone, the kids indulge in their wildest dreams by wearing clothes that don’t match or running up the down escalator. But after overindulging on junk food and sweets, they realize no one is around to care for their tummyaches, or any other maladies they may have. The kids decide they need parents after all, and led by Jimmy, they embark on a mission to kick alien butt and bring their folks back home.

I really can’t imagine adults running out to see this film unless they’ve got kids in tow, but stranger things have been known to happen. If you do find yourself in the audience, without spoiling the moment, there is truly a brilliant bit in this film mocking THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. It’s some of the slyest satirical dialogue I’ve heard in a long time. The kids in the audience are never gonna get it, but they don’t seem to care, and it’s several moments like this which give JIMMY NEUTRON a wide base of appeal.

—Nancy Semin

hybridCinema Ratings Guide:

Take a pal and pay full price for both tickets.

It’s worth a full-price ticket.

It’s worth a matinee ticket.

Wait for video rental.

Check out the video from the library, if you must.

While we would never encourage anyone to destroy a video...