Fans of the first Wimpy Kid will not be disappointed by this cheeky sequel, slipping sibling rivalry under the microscope with hilarious results.
It’s back to middle school for our young hero Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon), who with the new school year, must negotiate a whole new set of trials and tribulations. To make matters worse, his wannabe-rockstar older brother Rodrick (Devon Bostick) is giving him more trouble than ever. The boys’ psychologist mother Susan (Rachel Harris) is positive that the two just need to ‘bond.’ Unfortunately for Greg, she thinks that forcing them to spend time together might just do the trick…
Unabashedly full of pop culture references and consumerist ideals, this film might seem the antithesis of the more highly-lauded kiddie fare. True, it’s no Pixar animation. But what it may lack in timeless elegance it certainly makes up for in laughs. Like its precursor, this film – also an adaptation of Jeff Kinney’s bestselling series – is both a somewhat of a hero’s journey, and, on a wider level, a portrait of generation.
As we learned in the first Wimpy Kid, Greg isn’t your typical child hero; he is often self-absorbed, shallow and occasionally even cruel. In this way, as with its precursor, much of Wimpy Kid 2 is a cringe-fest as we watch him blunder his way through obstacle after obstacle. Fortunately though, he seems to have gained some insight from his sixth grade exploits, and so as a somewhat nicer protagonist he’s capable of generating much more empathy from his audience.
Writer Gabe Sachs is no stranger to the coming-of-age genre – his work with NBC teen comedy/drama series Freaks and Geeks generated a cult following when it aired ten years ago – and it shows in the snappy dialogue and farcical twists of the plot. 12 year-old Gordon shines as Greg’s arrogant underdog, and Bostick’s performance of eyeliner-wearing drummer Rodrick is a little hammy but altogether appropriate for the tone – and certain to generate a female following! The supporting cast are all excellent and contribute to the tableau of quirk already on display.
All in all, it’s a piece of fun not to be taken too seriously, but also a film with heart. Laughs abound, for kids and adults alike.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules is in Australian cinemas now.