The messages of compassion and mercy are clearly, squarely and specifically expounded via computer animated Old Testament tale of Jonah and the Whale. Determined to be fun, and bouncy, with energetic musicals, the humor didn't quite engage this adult.
Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie (2002)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:54
Fresh:35
Rotten:19
Average Rating:5.8/10
Consensus: Jonah teaches wholesome messages to children in a funny, bouncy package.
Runtime: 83 mins
Genre: Childrens
Synopsis:
Get ready for the biggest event in VeggieTales history -- the first feature-length film showcasing the characters you love, as well as some new friends that will take you on the adventure of a...
Get ready for the biggest event in VeggieTales history -- the first feature-length film showcasing the characters you love, as well as some new friends that will take you on the adventure of a lifetime!
The action begins on a moonlit night when a van of singing Veggies encounter some unexpected trouble. After a heated battle with a clothesline, a pair of boxer shorts and, yes, porcupines, Bob the Tomato and the Veggie kids find themselves at an old, rundown seafood joint where nothing is quite as it seems.
Here they encounter "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything," the laziest bunch of scalawags and biggest root beer consumers to never sail the Seven Seas. As Bob and the kids settle in to wait for a tow truck to help get their van back on the road, these curious Pirates share a little story about a guy named Jonah. As the story begins, we are transported to another time and place, where society moves a bit slower than in today's times.
Now Jonah is kind of like a mailman -- except his messages came straight from God! Jonah loves his job, until the day comes when he has to deliver a message to the people of Nineveh. You see, Jonah hates the Ninevites. They lie! They steal! But worst of all, they slap people with fishes! Instead of carrying out his mission, Jonah turns and sets sail in the opposite direction onboard a pirate ship. From the hold of this vessel, where he meets Khalil, a chatty carpet salesman who just happens to be a caterpillar, to the belly of a whale where he meets -- whoops! We can't tell you who he meets there -- to the heart of Nineveh for a hilarious showdown, Jonah goes on an adventure none of them (ncluding the whale) will soon forget! And everyone will learn that one of the best gifts you can give (or get) is a second chance.
This eye-popping animated film will be in theatres this fall, and is brought to you by Big Idea Productions, the creators of the wildly popular CGI video series, VeggieTales. -- © FHE Pictures
Starring: Tim Hodge, Lisa Vischer, Dan Anderson, Kristin Blegen
Starring: Tim Hodge, Lisa Vischer, Dan Anderson, Kristin Blegen, Shelby Vischer
Director: Phil Vischer, Mike Nawrocki
Director: Phil Vischer, Mike Nawrocki
Screenwriter: Phil Vischer, Mike Nawrocki
Producer: Ameake Owens
Composer: Kurt Heinecke, Phil Vischer
Studio: FHE Pictures
Reviews for Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie
How anyone over the age of 2 can stomach the touchy-feely message this preachy produce promotes is beyond us.
It's a format that probably works best for an audience that is faith-based or very young, but for others it's simply a pleasant opportunity for an occasional giggle at the folly of mankind and the underrated value of veggies.
Theology aside, why put someone who ultimately doesn't learn at the center of a kids' story?
One thing you have to give them credit for: The message of the movie is consistent with the messages espoused in the company's previous video work.
The movie is a blast of educational energy, as bouncy animation and catchy songs escort you through the entire 85 minutes.
For VeggieTales fans, this is more appetizing than a side dish of asparagus. If you're not a fan, it might be like trying to eat Brussels sprouts.
Bouncy animation and catchy songs keep the film from tasting too much like spinach.
The film thrusts the inchoate but already eldritch Christian Right propaganda machine into national media circles.
Generally provides its target audience of youngsters enough stimulating eye and ear candy to make its moral medicine go down.
The script, the gags, the characters are all direct-to-video stuff, and that’s where this film should have remained.
Despite its obvious agenda, the film moves along at a good clip (clocking in at 80 some minutes) and should entertain adults nearly as much as the kids.
A whale of a good time for both children and parents seeking Christian-themed fun.
The animation is competent, and some of the gags are quite funny, but Jonah ... never shakes the oppressive, morally superior good-for-you quality that almost automatically accompanies didactic entertainment.
Children, Christian or otherwise, deserve to hear the full story of Jonah's despair -- in all its agonizing, Catch-22 glory -- even if they spend years trying to comprehend it.
Occasionally, in the course of reviewing art-house obscurities and slam-bam action flicks, a jaded critic smacks into something truly new.
Latest News for Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie
January 10, 2008:
Box Office Guru Preview: Captain Jack and Captain Morgan Set Sail
For the first time in three weeks, studios will pack a Friday with plenty of new releases as four films open or expand nationwide giving the box office chart a major shakeup.... More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
| 53% 53% | David & Layla |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie at Rotten Tomatoes
- Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie at IGN
- Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

