Talkback - Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie

Rick Jones

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I had a really good time with this movie. I thought it was very well done and it did my heart well to see the entire Arnold saga wrapped up like this. I never thought this thing would actually be made after so many years but it was done and done well. I hope this pays off for Nick

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This movie was probably the most fun I have had with animation in 2017 aside from some SpongeBob episodes, the Final Fantasy 7 episode of Gumball, and the DuckTales Reboot. Words cannot describe how happy I am that this happened. Craig and crew really put their passion in this movie. It may honestly be my favorite Nickelodeon Movie aside from the 2 SpongeBob Movies
 

dragoonanime

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I wonder if we will ever get to know the original story for the movie considering La Sombra's changed appearance and characters like the principle no longer being apart of the movie.
 

Radical

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Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie was pretty sweet/enjoyable,

The new rebooted animation was pretty awesome.
Nice seeing Arnold/Gerald, Grandpa Phil/Grandma Gertie, Ernie, Oskar, and Mr. Hyunh, the best funny enjoyable characters.
Abner the pig, the best cute piggy.
Nice seeing Helga, Phoebe, Mr. Simmons, Eugene, Harold, Rhonda, Nadine, Stinky, Sid, and Curly, the best funniest characters:D.
Nice seeing Monkeyman.
The Bat Signal reference on the Arnold Signal, hahahahaha:p.
Awesome of Helga/Phoebe on creating the sweet project for Arnold.
Cool seeing Dino, Big Patty, Stoop Kid, and Pigeon Man because of Arnold helping them, poor Jolly Olly Man/Torvalt forgotten though.
Cool that it did previous episode callbacks like Sonic Boom/Teen Titans Go!, hehehe:p.
Arnold wanting to find his parents Miles/Stella was sweet, it finally happens.
Arnold, Mr. Simmons, and the kids going to San Lorenzo, South America was sweet.
Cool seeing Olga, best hot older sister.
Helga almost confessing her love to Arnold was sweet, she does love him despite her bullying nature.
La Sombra, my favorite horrible cartoon movie villain next to The Storm King, Ben Ravencroft, The Clown Toymaster, Commander Uehara Daizo, and 2nd Dimension Dr. Doofenshmirtz:D, his horrible plan on capturing them was brilliant.
Abner the piggy pulling a Diogee calling Grandpa Phil/Grandma Gertie for help was sweet.
Nice of Brainy saving Helga's locket for Helga.
Arnold, Gerald, and Helga off to find Arnold's parents Miles/Stella was great.
Both Mr. Simmons/Olga had sweet major roles.
Phoebe and the kids taking action on fighting the henchmen was awesome/funny, so love Curly the funniest sociopath, hehehe:p.
Both Grandpa Phil/Grandma Gertie and Big Bob/Miriam saving Mr. Simmons/the kids was sweet, Miriam gets a cool moment, hehehe.
The girl village chief and the creepy Green-Eyed People were great/interesting.
Nice to finally see Miles/Stella, the poor parents, the Heart of Gold being the cure was interesting.
Love La Sombra's satisying defeat, got what he deserved, hehehe.
Cool seeing the real Eduardo, best supporting character.
Helga's locket being the key/cure saving Miles/Stella and the other parents was sweet.
Arnold finally meeting Miles/Stella was sweet/heartwarming:crying::D.
Arnold confessing his feelings to Helga and finally kissing, best cute couple ever!!!!!
Miles/Stella now living with Arnold/Grandpa Phil/Grandma Gertie was sweet.
Gerald/Phoebe the next best cute couple, hehehe.
Sweet ending with Miles/Stella seeing Arnold going to school.

Sweet that Hey! Arnold finally had closure next to Samurai Jack, Craig Bartlett and the crew did an awesome job.
I'll so enjoy Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling, awesome that it gets a movie, yaaaaaaaay:D.
 
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sasq

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I thought it was pretty good, even if i never saw the series being Italian, however two things bothered me.

- The animation kinda looked modern/TV quality and not something you would expect from a movie, especially since Hey Arnold! was made in the 90s.

