Captain Underpants is cute nonsense

City Press review: Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie

Johannesburg - It’s marketed as Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie. Using the word ‘epic’ in a title is risky business, especially when what you end up releasing is not. But hey, I’m not 12, although I don’t even think they would be trying to see DreamWorks’ latest film.

So, basically these two little dudes, George (Kevin Hart) and Harold (Thomas Middleditch from Silicon Valley), are young lads who go to school together and have a flourishing best friendship that is based on their love of humour and comic books. Together the two create many wild and fantastic comics, but none quite as epic (that word again) as the adventures of Captain Underpants. The one little homie can draw and the other one writes, and they create this superhero that is from a planet where peeps wear underpants all day ... swag.

These two are constantly pulling pranks and their principal, Mr Krupp (Ed Helms), hates this and is determined to break up their friendship by putting them in separate classes. He has help from the local snitch Melvin (Jordan Peele) and together they catch the jovial pair.

After this point things get a bit suspect. I did enjoy the themes of friendship, being able to laugh at yourself and using your imagination – important lessons for kids. At times I felt transported back to my childhood. But then they turn Mr Krupp into Captain Underpants with a plastic hypno ring that came out of a box of cereal...

If you don’t know what to do with the kids, then take them to see this, you could even catch a nap in there while they watch the two creators of Captain Underpants take on Professor P (Poopy Pants), who rocks up halfway through the movie to inject a little evil. Of course this was in 3-D but why, I couldn’t tell you. I dig the guy, I do, but Hart isn’t really that funny in this. Until I saw the credits, I didn’t even know it was him. Yeah, that little black kid was funny, but come on, Kev. Shame, he doesn’t write the stuff but, eish.

Channel24 also reviewed Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie. Click here to read more!

Watch the trailer here: