AllMovie

Based upon the Nickelodeon series, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius is a very agreeable animated film, even if the TV show is better. Interestingly, despite the fact that the movie has thrice the amount of time as an episode of the series, the characters are better developed and defined on TV. Indeed, fans of Jimmy on TV may be a little disappointed by the way in which their friends have been brought to the big screen. The rivalry between Jimmy and Cindy is much less intense, Sheen is given too little screen time, Libby comes across as rather bland, and Hugh's quirkiness is largely missing. And while the dialogue contains more than its share of snappy remarks and little turns of phrase, it's a bit less flavorful than regular viewers have come to expect. That said, the animation is of a higher level than that found on the weekly show, and the filmmakers have been quite imaginative visually, especially in terms of the spacecraft that they create for the mission. The voice talent is quite good, although villain Patrick Stewart and goofy sidekick Martin Short could have been shown off to better advantage. Jimmy is not a great film, but it's a fine way to pass an hour and a half.