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List Price: $9.99 | | Label: Universal Studios
Salesrank: 21556
Released: September 2, 2003 |
| Our Price: $4.98 |
| Used Price: $1.23 |
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MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
LEAD BY CRIMINAL MASTERMIND FEARLESS LEADER, BORIS AND NATASHAHAVE DEVISED A PLOT TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD AND WHILE THEY'RE AT IT, GET RID OF MOOSE AND SQUIRREL. IT'S UP TO ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE TO FOIL FEARLESS LEADER'S EVIL PLOT TO UNSEAT THEPRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
Description of The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle:
The problem with live-action movies based on beloved cartoon characters is that humans are never as flexible, as unpredictable, or just plain as goofy as their animated counterparts. So it is with this blend of animation and live action. Rocky and Bullwinkle remain animated characters (trapped in our reality), while Boris and Natasha (Jason Alexander and Rene Russo), along with their boss, Fearless Leader (Robert De Niro), are transformed from cartoons to human reproductions when they escape from rerun land. They've come to our world to take it over; the FBI springs Rocky and Bullwinkle from the second dimension to stop them. But the writing in Kenneth Lonergan's script lacks the throw-away flair of the jokes that characterized Jay Ward's much-beloved animated series of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Part of the problem is that Russo, Alexander, and De Niro are so obviously working at acting cartoonish, instead of simply being cartoons. And part is that the script rarely comes up with the kind of wonderful wordplay in which Ward specialized. The moose, as usual, gets all the best lines, but they're too few and far between to salvage this underachieving summer film. --Marshall Fine
The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle Reviews:
A Bit Misleading, But Still Decent 
2009-05-08 - One thing that was misleading: the cover of the DVD shows Robert De Niro, Rene Russo and Jason Alexander but those three do NOT have major roles or a lot of lines in this picture. Most of the lines are by an unknown name: actress Piper Perabo ("FBI Agent Karen Sympathy)" and the two cartoon characters.
This is another one of these live-action cartoons in which some characters are real-life and others are cartoons and the all interact on screen at once.
This comedy has a lot more subtle than laugh-out-loud lines. It's decent, and does have a certain appeal but is not as good as I expected after reading a couple of reviews prior to its release. I think it has an equal appeal for kids or adults.
Moose and Squirrel make Big Time Movie! 
2009-01-06 - The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (2000) Hokey smokes! Moose and Squirrel are on video! Jay Ward's beloved cartoon characters become the latest television characters to make the Big Screen transition, having languished in reruns since their prime time series was cancelled in the mid 1960's.
Through a contrived plot device (we know it's contrived because the familiar voice of the narrator tells us it is) those dastardly villains Boris, Natasha, and Fearless Leader have become live action humans and are plotting to take over America. But thankfully a wise FBI agent (Randy Quaid) sends one of his agents (Piper Perabo) to retrieve Rocket J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose from their quiet life in reruns in Frostbite Falls, and the animated stars are soon interacting with the real world like the Toons in Roger Rabbit.
This is a loving tribute to the television show, with an absolutely silly sense of humor throwing jokes of every kind in every direction. Everything works wonderfully, from the voices of original Rocky June Foray and new Bullwinkle Keith Scott to the visual effects to the performances of the human stars and the celebrity cameos that pop up every few minutes. Special mention must be made of the bad guys. Jason Alexander and Rene Russo are simply terrific as Boris and Natasha, and Robert DeNiro seems to be having the time of his life as Fearless Leader. Also, kudos to Piper Perabo, at the time a screen newcomer who's just too cute for words as FBI Agent Karen Sympathy.
This is a fantastic family film, with enough to offer the adults as well as the kids. I give this one a high recommendation--load the kids up and get `em out to the theater for this one!
Nowhere near as bad as they'd have you believe
2008-05-16 - While not a classic, and certainly not up the source material, the movie will still win you over with its undeniable charm. The jokes come fast and furious, Hollywood cameos abound, and Piper Perabo is simply adorable as agent Karen Sympathy. Do you NEED to own it? Probably not. but if you enjoyed the live-action "George of the Jungle" (and I sure did), you'll like this one too.
Fun to watch repeatedly, filled with subtle jokes. 
2008-04-26 - THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE is based on the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon series, shown on television at a time when America's "baby-boomers" were still kids.
The voices of Rocky and Bullwinkle are indistinguishable from those of the original cartoon characters. In fact, June Foray (the original Rocky) is the voice of the present Rocky. The images are different, of course, since THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE shows the two characters as quasi-three dimensional drawings. The voice of the narrator seems exactly as in the original cartoons.
