21st December, 2019.
You know, it’s Christmas.
You must have noticed, yes?
It’s the decorations, jollity, rain …
And the incredible amounts of carol singers in whatever your equivalent of Brentwood High Street is.
Depressing, isn’t it … ?
At least, depressing enough — now that I’ve finished the bulk of my Christmas cards — that I actually felt I deserved a movie.
Yes.
The Banana Splits Movie.
Yes, it’s a movie … of those Banana Splits.
Quite whether it was worth the effort … ?
Hmm …
~≈†≈~
Based on the children’s show of the same name, The Banana Splits Movie introduces us to Banana Splits super fan, Harley (Finlay Wojtak-Hissong) and his family: his mother, Beth (Dani Kind), his older half brother, Austin (Romeo Carere) and Mitch (Steve Lund).
Who — at the start of the film — seem like your average American family: and a family taking its youngest member, Harley, to a recording of his favourite TV show.
At the studio?
At the studio, floor manager, Rebecca (Sara Canning), is trying to make sure the Splits are on stage: in time for the beginning of taping.
Paige (Naledi Majola), the show’s hostess, is dealing with the audience.
Whilst engineer, Karl (Lionel Newton), the engineer in charge of the animatronic Splits?
Is trying to make sure Drooper gets a software update.
What none of of the staff know?
Is that the show’s been cancelled, and that the Banana Split robots …
Aren’t happy … !
~≈†≈~
Now …
Was The Banana Splits Movie worth the effort, I hear you ask?
Frankly?
No.
Which is harsher than it sounds, now I see it written down.
The basic idea, the the the Banana Splits are robots going on a rampant?
Is an OK one.
Entertaining, at least: even if Isaac Asimov would sit you down and remind you about the First Law of Robotics*.
The execution?
Could have been a little bit better, I think.
Don’t get me wrong, The Banana Splits Movie is fine as things stand: a hard working cast, child leads that did well for their ages, and a basic idea that works, even if it may have holes.
It’s just The Banana Splits Movie isn’t the best film I’ve seen.
The Banana Splits Movie.★☆☆☆
* Law One: No robot may harm a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
Asimov wrote the Three Laws partly because he knew humans like building technology with safety features. And partly because he was sick of other people writing robot stories … with robots going mad and killing people. Guess what The Banana Splits Movie is† … ?
† I get the feeling Dr Asimov would be spinning in his grave. And that he’d be yelling “That DAMN Frankenstein complex!!!!!”
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