- No mention of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies at the beginning (understandable) and the credits are way too short, it would have given the movie a theatrical-like presentation, I hope a future DVD/Blu-ray release would include these things.
 

alfa9delta

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I really liked the movie. The ending was pretty sweet, and I really liked the humor in it. The best part for me was being brought back to the atmosphere of the show, with the soundtrack and the backgrounds. That's why my favorite part was the beginning, before they travel to San Lorenzo. Once they get there, the story gets a little predictable, specially the whole Eduardo/La Sombra thing.
I don't like the whole "Arnold is the chosen one" plot, they didn't really need that. It makes no sense that no one else could put the Corazon at the right place except for Arnold, they never explain why, and in the end Helga is the one that ends up placing her locket, so what was the point of that prophecy anyways. I also don't like the way Helga's love confession was basically the same scene as the first movie. They could've been more creative with that. The resolution of having Helga's necklace as the replacement of the golden heart, I thought was a really great payoff.
I think the movie is good, but I can't really say it's better than the 2002 movie. Maybe it is my nostalgia speaking, since I owned a VHS of this movie and loved it as a kid, but to me, the first movie got an undeserved bad rep. Both films had the same problems and strengths: a cliched plot, and great characters.
The jungle movie really got me hyped for a new season of the show. I think these characters and this world work better in smaller, more down to Earth stories, about Arnold helping out other people, and I'm curious to see new stories with Arnold's parents handling their guilt of leaving their kid for all those years, and Arnold and Helga trying to be a couple, having such different personalities.
 

Rabbitearsblog

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I just saw this movie and I really loved it! I loved the fact that all the characters remained faithful to their original series and I like the fact that the whole "Arnold finding his parents plot line is finally wrapped up and his relationship with Helga is finally confirmed! I wouldn't mind seeing a 6th season of this show.

Now, let's hope that the other Nicktoons that haven't been mentioned in getting a revival yet (The Angry Beavers, Aah! Real Monsters) get a good treatment like this film!
 

HEATXZ

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The Hey Arnold Jungle Movie is Amazing and a perfect ending to the show :D
 

Looney Turtles

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I just got done watching it. I'm so happy with the ending it got. It gets bonus points for actually confirming Arnold's surname.
 

Neo Ultra Mike

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Though I admittedly haven't caught all the episodes of the show and haven't seen most of the movie, I was and still probably am a big Hey Arnold! fan. It was certainly a better attempt at trying to do a more low key grounded Nicktoon then Doug was and honestly was one of the best examples I've seen of a show actually try and expand on it's secondary and even tertiary cast to give all of them an episode to see what they're deal was, even if a lot of them were just "Arnold realizes they have a problem and helps them out" kind of plots. And yeah I always thought this was one of those shows that had a good run but Nick did sort of screw over at the very end with how it wasn't willing to give a spin off idea any traction and yeah instead of making a theatrical take on the Jungle Movie commissioned a more generic/banal sort of plot for the Hey Arnold movie not wanting the show to have the conclusion that Craig Barlett wanted. Thus this seemed like one of those "legends" that would of just sat on the shelf of a series and it's history but thanks to Nick getting into the revival and reboot craze (and honestly unlike Cartoon Network DOING IT RIGHT. And Samurai Jack doesn't count as that's Adult Swim, not cartoon network) this project finally got it's time of day and we finally got the proper conclusion that was promised and... it's something I have to admit I'm kind of mixed on honestly.

I think the element that bothers me most hear is the fantastical/mystical element and overly cartoony nature of this special. And yeah Hey Arnold is a cartoon and was never say as attempt to be realistic as even King of The Hill and have hinted at a more out there/fantasy elements before. But usually those were in the form of legends or tall tales or just little bits the audience saw not the characters themselves. Here we have prophecies of children whose birth apparently quelled a volcano and glowing mystical jewels and a society of child able to survive on they're own in the jungle for 9 years without any adults whatsoever which yeah is really suspending my believe in the world of something like Hey Arnold! Okay this series did have Stoop Kid who apparently for years upon years never really left his stoop and there's whole sorts of "how would that work" elements to it but at the very least it's still a teen in some sense a part of normal society in some form or another. Who exactly was raising these kids when they're folks were apparently hit with "sleeping sickness" if they're elder still seems to only be a couple of years older then Arnold. It just seems really out there and granted this was started off in "The Journal" which did showcase some of the adventures of Arnold's parents but actually seeing it in action with the kids does feel rather... off. Same with having such an over the top just plain "evil for the sake of evil" antagonist. Yeah there were obvious jerks and wads in the original HA series but they were either crazy in some form like Sewer King or at least never saw themselves as evil like the Mayor Mr. Green was running against. Then we have this guy doing all these evil cackles and mad speeches and talks about being this great big puppet master who especially in the last third just popped up ultra convientantly whenever the story needed a slight action beat and comes across as more obnoxious then as fearsome or anything. I do appreciate that Lasombra being behind this scheme actually explains the whole "the group just happened to win a trip where Arnold's parents just happen to have never been seen again" ultra concidence but he just does not work as a villain. Especially when he tries and for awhile succeeds at villifying Arnold because... that was this movie's lame attempt at drama. Even though the worst thing Arnold really ever did was like EVERYONE ELSE get fooled by this guy. Also thinking about if Eduardo had this whole boarding crew to try and rescue the kids to stop Lasombra why not actually pop up and tell the kids that while fighting back against Lasombra's men? Obviously because if that happened we wouldn't have most of a second/third act here but you need to make those things flow logically which they didn't here. Also did it take like... an hour for Phil/Gertle/Miriam and Bob to show up in the jungle even though it was explicatley stated to be in Central America and that being at least like a ... 6 hour trip if you want to be generous of a really good airplane not the piece of crap they were flying in? Not to mention they say "Hey, Arnold" an annoying amount of times here but not even in a funny way like say the first episode did (BTW the only episode to over indulge in that) and don't really give much for Gerald to do besides being "supportive best friends" which he was a lot in the show but for the movie if he's one of the central characters he should have some sort of story to him and...

