Babar: The Movie
Something has happened to "Babar" since he left children's books and became the star of his own HBO TV series — and now "Babar: The Movie."He's gone Hollywood.
You may recall from your youth (or from reading to your own children) that the "Babar" books, by Parisian artist Jean de Brunhoff — and later editions by his son Laurent — were gentle stories centering around Babar, the king of the elephants, and his family.
But in "Babar: The Movie," there's the definite air of this summer's sequelitis.
Call this one "Indiana Babar and the Temple of Doom," by way of everything from "Dumbo" to "The Ten Commandments."
The story has Babar as an adult telling his children about the time Elephantland residents were at war with evil rhinos.
Naturally, we flash back to Babar's youth, as he abandons his kingly robes and helps Celeste track down the rhinoceros Lord Rataxes, who has kidnapped Celeste's mother.
Along the way Babar swings from vines, falls from a wobbly bridge, chases and is chased and does battle with the rhinos at every turn.
The result is a series of adventures that would make Indy wince, and it's all done with animation that is arch and flat, songs that are at best forgettable and jokes that even your 5-year-old has heard before.