Hey Arnold! The Movie (2002) User Reviews (59)

Makes a pretty picture, but doesn't go outside the lines to make itself even more beautiful

[StevePulaski · 6/10 · 29 June 2011]

Hey Arnold! The Movie is harmless, cute, and eventful. Never being a huge fan of the show, but always liking it, I was pleased with the movie adaptation, but found it hard to accept. It's a longer episode of the show, but doesn't do anything daring or very memorable. The Simpsons got sealed into a dome, South Park started a war with Canadians, and even Spongebob set foot on land. Arnold didn't accomplish something as monumental as all the others.

For what it is, it's nothing but an extended episode of the show. Arnold and his pals Gerald and Helga try to stop Mr. Sheck, a giant businessman, from taking over their small neighborhood and replacing it with a huge, revolutionary mall. This means destroying Arnold's block and possibly losing all of his friends in the mix.

Its entertainment stems from its simplicity and the character's desire to achieve their goal. They try and buy secret agent gear to sneak into Sheck's office. Arguably my favorite scene in the movie is the broken hearted bus driver complaining about his failed relationship. The scene mirrors the film Speed, and is pretty much one of the best homages to the film I've seen.

But like I said, if you're going to bring it to the big screen, do something bigger than the series. This could've been an hour long special on Nickelodeon. A seventy-five minute film based on a Nickelodeon's series doesn't say much other than "we thought we'd make you see it a different way." Arnold is likable to a degree, but he's just another perky kid who wants a seemingly impossible thing done. Every character we've seen before. The one character I absolutely loved in the show was Oskar Kokoshka, a con artist who lived in Arnold's apartment. He has a brief appearance in the film, and does his signature voice I've loved since my childhood. Sadly, his presence is far too short. He he he.

Hey Arnold! The Movie isn't bad, but not consistently funny. The voice acting is good, the characters are still charming, the only thing that fails is its ability to stay inside the lines and not venture out to explore a bigger range in storytelling. At this point in time, the future of the series looked grim, and it seems the movie just serves as a piece of the show's history.

Voiced by: Spencer Klein, Francesca Smith, Jamil Walker Smith, Dan Castellaneta, Tress MacNeille, Paul Sorvino, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Christopher Lloyd. Directed by: Tuck Tucker.

i thought it was pretty good

[disdressed12 · 7/10 · 31 December 2007]

i haven't see the show that this cartoon is based on,so i can't compare it to that.as a standalone movie,though,i thought it was pretty good.i liked the characters and their quirks.the story was full of intrigue and suspense.yes,i said it suspense,even though it's a cartoon.the movie also moves along at a decent clip.there are a lot of pop cultural references,some modern,some older,but many adults will get them.of course there's also some references only kids will get,but there is enough for everybody.the movie isn't particularly hilarious,but it does have some amusing moments,and even one or two quite funny parts.there are some fairly dark and mature themes in this movie,so it might be too much for young kids.i'd say it would be OK for anyone over 10,depending on maturity level,of course.for me,Hey Arnold!The Movie is about a 7/10

Drat, No Jungle Movie

[StephenBurg · 6/10 · 15 January 2012]

Hey Arnold! The Movie is a decent and somewhat uninspired movie based on the legendary Nicktoon "Hey Arnold!". I liked this movie better as a kid, now I realize that everything was just happening way too quickly. The plot revolves around Arnold's neighborhood being tore down by a greedy city developer and he and his friend, Gerald, have to stop before it's too late. It wasn't the most original movie ever made, but it was enjoyable. The best part was when the Grandma tried to escape from jail, and later we see her leaving a man's toilet in a parody of The Shawshank Redemption. If you're a fan of the show or just love animation movies, pick this one out for the kids. There's not too much to sit through it's only 80 minutes long. My rating: 6/10 Rated PG for Thematic Elements

Not so bad

[cbtripz1977 · 29 June 2002]

My little brother dragged me to see this movie, I have never seen the show on Nickelodeon and I was dreading seeing it all week. My brother loved it and I have to say it wasn't that bad, it is actually kind of cute and I wasn't half as bored as I thought I would be. It is obviously a kids movie but I think adults will be able to watch it and enjoy it too.