Okay point is I did have quite a few problems with this special but there were still things I liked. Part of me was debating on whether or not the whole "parents were asleep for 9 years that's why they weren't around for their son" is sort of a lame excuse but honestly this is suppose to be a quest/adventure movie. If it was suppose to be more of a drama taking place back in the city that'd be one thing but it would be rather pointless to send Arnold all the way there just to find out his parents died so him finding them and helping find out how to save them works more. And though I admit I was hoping that the first HA movie would of closed the whole "Helga secretly loves Arnold" plot so the two could actually be a couple I do like at least now it's obvious to most everyone but Arnold (well at least to Phoebe and Gerald) she has feelings for him and it is something actually well addressed. Especially with her confessing near the beginning and Arnold admitting he wasn't ready to hear it and later pointing out he wasn't exactly sure if Helga bullying him all of these years meant something more and the two starting a relationship. Plus the whole sacrifice with the gold around the locket to wake the parents was a good use of that. I am also glad that we actually did get to see most of the cast again. Yeah one of them did overly play they're one note (especially Simmons as the protective teacher or Harold being fat. Though appreciate his "before I befriended Arnold I was a one dimensional bully" obviously referencing how he started out in the series) but a lot of them really did work. I liked Rhonda's reactions to being in the jungle, Sid freaking out losing his beetle boots, Phoebe being the one to organize and lead a plan against the attackers, Olga flirting with the boat guys and later help take them out, Grandpa Phil complaining about his tenants and the reveal Arnold's last name is in fact Shortman which does feel like one of those "oh that's what it was all along ha ha aren't we so clever" moments but works well; Miriam and Bob wanting to rescue Olga and Bob eventually remembering Helga (I did always like how thanks to Miriam always being sloshed even if Bob is probably more of a jerk he's at least a jerk that sort of remembers you more), Nadine using her bugs in the jungle, Eugene shown blowing up and bouncing around due to his allergies (I can see him being more cartoony then others since that's kind of how he was in the show honestly), Curly's insane ravings and actually getting to free the animals and that being useful, Brainy actually getting the locket and his reaction to Helga kissing him, and the various cameos in the beginning seeing everyone who Arnold helped throughout the series. Plus there is a good twinge of darkness to this special especially in how all of LaSombra's men are bumped off that works for this kind of series. And the ending showing how clingy the parents were now that Arnold's started 5 grade was kind of funny and emtoinally nice as whether or not this gets more this at least feels like how Barlett wanted to end the show and glad he in a sense finallly did.

So again a mixed special but overall it worked especially for people like me who did really grow up with Hey Arnold and know the series well. Some parts are weird and don't fit with the series overall aesthestic (and some characters do feel a bit off here since well some of the people they brought back were kids when they started and though Francesia Marie Smith can still sort of sound like Helga it's pretty obvious in a sense she's outgrown this particular part) but work well as a movie. IMHO this revival project isn't nearly as good as Samurai Jack's last season (and that not just being a length thing either) but it's still good to see and feels like a decent way to end the series... I guess we'll have to wait and see more how this special did before knowing if it will lead to more HA.
 

