Fiona Adams, Senior
Is ‘Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe’ worth the watch?
On August 28, 2020, the popular streaming service Disney+ released this movie to the public. Many fans thought they had seen the last of this sibling trio in 2015 after the show's directors decided to end it, but are now happily surprised to see them return for another movie. Unfortunately, in today’s capitalist society it is common for popular television shows to be made into cheap movies for easy profit. This, along with the fact that the original show ended over five years ago, made some people weary about the quality of the recently released movie.
Luckily for fans, this movie lives up to its previous greatness. With a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, it is obvious that this movie earned its right to be remembered along with the original show and movie.
The movie opens to a scene of Candace once again trying to bust her brothers for building something insane. As usual, her plan does not work, and she starts sulking. The familiarity of this scene was comforting and reminiscent of the usual structure of the show’s episodes. Candace starts feeling useless and unimportant since she can not accomplish her simple goal of busting her brothers, which is a theme many older siblings can relate to. Through a series of events, Candace gets kidnapped and taken to an alien planet where she can not escape. Phineas and Ferb, along with their usual gang of friends, spend the remainder of the movie trying to bring her back home to safety. And of course, the movie would not be complete without their pet platypus, Perry, off on a secret agent mission, aiding to save the day. Throughout the movie, many beloved characters, such as the O.W.C.A intern Carl, make an appearance which gives returning fans a little treat.
Although it was mostly a positive experience to watch, it still has its flaws. At some points the jokes seem a little forced, and it seems as if they are trying too hard to be funny. Then again, it is a kids movie and humor is subjective. The ending is somewhat predictable, and the constant fourth wall breaks can be seen as lazy script writing to some. To kids who grew up watching the Phineas and Ferb television show, it is obvious that the actor’s voices have changed, but that is understandable since the voice actors have grown. Some voice actors even had to be replaced.
Overall, the movie did a good job of staying true to itself and maintaining the original feel of the show. It almost feels as if it could have been made back in 2015, which is impressive. Anybody who enjoyed the television show when they were younger would certainly enjoy this movie. Not only does the nostalgia give returning fans a sense of peace, it is also a good family-friendly movie for new watchers to enjoy. It is sure to get at least a couple laughs out of the audience, so it is advised to watch with friends or family. To anyone with access to Disney+, consider giving ‘Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe’ a watch; it just might become a favorite.
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