“DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: RODRICK RULES” Movie Review. “MAY the FORCE of this WIMPISH FAMILY be with YOU!”

“DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: RODERICK RULES” PRESS PREVIEW

If you’re a parent having a horrific problem raising irresponsible children, then you are not alone.

Take a cue from this film.

Here bratty kids are seen, heard and more. (shudder)

The wise adage that preaches “Spare the rod and spoil the child” can hardly help.

Right, go ahead – rattle the kids, pummel and sock it to them.  Whatever.

This could be the best disciplinary action ever, otherwise how can rotten adolescents ever learn?

But hold on there …… everything is “reel”, happening only in this comedic movie.

Smart alec Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon) is back again with this trademark grin and smirk.  He really thinks he is cute.

And he comes with the same disjointed “members-in-a-wimpish-family” package.

Throw in the hysterical mum who writes for the newspaper’s family column.  She is omnipresent.

Add in the nerdy dimwit father.  He is just pure background element.

And the tyrannical bully of an older brother Rodrick, without which we’ll have no story.

Toeing the line is the irritating bawling baby who’s too pretentious for his wee age.

The entire complicated wear-and-tear family are all here, to bring the house down with more gags and mindless pranks.

Keep on hoping, folks.

That kid (Zachary Gordon) returns, now in his seventh grade, still wimpy, and very much bullied by his obnoxious elder brother (Devon Bostick).

Enter the exasperated parents (Rachael Harris, Steve Zahn) who are trying to cultivate in them this element called sibling love.  Sibling love don’t grow on trees anytime and needs to be nurtured.

As with any sequel, the pleasure of unexpected discovery is sorely missing. The plot is predictable.

Other than that, this film tags closely to its original, with a scrīpt by Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah (from Jeff Kinney’s book) that’s as outrageous as their first one.

Bizarre poop-and-potty jokes are strewn all over, plus there’s a wild teenage party. Some “yawny” escapades will hit stalemate.

David Bowers directs with aplomb, and young Zachary Gordon, the child star of the show carries this film as naturally as he did the first.

There are no overwhelming surprises, no disappointments either.

Robert Capron plays Gordon’s best friend, Peyton List his schoolhouse crush.

“DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: RODRICK RULES” is a light breezy piece on a lazy cinema outing.

As a “feel-good” movie, it can be immensely entertaining, only if you stop complaining and comparing it to any summer blockbuster.