Review by Stuart O'Connor
Stars Zachary Gordon, Devon Bostick, Rachael Harris, Robert Capron,
Steve Zahn, Connor Fielding, Owen Fielding, Peyton List | Written by Gabe Sachs & Jeff Judah
UK certification U | UK RRP £19.99 | BD Region B | Runtime 99 minutes | Directed by David Bowers
Now here's a rare and surprising thing: a sequel that's actually better than the first film, plus a kids' film that doesn't suck. Wimpy Kid 2 is a lot more charming than the first outing, and as kids' films go, while it's not quite in Pixar territory (how many films are?) it's certainly a lot more watchable than most.
Wimpy (or should that be whiny?) kid Greg Heffley (Gordon) is back, another year older but not a whole lot wiser in the ways of social etiquette (although, it must be said, he is a little less annoying this time). He's still ignored by the cool kids, picked on by the bullies and passed over by the hot girls – although he's certainly got his eye on the pretty newbie, Holly (List). Greg also has to deal with his "difficult" teenaged sibling, Rodrick (Bostick), which is where much of this sequel sets its focus. The boys are coaxed by mother Susan (Harris) into getting along (hah!), with "MomBucks" – which they can cash in for real money – being offered as way of a bribe. Cue all sorts of brotherly shenanigans in which cameraderie is faked for financial reward, but which eventually leads to the boys actually realising that brothers aren't so bad after all. The highlight is an illicit house party the guys throw (well, which Rodrick throws and Greg manages to "crash") while the folks are out of town.
Based on the best-selling series of novels by Jeff Kinney (who has a small role in the film), Rodrick Rules is a chuckle-filled delight for young and old alike. As I mentioned earlier, Greg's not quite as whiny, annoying and downright slappable this time. The good thing is that the characters around him are so watchable, mostly likable, and fun. The two standouts are Capron as Greg's chubby best mate Rowley, and Bostick as rock drumming, eyeshadow-wearing teen-from-hell Rodrick. At the heart of Kinney's stories, though – and what works so well in the film – is that they ring true. The kids' relationships with their parents; the kids' relationships with each other; the kids' ups and downs at school – it all feels real, and believable. And that's what makes the film so watchable, for both kids and the parents they've dragged along with them.
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