Mr. Peabody and Sherman Review

Last month, I was invited to attend a press day in New York City for the movie Mr. Peabody and Sherman, which opens in theaters March 7. Travel and accommodations were provided but all thoughts in this Mr. Peabody and Sherman review are my own.

I grew up watching LOTS of cartoons. Saturday mornings were the best. I have fond memories of watching Rocky and Bullwinkle as a kid…but I admit I haven’t thought much about the show until just recently. When I first saw a trailer for Mr. Peabody and Sherman, the memories flooded back. I recognized them immediately.

I was excited to see Mr. Peabody and Sherman, but even my excitement did not prepare me for how much I would enjoy the movie.

What I loved about Mr. Peabody and Sherman

Mr. Peabody is the smartest dog (smartest anybody!) in the world, and his movie is equally intelligent. I loved that the movie was filled with sprinklings of history – it’s the perfect vehicle to get kids excited to learn more about historical events and figures.

When I was a kid, anytime I’d read a book about an historical event or see a famous person from long ago depicted in a TV show or movie, I would be hungry to learn more. I would check out every book I could on the subject from the library and read and read until my curiosity was satisfied. By the end of my history binge, I would often feel like I knew the historical characters as well as I knew my friends.

Mr. Peabody and Sherman inspires that same kind of hunger for knowledge for the younger generation. I love it. I love finding animated movies that are as intelligent as they are entertaining.

I appreciated that while Mr. Peabody and Sherman was “smart” enough for my older kids, the story was appropriate enough for younger kids, too. There are a few “potty-type” jokes, but they are very mild and not crude. There are no scary monsters to give little ones nightmares BUT there is a fair amount of action and suspense so that the whole family stays entertained.

What’s the deal with a dog adopting a boy?

I’ve heard a lot of questions about Mr. Peabody and Sherman’s strange family situation. Mr. Peabody (who is a dog, living in the “normal” world) adopts Sherman, a little human orphan. Yes, typically little boys adopt dogs. But the relationship between Mr. Peabody and Sherman seems totally natural and develops in such a heart-warming way throughout the movie that I was left feeling good about families, no matter what their shape or size. Yes, their strange family might seem odd at first and might get some kids questioning, “Is the dog the daddy?” but you will quickly forget that anything is different about their relationship as you get sucked in to the story.

Should I watch Mr. Peabody and Sherman in 3D?

My screening of Mr. Peabody and Sherman was in 3D and I loved it. And while I would recommend seeing it in 3D, I don’t think it’s completely necessary. Sure, you’ll miss some cool time traveling, spiraling effects, but for the most part you won’t miss anything if you save a few bucks to see it in 2D.

What ages should see Mr. Peabody and Sherman?

While I think that any age would enjoy the movie, I feel like elementary ages and up would appreciate it the most. Younger kids will be fascinated to learn more about what really happened throughout history and older kids will enjoy seeing the things they’ve learned in school acted out in a comical, colorful way. Possibly my favorite sequence was the time travel back to Italy to visit Leonardo DaVinci. The painting of the Mona Lisa provides some of the best laughs (and smiles!) of the movie, and the flying scene is just spectacular.

Connect with Mr. Peabody and Sherman

Visit the official website
Like Mr. Peabody & Sherman on Facebook
Follow @DWAnimation on Twitter
#MrPeabody

Be sure to check out my Mr. Peabody and Sherman Activity Pages and Coloring Sheets as well as my interview with Actors Ty Burrell and Max Charles and Director Rob Minkoff.

Are you excited to see Mr. Peabody and Sherman? If you’ve seen it, what were your thoughts on the movie?

About Lolli

Lolli has written 3740 post in this blog.

I became a mom in 1996, and in 2005 I had my fifth. Yes, 5 kids. In 2007, this blog was born (my 6th baby that will never grow up) and I've been sharing recipes, photography tricks, parenting tips, and everything in between. (Formerly Better in Bulk)