Alexander Gould

Though some scary parts may make the very young fret unduly, the film also puts forward some thoughtful messages for both children and their parents.

The skillful 2D-CGI animation hybrid starts out charmingly enough, with cute sight gags and general monkeying around, but...even kids may lose interest in the labored story.

No one can accuse the show of shrinking from dark psychological themes: the leading character of Nancy Botwin (Emmy winner Mary-Louise Parker) has spun more wildly out of control with each season...