Impossible, could never happen movie but it's good for the kids

[saint405 · 6/10 · 26 June 2005]

Hey Arnold! The Movie is one of those movies where there is a easy to get into plot but there are too many things in the plot that can never be done in real life. Kids can't be spies, kids can't drive a bus,and such. Now this film spoofs too many things as well. The whole idea with the pickle juice on Big Bob, ripping his shirt, and he is all green except for his brown slacks, horrible rip off of the hulk! They spoof Scooby-Doo's best line " I would of gotten away with it if it wasn't for that football headed kid, his friend with the long hair, and the girl with the one eyebrow!" But hey, this is a Nickelodean movie so it's supposed to be for kids. If you like Hey Arnold the t.v show you'll like this. This t.v itself movie gets the big 6, good for kids and some adults but could never happen. Fun for the whole family!

Enjoyable, But Not As Good As It Could've Been

[DoctorRabbit · 7/10 · 26 June 2012]

I've been a fan of Hey Arnold ever since I watched it growing up as a kid and it still remains one of my favorite nicktoons till this day. I remember seeing the movie when it came out in theaters and finally got around to revisiting it. I have to say while it's enjoyable, it really does feel more like the t.v special it was intended to be and not a movie. The plot is pretty weak and the length of the movie feels forced at even it's short 70 min runtime. The animation also isn't that great for a theatrical film (some of the later episodes of the show actually had better animation). But, it's flaws don't keep it from being enjoyable. The film still sticks to the shows humor and characters well and keeps itself going at a good pace which makes it so the film never really slows down. Still, I feel like it really didn't a movie and it probably should've just stayed a t.v special. If you're a die hard fan of the show, you'll most likely be disappointed but still enjoy it.

Hey Arnold! The Movie

[phubbs · 5/10 · 14 May 2017]

Just like the similar animated movie of the cartoon series Doug, this is purely for fans of the original cartoon series. I can't really see any kids (or adults) getting along with this unless they know the original series and have followed it (the various backstories). Yet despite that Hey Arnold! (like other 90's Nick toons) is very open to all ages because its content is relatable and surprisingly clever at times.

This was probably my fave Nick toon even beating Rugrats, why? Well because (as said) you could relate to it quite well. Many of the stories tend to revolve around real situations that kids deal with in their daily lives. Situations many of us will have gone through at some stage in various ways. The usual stuff like bullies, school, school projects, parents, families, snow days, playing outside with your friends, adventures using your imagination etc...

Along with that is the great array of loud quirky characters which fill this world (Dan Castellaneta voicing grandpa Phil being one of the best). The odd designs for the characters is the main series trait which is admittedly bizarre to look at. I'm guessing they are probably caricatures based on creator Craig Bartlett's real old school friends and adults he knew growing up. Of course the colourful hand drawn style of the cartoon is one of the lures for me. Really rich, vivid, bold environments that look glorious. Each cartoon has their own unique individual artistic style, but Hey Arnold! is really one of my favourites. Its so pleasing to the eye, makes me wanna live in there (the fictional city of Hillwood).

As for this movie, its obviously an extended version of the regular cartoon; but alas as usual it can't quite live up to the original shorter material. The plot is quite a heavy one involving Arnold and Gerald trying to save their neighbourhood from being destroyed by some rich tycoon. This doesn't really work too well in my opinion as it just seems too much of a stretch for the characters to achieve. At the same time some of the subplots by other characters to stop all this from happening also come across as a bit too daft (yeah I know its a cartoon but still). Blowing a hole in their own street with tonnes of dynamite? The whole tired spy parody angle complete with James Bond-esque characters and gadgets...ugh! How many times must we see that??

The main sore point here is, in the original cartoon Arnold and co often deal with simple kids issues, as I already pointed out. The cartoon worked so well because even though the episodes usually dealt with childish things, they were completely relatable (as already pointed out) and kinda cute. So when you then give these characters tasks to perform that are way out of their depths, tasks that would usually involve adults, it loses that cuteness and relatability. Because no one can really relate to single-handedly taking down huge corporations and being ninja spies.

