Igor

MPAA Rating:

for some thematic elements, scary images, action and mild language.

Reviewed by: David Criswell
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating:

Offensive

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Moviemaking Quality:

Primary Audience:

Kids, Family

Genre:

Animation, Comedy, Kids, Family

Length:

_____

Year of Release:

2008

USA Release:

September 19, 2008 (2,300 theaters)

Relevant Issues

Adventures in the rainforest! Learn about the Creator of the universe by exploring His marvelous creation. Fun for the whole family with games, activities, stories, answers to children’s questions, color pages, and more! One of the Web’s first and most popular Christian Web sites for children. Nonprofit, evangelical, nondenominational.

Featuring:	Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Jennifer Coolidge, John Cusack, Arsenio Hall, Sean Hayes, Eddie Izzard, Jay Leno, James Lipton, Molly Shannon, Christian Slater, Paul Vogt
Director:	Anthony Leondis
Producer:	Jean-Luc De Fanti, Jamée Deruso, John D. Eraklis, Max Howard, Darius A. Kamali, John McKenna, Matthew J. Parker
Distributor:	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

“All men aren't created Evil.”

In listing the “primary audience” I was forced to list “kids” but don't be fooled, IGOR is not a film for small children at all. IGOR is the story of a hunchback lab assistant to an “evil genius” whose job is to create “evil inventions.” When the scientist dies, however, IGOR decides to create his own invention… a living being.

IGOR is obviously a parody of Frankenstein. Having created an “evil” woman, IGOR soon finds that she is not evil at all (much to his disappointment). He sets out to make her evil so she can kill and destroy but soon learns that evil isn't all it is cut out to be.

The story behind IGOR is promising, but both the execution and the script are flawed. The animation is standard and could not elevate the story above its unpolished script.

One of the problems is that the movie is supposedly intended for children but is anything but child friendly. Toilet humor, violence, and innuendo abound. Worse yet is that the characters are not generally that likeable except for the monster herself. IGOR himself is constantly ordering her to kill and maim and never learns “goodness” until the end. Once again, the material here is fertile ground for humor, but its inspirations are few and far between.

Morally, families need to be aware of the lack of suitability for young children. Potty humor includes a comment about “bats in the belfry” (a double entendre for feces), “shove pickle where the sun doesn't shine,” and an invisible man walks around without pants, scratching his invisible behind and commenting on the “freedom” of public nudity.

In terms of violence, there is comic violence, including a character who gnaws his feet off, a scientist blows up; there is reference to torture and multiple killings throughout; someone is asked to bring the “severed head of a supermodel;” there is a “killoseum,” and there is also a running gag about a character who is immortal but constantly commits suicide (only to be resurrected) because “life is meaningless.”

The story is very dark and far too disturbing for really young children. There were several kids crying in the audience.

All in all, IGOR was a great idea gone awry. The promising story is not sufficient if the plot is weak and the writing juvenile. I will not call IGOR bad, for it is not truly bad, but it is far from good, and it is better to save your money on something wholesome and edifying.

Violence: Moderate / Profanity: Minor / Sex/Nudity: Minor

Positive

None Yet.

Neutral

Neutral - I brought my 6 year old son (as did many others) to this show and yes it was pretty negative (like reading ecclesiastes - which I wouldn't read to my son either as he wouldn't understand) Yes some of the spots were way beyond a six year old and were filled with inuendo, but ...

The movie to me portras what can happen to people who are deceived that they can only be or do certain things - in this case - be evil. Igor makes someone (Eva) and even adds the 'evil bone' and it wasn't until she is deceived herself and resorts to an evil act that the evil bone activates. But while this is all going on, Igor himself begins to question his evil nature and finds out that the cause of the evilness was at the hands of the king. He sets out to rescue his creation and finds out that above the clouds is beauty. Without spoiling the movie too much, I would say he defeats the darkness and saves the city and it becomes good.

I would say that this is a perfect show for tweens and up but it may be a little too heady for those younger (like trying to explain revelations to a child, hmm.. or in Judges chapter 19... I won't spoil the story, but try reading that to a six year old...)
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 3
—Dan Boissonneault, age 46

Negative

Negative - Do not take your child to see. I had my mother and my 10 year with me and thought it would be an innocent 'G' rated movie. It was not. It is a very disturbing movie that makes you feel terrible with all the messages they are giving. When I left I was sad and angry that MGM would make this movie and feed it to our children as a 'G' movie. Don't go.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 1.5
—Rosalind, age 35

Negative - Parents, this movie communicates a message of pathetic, hopeless creatures that gets slapped around by their masters. Definately violent, creatures losing their limbs, really evil and tasteless. Use of God's name in vain on more than one occation.

I'm so sorry that I didn't walk out within the first 15 minutes when I picked up on all the 'evil' vibe - by the way, the word 'evil' is used about 50 times within the first 20 minutes. I'm sick to the stomach to think that our poor poor kids have to be exposed (unknowingly) to this utter nonsensable 'entertainment'. It was a total waste of time and money. Even the caracters are displayed as totally evil looking creatures. Not to mention making fun of 'blind orphans'! Yes, you bet.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Very Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 2
—Leoni, age 32

Negative - Once again Hollywood uses animation to lure unsuspecting children into their web. The thin moral boundaries that children's movies still retain has again been stretched, setting the latest precedent for what should be tolerated by children and their parents in a PG film.

This film is very dark, throughout the characters refer to being evil, to killing, to creating mechanisms that will do the killing for them. Our main character, Igor, is one of these. He longs to be an 'evil scientist' and to create the greatest killing/mayhem invention of the year.

The movie portrays the villain-ess in many different ways. In one of her outfits she has a Madonna style pointy chest, in another form she's made to be very voluptuous in a country sweet dress that barely contains her very buxom chest calling such attention to it as to see little else during those scenes. There are several God's name in vain and another four letter word is used once. One of Igor's creations seeks to commit suicide throughout the movie. Several characters die, one invisible character makes constant reference to the fact that he doesn't wear pants and that it's 'liberating'. There is also a demeaning and I might add uncharitable song about overweight women and a reference to a woman's period.

None of the characters were endearing in any way as in the way Nemo, Brother Bear, the Incredibles and other movies were truly endearing. In my opinion this movie provides very little if anything to help redeem it.

Sure the sun comes out in the end, but has the evil really disappeared?? I don't think so. In fact, I believe it's sure to rear it's ugly head again in more children's flicks by this producer soon enough, just give them enough time and enough money and there it will be.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3½
—Cynthia Burg, age 38

Negative - When I brought my little boy to this film, I was horrified at the lack of human compassion. Themes like Murder, Evil and Little bunnies Killing themselves were supposed to be funny to little impressionable kids.
My little boy was horrified and started asking my disturbing questions like, 'why is it good to be evil' and 'why did the little bunny want to die' ?

Sure the ending was pretty and happy, unless you think little blind children singing about how they can see clearly now is funny to you.

Why does a morally void populace like Hollywood have a need to subject the innocent children of the world to awful subjects like suicide and murder as sources of amusement is beyond me.

I know that tonight I will pray with my little boy and hope that God's light will shine down on the morally questionable decisions of these producers.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Very Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 1.5
—Jebediah, age 35

Comments from young people

None Yet.