Full of great themes for kids that will teach them to use their imagination to their fullest potential, the film teeters on the edge of some darker adult themes, but will still manage to wow younger audiences with the stunning display of theme park magic.
“A young girl named June with a big imagination makes an incredible discovery – the amusement park of her dreams has come to life. Filled with the world’s wildest rides operated by FUN-LOVING ANIMALS, the EXCITEMENT NEVER ENDS. But when trouble hits, June and her misfit team of furry friends begin an unforgettable journey to save the park. Action-packed and brimming with laughs, Wonder Park is A RIDE THE WHOLE FAMILY WILL LOVE.”
Wonder Park begins as a fairly paint-by-numbers kid’s movie, with an overzealous little girl named June (Brianna Denski) who loves rollercoasters so much she creates an imaginary park called Wonder Park that’s run by Peanut the monkey (Norbert Leo Butz), Boomer the bear (Ken Hudson Campbell), Greta the warthog (Mila Kunis), Steve the porcupine (John Oliver), and beavers Gus (Kenan Thompson) and Cooper (Ken Jeong). As June’s mother (Jennifer Garner) gives her all kinds of inspirational ideas for sensational rides to create at Wonder Park, June’s imagination truly knows no bounds, that is, until her mother gets sick and has to leave home to travel to a specialist far away to try and be cured.
This turn toward a darker theme makes the film much more interesting, exploring loss and its potential in a powerful way in the eyes of a child. As June deals with her mother going away, the things that they did together that brought her joy, namely the creation of Wonder Park, now only serve to bring pain. As she casts all the work they did together aside, a darkness creeps over her that she can’t seem to overcome – a darkness which has spread to her imaginary amusement park and is wreaking havoc, which the animals can’t seem to control. When June runs away from camp and finds an entrance to Wonder Park deep in the woods, she must prove to herself that she can find inspiration and joy on her own, teaching Peanut and the others, basically an extension of herself, the same thing. As much as I enjoyed this theme of loss being explored in a kid’s film, they tend to shy away from anything ‘too adult’. No mention of what illness her mother has is made, and instead of going all the way with it and having June face true loss, the film only explores the ‘what if’ scenario: June being scared her mother is going to die and never return home. Perhaps death is a theme too strong for this film, but it would have been a very powerful message that a lot of people could have identified with who didn’t get the happy ending they deserved.
Themes aside, this film is an absolute blast if you enjoy amusement parks and rollercoasters. Some of the rides that June and her mother come up with defied my own imagination, and the sequences of them in action are stunning to watch. The film promotes imagination and ingenuity, especially among young girls, as June uses her ingenuity and intellect to construct some pretty amazing things, in the park and also in reality. All the animals are a fun addition to the film, with John Oliver providing most of the humor as the Steve the porcupine. A combination of humorous and heartfelt scenes with them really tug at the heart strings with a perfect balance of both.
Video
Wonder Park is presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.39:1. The film looks great, with very clear detail and great balance of color. You’ll see a wide array of bright and vivid colors as the park contains elaborately decorated rides and décor, but will also experience some darker instances when the park becomes consumed by the darkness. The animation is excellent, a very impressive look from Nickelodeon Studios.
Audio
This audio track sounds great, as you’ll get a full range of surround effects of the theme park, rushing rollercoasters, thrilling rides, as well as some great action sequences. Balance is good between the surrounds and center channel, with the score sounding fantastic, especially the original songs that add a lot to the feel of the film.
Special Features
Quite a few extras to go through on this disc which enhance the enjoyment of the overall set. These include:
- Gus Yodeling – Deleted Scene
- The Wonder Chimp Channel
- The Pi Song Sing-Along
- Making Noises (It’s Actually a Job?!!)
- June’s Guide to Wonderland
- June’s Welcoming Crew
- Boardwalk Caricatures
Wonder Park comes close to exploring some very deep and meaningful themes, but chooses to play it safe and cater to a typical kid’s film formula. Despite this, there are some powerful moments that will leave you emotional, and demonstrates to kids that anything is possible.