All in all it does feel like the writers have had problems trying to think of cute filler to pad out the run time. Even for a kids film its dreadfully average and predictable. I realise its a difficult problem to juggle, trying to remain faithful to the original show but making it bigger for the silver screen. But then what does that tell you? Maybe don't make a movie out of said material because its not meant for the big screen perhaps?

The new characters are also kinda bland and uninteresting unfortunately. They are voiced well by a stellar cast but they just seem uninspired. All except for the Coroner voiced by Christopher Lloyd, he was quite cool. All the other regular characters are present and correct voiced by the regular cast so continuity is good. Obviously the movie only focuses on a few so many are pushed into the background. Visually and audibly the cartoons style is the same accept for the odd spot of CGI which just about blends in OK.

For the fans to look at this film is to love it. Its as you would expect but so much crisper and more delightful, but that's about it really. The plot is lame, it feels terribly stretched, they try to cram all the characters into the background, and the little amusing touches have disappeared. All they needed to do was stick to a more kid friendly plot if you ask me, or a continuation from the final series perhaps. Something we (the fans) can all relate to, exactly why the series was so successful in the first place.

5/10

Like an extended episode

[briancham1994 · 6/10 · 8 August 2020]

This film's origins as a planned TV movie show quite painfully. The animation is barely better than the TV show and the plotting seems low-key rather than something cinematic. It has a very simple story with the usual cartoon shenanigans of defeating the villain and saving the day. Along the way there are funny moments and characters.

Hey Arnold! The Movie

[jboothmillard · 5/10 · 6 January 2007]

I used to like the TV series when I was younger, so I thought if I watched The Rugrats Movie (also from Nikelodeon), then I might as well try this movie. Basically Arnold (Spencer Klein), the football headed fourth grade kid and his many neighbourhood friends and family find out that their town is going to be flattened to make way for a new mega-mall to be run by Mr. Scheck (Goodfellas' Paul Sorvino). The only way they can save the town is to prove from a story that Arnold's Grandpa (The Simpsons' Dan Castellaneta) told that there was a historic event that makes the town a landmark. With all the TV show characters, including Helga, who pretty much tells her secret love to Arnold, best friend Gerald, Grandma, Stinky, Eugene and Mayor Dixie. With guest voices including Jennifer Jason Leigh as Bridget, Christopher Lloyd as Coroner and Tomorrow Never Dies' Vincent Schiavelli as Mr. Bailey. Worth watching!

Mostly average, but not as bad as critics say

[cte18 · 6/10 · 21 August 2023]

I am a big fan of the Hey Arnold television series as it's one of Nickelodeon's best shows putting SpongeBob aside in my opinion. Hey Arnold: The Movie is mostly a decent film, although it definitely has some flaws and missed opportunities. As The Jungle Movie was originally meant to get a theatrical release, we got this in theaters instead.

The storyline of the film is actually not that bad, it's actually exciting to see Arnold as well as Gerald and Helga to save the neighborhood. It still has a lot of humor and heart just like the television series and doesn't feel too much like an extended episode of the show. The only problems is that the pacing can be quite slow occasionally as the runtime is stretched to the hour and sixteen minute mark and there could've been more scenes that gave the plot a more intense tone.

Many of the characters from the series are in the movie and quite a few get a good amount of laughs and screentime, although many of Arnold's friends specifically aren't in the film that much as they're reduced to minor roles or some only being one-shot. It also doesn't help that we never get to see P. S. 118 in this film which could've given Arnold's gang more screentime like everyone else. Helga however does have some character development in this film as she tries to help Arnold in disguise to save the neighborhood instead of bullying him so much, and Arnold's grandparents have some of the best parts in this movie humorously. Arnold himself is even proven to be a great person who eventually goes through the disbelief of saving the neighborhood after feeling the loss of his confidence. The villain Scheck is okay at best, he can be underwhelming for a movie villain but he does have an intimidating side as he even tries to attempt murder failing to run over Arnold and Gerald. I'm also glad they kept all the voice actors from the show while including a few big time stars for the movie characters as well.

The animation isn't that much better than the television series. Some of the characters have a smooth shading effect and the backgrounds do look a bit bigger and prettier, but other than that it looks like the animators could've put more into a theatrical style if they had a bigger budget.

