Barney's Great Adventure Reviews

What is it about that big purple dinosaur? Beloved by preschoolers around the world -- reviled, it seems, by everyone else -- Barney finally makes his big-screen debut as, well, a big purple dinosaur who encourages kids to leave boring old reality behind and enter into the world of imagination. That sort of mind-tripping can go one of two ways, leading to an afternoon of exciting adventure or marking the first step on the road to debilitating personality disorders. Fortunately for Cody (Trevor Morgan), his sister Abby (Diana Rice) and their friend Marcella (Kyla Pratt), who are spending a week at Cody and Abby's grandparent's farm, adventure is the order of the day. At first, Cody is skeptical about the magical powers of his sister's stuffed Barney doll, even after it comes to life and leads them all in rousing renditions of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and "Old MacDonald." But when a mysterious multicolored space egg lands in the barn and leads them all on a wild chase around town, Cody is forced to reconsider his position on the whole reality thing. Aside from a reminder to look both ways before crossing the street, the film offers none of the educational benefits of Barney's popular TV show: It's all about mindless nonstop action. The kids are fine, the original songs range from OK to wretched, and Barney is annoying as ever -- even more so, given his big-screen size and Dolby-enhanced guffaw. But that's all really beside the point: The kids will love it and you'll have absolutely no say in the matter whatsoever.