Anonymoususer2004

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I loved the movie. It was a great closure to the series. In fact, its now my favorite Nickelodeon movie of all time and I love it even more than the first SpongeBob movie.
 

Jave

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Overall, I really enjoyed it. It was a great, long awaited conclusion to the series, although I also though it had some downs along with its ups. I was mixed on Arnold/Helga (unlike probably 90% of the fandom I was never too big on those two as a couple), since I thought the beginning with Helga having footage of Arnold from almost every episode was a bit too much, but the ending with them kissing near the end was fine, and I liked the connection with La Corazón being Helga's locket in the end. Gerald/Phoebe, though? I enjoyed every moment of them together, I ship those two hard.

I can buy Arnold's parents being in a coma all these years since at least explains why they never returned. I remember that one thing I was really fearing about this film was that Arnold's reunion with his parents was either going to be played too cheezy or not happen at all, but when they did the montague with the butterflies, the adults all waking up, Arnold running to the room and meeting them as they wake up... it totally worked. It was a really cute moment, and I'm glad they executed it well.

You know, if Craig and crew say that they can do a few more HA! episodes, I'm all for it. I'd love to see Arnold interact more with his parents and how they handle the now official pairings.

Oh, and I didn't notice until a rewatch that the final scene with Miles and Stella sitting in the school stoop is supposed to mirror the bit in the fantasy at the beginning with them sitting in the temple entrance. That was really clever.
 

CoolEric158

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I thought it was pretty enjoyable, but I don't know if I'd say it was amazing. A lot of elements felt somewhat rushed, and I felt the ending was sweet, but it could have been done a little bit more smoothly, especially when it came to Arnold and Helga's relationship. I also felt the villain was pretty cliche and generic.

But on the whole, it's very satisfying, and I'm glad it didn't disappoint.
 

Rex Kamex

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I liked the movie, overall, and I'm very happy that this movie got made in the first place, after so many years of it not existing. I'm glad so many people involved with the original series came back for this. For those in the target audience whose first real Hey Arnold! experience was this movie... what did they think of it, I wonder?

Obviously, this was a nostalgia-filled movie, but I hope that nostalgic hype didn't "scare" many kids away. I know this movie is a continuation of the original series, and I know Nick.com has Hey Arnold! episodes (the "Journal" prologue being there too), but even so, did this movie do a good job standing alone? I don't think it did a bad job, but I think it could've done better.

For example, I know Monkeyman's not supposed to be the biggest takeaway from this movie, but his character feels too random without at least a few sentences of backstory dialogue, don't you think?

(FYI, despite what I said about hoping The Jungle Movie could stand alone, I watched "The Journal" on Nick.com a couple of hours before seeing this movie........)

Some parts are weird and don't fit with the series overall aesthestic (and some characters do feel a bit off here since well some of the people they brought back were kids when they started and though Francesia Marie Smith can still sort of sound like Helga it's pretty obvious in a sense she's outgrown this particular part) but work well as a movie.

Her voice for Helga definitely sounds older than at the beginning of the series, but it was already sounding older by the time she did the 2002 Hey Arnold! movie (the part where I started the video has Helga in it), so I was fine with it. Speaking of what you're saying though, she did still have to audition to get the role in The Jungle Movie.
 

Corwin Haught

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Universal handles distribution of Paramount's home media catalog in Italy

This is a holdover from UIP, the Paramount/Universal joint partnership that handles some international distribution for both studios' titles, but is inactive in Italy.
 

Zeether

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The thing is, Francesca's voice changing was written around quite cleverly by simply making Helga act more mature as the show went on (and in the movie) so it should be expected she'd sound older anyway.

Besides, she can still do the classic Helga swoon.
 

Neo Yi

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Finally caught the film. I haven't watched the original show since, well, its inital airings, so it's literally been over a decade for me, so I'm surprised some of the little things (most of the character's tics, some of the episodes they reference, etc.) still stuck with me.

Overall, I thought the movie was great. I adore epic adventures and sending the kids into the heart of the jungle has all the markings of its genre. The emotions were great without feeling cheesy and in spite of the unfortunate up-and-down of Helga's obsession with Arnold, the romantic moments that rang the truest is pretty dang cute.

I was also legitimately shocked that there was genuine onscreen deaths with the villain and his minions. Like I could buy them falling to their death or buried under rocks since we don't see the bodies, but the guy with arrows clearly sticking out of his chest was pretty shocking to see.
 

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