Overall it's not a great film, but it's still enjoyable if you're a fan of the show and just want to see a movie-length adventure with all your favorite characters in their setting. It has flaws and does arguably feel like it should've been a TV movie, but if you put that aside it can still be a fun experience that captures what made the television series so great.

Not hateful but definitely too average to be easily enjoyed

[Quinoa1984 · 5/10 · 28 June 2002]

Hey Arnold is another slab of filmmaking from the Nickelodeon channel bringing forth a patented Nick Toon to amuse the masses of kids. After watching this, I kept wondering what was so wrong with Ren and Stimpy to leave that in the dust while this, Doug, Rugrats (2 movies), Wild Thornberries, get attention to the box office? But then that's irrelevant to the review. I mention it if only because a movie like this comes so standard, so puffed with a plotline kids in the second grade have heard since they were three, and with sterility (in particular in the Shawshank parody), it is a wonder why something as original as Ren and Stimpy doesn't make its way to the theater. Oh well, next week I get an answer- Powerpuff Girls.

PS, there are two funny jokes in this movie for all and then the rest will vary on how much the parents and kids will tolerate- a parody of the Hulk and a cameo from Christopher Lloyd as a mortician. Grade: between C and C-

A treat for the fans

[dseliber · 9/10 · 8 August 2002]

My friend and I had said before "Hey Arnold!" came out that it'll probably be a pretty bad movie, because of the excessive advertising Nickelodeon put together before the release. With that in mind, I was pleasantly surprised at how wonderfully entertaining it was. Now, I've been a relatively big fan of the t.v. show since it first came out, so this is a biased review, but for anyone who's a fan of the show (and as one critic pointed out, who else would want to see this?), this is well worth watching. There's a few good pieces of comedy (mostly from Grandma and Grandpa), and the parents (who'll probably be a least a little amused by it) will notice a whole bunch of cliches from other movies, which is the style in the which many of the episodes are based upon. So the bottom line of this movie is: if you're a fan of the show, this is well worth seeing. If you're not a fan (I then don't know why you're even reading this), you might be entertained, but it's up to you.

Average kids fare

[haasdt · 6/10 · 25 June 2002]

We saw this film as a sneak preview. My 7 year old son was mildly amused by the film, my 3 year old daughter was bored. It was pretty much a long episode of the TV show, which is cute but not one of my favorites. There were a few laughs but it was more the calibre of Doug's First Movie than other Nick films like Rugrats and Jimmy Neutron.

If your kids enjoy the show, they'll enjoy the movie. As an adult I could definitely take it or leave it.

Not for Adult Viewing. Children only!

[Ray754 · 2/10 · 30 June 2002]

Only children below the age of 12 should be allowed to see this film. The rest of us should take a book, MP3 player, or just take a nice nap to endure the experience of this event. This can be best summed up as a "blown-up" TV movie being distributed into theaters. Children will want to see this film, and they will like and be amused by the movie.

A Great Kid's Movie!

[movies2u · 1 July 2002]

This was a really great kid's movie! It is especially great for children who are fans of the cartoon. The movie is about Arnold, and his friends and family when they discover that a man named Sheck is going to knock down their city and install a giant mall. Now Arnold and his friends have six days to come up with a plan to save the neighborhood, with some help of the mysterious "Deep Voice", can they save the neighborhood before it's too late? All in all, this is a really good kid's movie. I give Hey Arnold! The Movie a 10 out of 10!!! :)

Our Football-Shaped Hero!

[g-bodyl · 7/10 · 29 March 2015]

One thing that works very well about Hey Arnold! The Movie is the sense of nostalgia the film invokes. As a fan of the show growing up, it was certainly nice to get back into this world Nickelodion created. Looking back with adult eyes, I can see why children loved this series, including myself. It's a series about best friends going on adventures and the "romance" between Arnold and Helga. I was disappointed with this movie in a regard, because it does not tie up an important storyline which was important to the series. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this nostalgic trip.

This film has Arnold and his best friend, Gerald rescuing their neighborhood from the evil Mr. Scheck who wants to turn their homes into a modernized shopping complex.

