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Jonah: A Veggie Tales Movie | 2002 | G | - 0.2.1

The first feature film based on the popular direct-to-video children's series that features talking Christian vegetables and fruits, adapts the Biblical tale of Jonah and the whale, framed within a contemporary story. Jonah is an asparagus, while the whale remains a whale. With the voices of Phil Vischer, Mike Nawrocki, Kristin Blegen and Lisa Vischer. [1:23]

SEX/NUDITY 0 - A pair of boxer shorts are stuck on the windshield of a bus.

VIOLENCE/GORE 2 - We hear what sounds very much like the "Jaws" theme as a veggie sits in the sea, and we see a shadow of an enormous creature beneath him; then a whale shoots to the surface with its mouth open wide and grabs the veggie (we see him later in the whale's stomach). A whale jumps out of the water and grabs a bowling ball that had been shot at him (there is a caterpillar in one of the finger holes). We see a pumpkin smashed by some sort of fish-slamming contraption (we hear a squish and see shrapnel hit the veggie next to it). A veggie is arrested and, with two others, they're tied to poles where they are threatened to be squashed by an enormous fish. A whale spits out a veggie. A guard lowers a stick with a sharp blade on the end toward a veggie. We see many veggies hitting each other with fish. A veggie is shot in the back by a porcupine quill and when he pulls it out later we see a hole remaining. A guitar gets caught in the steering wheel of a bus and when a veggie tries to free it the steering wheel pulls off with it; the bus loses control swerving back and forth across a road and nearly hitting a family of porcupines in the road, but the tires are shot out (by a porcupine quill) and the bus hurdles down a hill, gets caught up in a laundry line that breaks, the bus continues toward a river, but is finally stopped by a tree stump. A caterpillar starts a boat motor that gets loose and chases veggies around the deck of a ship. A veggie is threatened by guards with fish on sticks. A ship full of veggies fills with water in a storm and one veggie is chosen to walk the plank in order to appease God and stop the storm. A veggie hits his head on a placard. We hear about people being punished by being hit with fish. Veggies argue in several scenes, exchanging insults, blame and accusations. A veggie bus driver is hit on the head repeatedly by another veggie playing a guitar, causing him to swerve on a winding road. It is said that the "Israelites wished that God would wipe Nineveh off the face of the earth." A ship hits two smaller boats as it pulls out of port. Some veggie-tots sing a song that includes lines about a clumsy veggie who "pulled out all his hair," was "poked in the eye," etc. A veggie sits on a ledge waiting for God's destruction of a people (he does so with glee). We see some rotten fish with flies buzzing around them in a market. A caterpillar pushes out through a bag of cheese curls.

LANGUAGE 1 - Some mild insults and name-calling.

DISCUSSION TOPICS - Prophets of God, God's wrath, God's chosen people, bragging, teasing, selfishness, pirates, mercy, second chances, greed, celebrity, ethics vs. piety, compassion, being lazy, motivational tapes, licensed merchandise, punishment.

MESSAGE - We need to offer second chances even if someone does not deserve to get one. Doing what God tells you is the pious thing to do.

(Note: Many of the themes of Christian piety and obedience touched upon in this feature may be of concern to members of some Christian denominations, non-Christians and non-believers.)

CAVEATS

Be aware that while we do our best to avoid spoilers it is impossible to disguise all details and some may reveal crucial plot elements.

We've gone through several editorial changes since we started covering films in 1992 and older reviews are not as complete & accurate as recent ones; we plan to revisit and correct older reviews as resources and time permits.

Our ratings and reviews are based on the theatrically-released versions of films; on video there are often Unrated, Special, Director's Cut or Extended versions, (usually accurately labelled but sometimes mislabeled) released that contain additional content, which we did not review.


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