The movie has the following plot. In brief, Robert De Niro takes over a number of television networks, with the goal of putting on hypnotically dull programming, with the eventual goal of hypnotizing the American public into letting him the entire country. The FBI hires a young investigator, Piper Perabo (FBI agent Karen Sympathy), to get Robert De Niro under control. She goes to Hollywood, and uses a special green ray to rouse Rocky and Bullwinkle from retirement, travel from Hollywood to New York City, and bring Robert De Niro under control.
Piper Perabo provides many amusing facial expressions. If you like all the amusing winks, flirts, grimaces, eyeball rollings, and other expressions found in kids' movies, such as the classic FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF then you will love Piper Perabo in THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE.
Most of the movie takes the form of a road comedy, for example, in the manner of the road movie, IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD. Please note that Jonathan Winters appears in both THE ADVENTURES OF ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE and in IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD.
The film begins with a cartoon drawn in the old style of the original series. The narrator begins, "In a little house at the top of the stump forest . . ." referring to the fact that the forest at Frostbite Falls, MN, has been cut down. Bullwinkle says, "I'm going for a walk in the forest." But Rocky corrects him, "But Bullwinkle, there aren't any woods any more." To this, Bullwinkle replies, "You don't have to tell me. I'm chairman of the Frostbite Falls Society for Conversation." "You mean conservation," says Rocky, providing a correction. "Well, somebody's got to start talking about it," exclaims Bullwinkle, continuing the pun.
In the next scene, we see Minnie Mogul, a young executive in the movie industry, reviewing scripts. Behind her are stacks of at least 1000 scripts. "Too intelligent," she quips. "Too intelligent," she efficiently comments. Eventually, she decides to recommend a film about Rocky and Bullwinkle. She goes to the head of the studio, but he proclaims, "I DON'T LIKE MOOSE MOVIES."
The issue of Fearless Leader arises when the President of the United States is being briefed in the Oval Office. "For the last six months, a cartoon TV villain named Fearless Leader has been buying up every single cable TV network in the country."
In Fearless Leader's headquarters, we see him testing one of his boring movies on 30 or so subjects. A technician turns the dial on an amazing Star Wars-type machine. The machine jiggles and jumps. A needle on the machine moves from BORED, to APATHETIC, to HYPNOTIZED, and finally to ZOMBIFIED. We see the subjects becoming more and more glassy-eyed and complacent, with goofy smiles.
Fearless Leader receives training for using a machine intended to get rid of Rocky and Bullwinkle. A ten year old girl provides the training: "The computer degenerating imagery or CDI is totally user friendly. Just enter the binary code and the CDI will dismantle the film stock. Okay?" The ten year old rattles off the instructions very quickly and with charming arrogance. "Here's the manual. She's all yours. I assume you're both computer literate," she snaps at Boris and Natasha, with arrogant charm. The manual is a huge book, weighing at least 20 pounds. The machine is shown being tested on a cartoon weasel. The CDI dissipates the weasel.
Piper Perabo arrives in Hollywood and, using spy techniques, gains access to the Green Light, located in a lighthouse on the movie lot. Piper Perabo activates the controls of a huge science fiction gadget. She types: ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE. She selects a button reading: ROAD COMEDY. Moments later, Rocky and Bullwinkle spill out of the light, and land on the floor of the lighthouse. "I think we're on the wrong show," exclaims Bullwinkle, taking note of Piper Perabo a few feet away from him. (This is the first time that Rocky and Bullwinkle see a real person.) "Look how good they drew that girl," exclaims Bullwinkle.
To provide more fun examples: Rocky and Bullwinkle are on their way from Hollywood to New York, traveling in a truck they stole from Boris and Natasha. They get arrested and are put on trial. Bullwinkle, never known for being clever, accidently testifies against himself in court. In other words, he believes that he is in control of the situation, as he stands in the courtroom, but he is actually incriminating himself. Later on in the courtroom scene, the judge (Whoopy Goldberg) displays disinterest and impatience with the trial. But when she puts on her glasses, things come into focus, and she realizes who the defendants are. "Omigawd! Omigawwwd! It's Rocky and Bullwinkle," she gushes in admiration. Regaining composure, Whoopy Goldberg becomes stern, bangs her gavel, and proclaims, "CELEBRITIES ARE ABOVE THE LAW. CASE DISMISSED!"
Kids will especially like the depiction of slow-witted adults, for example, the handsome Scandinavian prison guard. FIVE STARS
underwhelming 
2007-07-23 - Only vaguely reminiscent of the humor and zip of the original series.
Almost everything outside of Rocky and Bullwinkle in this movie comes off poorly, and the squirrel and moose only have a few good lines themselves even. A clinker and poorly realized. Treasure the original cartoon series by Jay Ward. Long live Frostbite Falls!
