The best thing I can say about this 2nd edition of the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” book series – a series that I really enjoy by the way – is that it’s not as bad as the first, which was a mean-spirited, disgusting, jaw-droppingly unfunny movie. However, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules” is still pretty bad.
The first film focused on “wimpy kid” Greg Heffley’s ups and downs – mostly downs – as a 6th grader. This time the story deals with Greg’s life at home, primarily his relationship with his older brother Rodrick.
Rodrick constantly picks on Greg and hates having him around. But their parents, over-played again by Rachel Harris and Steve Zahn, want them to get along. So they come-up with ways to try to force Greg and Rodrick to become closer. And it works – sort of – as Rodrick teaches Greg how to lie to his parents and break family rules. And each has a goal: Rodrick to have his band win the local talent contest and Greg to get noticed by the new girl in school. Yes, it’s as bad as it sounds.
Early in “Rodrick Rules” I was thinking: “Here we go again”, after a few gross and ugly scenes that could have been right out of the first film. But thankfully the script this time stays mostly out of school. This doesn’t make the movie entertaining by any means, but at least it’s watchable.
There are a few specific things that make this sequel better than the original. This version contains more of the pencil drawing of the characters that make the books so much fun. And the parents are much more involved in this story. However, that’s both good and bad, as the mom and dad are portrayed as dumb and out of touch. In fact, watching the film I felt bad for both Zahn and Harris, who I hope at least got some decent paychecks.
There are a lot of awkward and very unfunny scenes, and the overall message about the importance of brotherhood is lost, thanks to the over-the-top performances and predictable script. It’s clear that the producers of “Rodrick Rules” tried to make a better film that the original, so I give them credit for that. But the final product is still pretty much of a mess.
It’s rated PG, for some of the gross humor. It’s appropriate for kids seven and up. The 10 and under crowd will probably enjoy it, but for older kids and adults, and fans of the books, this is a painful experience.
On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules” gets a D+ – slightly better than the original, but I still can’t recommend it.
There are three more “Wimpy Kid” books, so don’t be surprised if we see each of them come to life on screen over the next three years. If they keep improving, we may actually have a decent movie by the time Hollywood is done with the series.