Tom & Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers (2006)

IF YOU’RE A REGULAR READER, you know my thoughts on new kids’ movies based on classic cartoon characters (especially my love/hate relationship with the recent Scooby-Doo animated films).

So when Dash and I sat down to watch Tom & Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers, I did it with a healthy dollop of skepticism…

Plot:
Tom and Jerry get caught between warring pirate captains (three brothers) fighting over a map that leads to buried treasure…a map that is CURSED!

Critique:
• Tom & Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers is a workable blend of old-school Tom & Jerry and above-average, made-for-Cartoon-Network animation. In addition, a lot of the sound and vocal effects come from the classic Tom & Jerry shorts of the ‘40s and ‘50s, which aired on TV quite frequently during my ‘70s childhood. Hearing simple things – such as Jerry skidding to a stop or Tom screaming – instantly took me back to grade school, watching classic T&J at home after class.
• Director Scott Jeralds (Scooby-Doo and the Loch Ness Monster) keeps things moving at a steady clip, which will no doubt keep the attention of both kids and adults.
• Fans of Match Game and Lidsville will get a kick out of Charles Nelson Reilly as the Red Pirate's wisecracking parrot. And Mark Hamill provides several laughs for the grownups as a floating skull and crossbones who warns Tom, Jerry, and the pirates about the fate that awaits them.

If you’re looking for a fun way to bridge the gap between the cartoons your children watch and what you watched as a kid, Tom & Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers is as good as any place to start.

Rating: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
(adding .5 for nostalgia)

What did Dash think?

• He seemed to get a kick out of it; pirates are usually a sure bet with him. It was fun to watch him react to Tom and Jerry’s antics – laughing at the cat and mouse much like I did as a kid.
• Afterward, I wasn’t sure if the movie was worth saving on our TiVo playlist. Then two days later, after no mention of the movie since we watched it, he asked, “Can we save the Tom and Jerry movie until we delete?” I consider that a stamp of approval.

Will your kids want to watch it?

I would say so. Funny cat and mouse, pirate adventures, wacky hijinks…a good blend for kids, though (as I say in other kid movie reviews) you might want to keep it away from the pre-K crowd. There are a few comically intense scenes featuring a shark, a giant squid, swordplay, skeleton pirates, and the aforementioned floating skull/crossbones with glowing eyes.

Will your FilmMother like it?

She’ll probably find it watchable, and after seeing and hearing some of the old-school aspects of the movie, she may take a few mental detours to her childhood.

For those about to laugh, we salute you.

Tom & Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers
• Director: Scott Jeralds
• Screenwriter: Christopher Painter
• Stars: Mark Hamill, Kathy Najimy, Charles Nelson Reilly, Kevin Michael Richardson, Wallace Shawn
• MPAA Rating: G


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• Netflix