Overall, Hey Arnold! The Movie is worth the trip down memory lane since it has been years since I have last seen an episode of this cartoon. It was never my favorite series, despite me finding it passable. The bickering between Helga and Arnold goes on a little more than I would have liked. I did like the spoofs the movie has to offer, especially the Men in Black spoof. A merely passable film for the family.

My Grade: C+

Newer movie's much better

[ericstevenson · 6/10 · 12 March 2018]

I feel bad for seeing this mediocre movie before the much better TV movie. It seems like it ran into the same problems that the "My Little Pony" movie did. The animation is great, but it still feels like just a long episode of the show. It seems like the most common complaints was that the side characters were practically useless here. Again, that's a complaint against the "My Little Pony" movie. Honestly, I'm surprised this only has a 29% on RottenTomatoes.

I think at one point the viewer percentage was even lower than "The Last Airbender"! Don't worry, it's over now. There are some good jokes and it does get better as it goes along. I guess I just thought this was poorly paced. I'd much rather watch the TV movie where all the characters contribute and there's a much bigger sense of something epic going on. At least we got to see Helga's confession, even though it doesn't last. **1/2

The worst movie that I've ever watched... Awful!

[uwatreasure · 1/10 · 20 November 2021]

I understand this is a kids movie based on the beloved 90s cartoons, Hey Arnold, the cartoon was witty, calming, enjoyable, had good life lessons, had bizzare yet goodly drawn characters, fun, heartwarming and unforgettable, what does this movie have? None, it was just a 90-minute-abomination that's supposed to be a TV movie instead, it was puzzling, unmemorable, unfunny, boring, cheesy as chalkboards, mediocre dialogue, painful to watch and extremely confusing.

This movie has terrible direction, Schek himself is soulless, one-dimensional, unlikable and stereotypical who has no personality or emotion, and spends half his time saying "Change is good", just woeful, the characters feel watered down or either shoehorned at the last minute into being bland characters, the confession for Helga was poorly written, the ending is just a copy of the 1994 film Speed, in which case Speed had a better ending than this, the fight scene with the "we need to save the neighborhood" cliché is one of the most insensitive ideas I've ever seen, EVER, and finally this movie was a flop at the box office because people hated this garbage

Overall, Hey Arnold The Movie is shallow, boring, soulless and overlong, it's got nothing good in it, so grab the kids, dodge this movie in every single way (unless you want kids to think only change is always good) and rent The Jungle Movie instead, the Jungle Movie should've been released in theaters, and this travesty never should've been made in the first place

Why, Nickelodeon, WWWWHHHYYYYYYYYYY?!?!?!?!?!

Classic

[ThunderKing6 · 6/10 · 24 January 2019]

Good show, Classic show about a troubled cool child who deals with his and his friends problems.

Arnold is a good kid who gets bullied by his crush Helga.

This is a Nick Classic

However, it has a low replay value.

A huge disappointment for a fine cartoon

[SparksterInc · 5/10 · 2 January 2003]

"Hey Arnold!" is one of the few quality TV shows for all kids these days, with a cast of likeable and unique characters and thought provoking episodes. But you won't see much of it here in this disappointing and underwhelming big screen picture. There have been far worse films (supposedly) made for kids in recent years, but that's not to say that this average and generic movie deserved to cash in at the box office, either.

From the opening credits until just before the ending, the film completely lacks the feel of a major motion picture; it feels more like your typical TV movie (This movie, in fact, was originally made for TV). Throughout the first half of the film everything is happening so quickly, that it's difficult to build up any interest for the plot. Midway through the film, I already asked myself why Nickelodeon didn't put this on TV for free instead of milking it for short-term cash.

The two biggest disappointments of the movie was the storyline development itself and the use of the series' characters.

Amidst the rush of the storyline, the film actually does a decent job of building up the conflict between Arnold and the villain, Mr. Scheck. But all of it goes to waste when the multimillionaire Scheck reveals his ridiculous motives. It was very anticlimatic and I didn't take the movie very seriously after that; I thought of at least two alternate ways the movie could've ended (while taking away most of the excitement).

The three main characters in the series (Arnold, Helga, & Gerald) take up most of the film's significance, as they should. But what of the secondary characters (Arnold's grandparents, Phoebe, Sid, Harold, Rhonda, Eugene, and a few others), most which have had at least two of the 100+ episodes based on them? The ability to add depth to these other characters is what helps make the TV show interesting; but here they get shoehorned into this film without being able to help Arnold at all. They remain likeable, but ultimately are not at all memorable. Even the other characters made for this movie (Bridget, the coroner, and the one-legged man) get more of the face time.

Part of the film does focus on the relationship between Arnold and Helga (who passionately loves Arnold even though she pretends to hate him), and the moment when she finally admits her love for him (and how he reacts to it) as the movie nears the final major scene. It's one of the main concepts of the TV show, and the only valuable part of this movie.

Otherwise, this was a very average film with a simplistic and uninspiring story, cluttered with useless characters. This mediocre outing by the show's creators will likely mark the beginning of the end for a fine TV series. Besides, when Nickelodeon still has the Rugrats, Spongebob, and a roster of new hit shows at its disposal, why continue to focus on a cartoon that failed miserably on the biggest stage?

Eh... (100% Spoiler Free)

[strawtherstorm · 6/10 · 9 October 2020]

It's 'good' but no Great Animation 5/10 Characters 6/10 Story 6/10

It's OK

[tommystans · 4/10 · 15 June 2013]

I remember back in 2002, the movie came out and I really wanted to see it but I didn't had the chance too. But I've watched it on TV and looked at it again on DVD and to me the movie is OK but not great. It should've worked as a three parter TV movie, as originally intended and they could have used 'The Jungle Movie' as the actual movie. The story is of course predictable as we all know that in the end, Arnold saves his neighbourhood. The animation is OK but bland looking in some places, as other Nickelodeon movies like the Rugrats were animated well to make the movie look pleasurable. It's not the best movie ever made by Nickelodeon but it has a good story, yet easily predictable and the animation is OK but can be bland most of the time. I would prefer 'The Jungle Movie' over it though.

Good Movie... but it depends on your mindset.

[Sennical · 9/10 · 9 July 2002]

I am a fourteen-year-old girl and while I'm certainly not the show's core demographic, I enjoyed the movie as much as I enjoy any episode of the TV series. Hey Arnold was one of the things I had lived with since about the second grade and then one day it just turned into a full-blown obsession.

But first off, let's get one thing straight, people: This was NOT intended to be a big-screen movie. It was intended to be a Nick Flick, one of Nickelodeon's made-for-TV movies. The powers that be decided that the storyline of the series held a much more interesting premise: searching for Arnold's parents. That premise became the movie. But then, for reasons I am not aware of, this switched back to being a theatrical movie. Then there was some kind of disagreement, and now it's unlikely we'll ever see the second movie. ::sniffle::

That information aside, this is still a very enjoyable movie. The particular theater my brother and I saw it in was filled with many parents, most of which probably had no idea of the story behind the movie (both legal and TV-show-story wise) and they still enjoyed it as much as I did. Helga is as laughably enjoyable as ever, and the movie still contains subtle humor situations that adults will enjoy.

This is a decent enough movie. And if you still think you won't like it, go see it for us fans, who desperately want a second movie and are hoping against hope that it will be made. Thank you.

Decent, but not as engaging as it ought to have been

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 14 July 2011]

I love the show, this movie was just decent in my opinion.

Pros: The animation is very good, very vibrant and colourful. The music is infectious and memorable. The dialogue is witty and funny, with plenty of modern and adult pop culture references to satisfy adults and teenagers, and there is enough funny dialogue to amuse kids too. The characters are still the charming characters I know and love, and the voice acting is great.

Cons: The pace is uneven, the ending feels rushed and the middle drags a tad. The additional characters are well voiced and animated, but not as interesting as they had potential to be. What hurts the film is the story, a good idea but too thin and predictable for the running time.

Overall, decent as a standalone, but not as engaging it ought to have been and I hate to say this, the show is better. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Hey Arnold!, THIS MOVIE SUCKS!

[miltonjcolon-34641 · 1/10 · 25 May 2018]

This movie is Trash, Go watch Jungle Movie, NOT THIS!