Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (3D)

Stars: Voices: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Bruce Campbell, Andy Samberg, Mr T, Bobb'e J Thompson, Benjamin Bratt, Neil Patrick Harris, Lauren Graham

Director: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller

It's a great title, but this Columbia cartoon feature never lives up to it. Flint (Hader) is a junior inventor living in an island off America who dreams up a machine that zooms off into space and results in food raining down from the sky.

Naturally, things eventually get out of control. with huge chunks of food bombing the hapless townspeople below, and Flint, having gone from nerd to hero, suddenly finds himself the town outcast.

As he zooms off into space to try to kill the machine off, it's up to Dad (whose eyebrows amusingly cover his eyes) to save the day by finding the right window in Flint's computer. Trouble is, Dad (Caan) is more used to grinding up sardines in what was the island's principal industry.

This is dullish, morning-TV stuff given very little boost by its 3D, which darkens the screen so much as to vitiate any visual enhancement. Kids will tolerate it, while adults appreciate the occasional moment of surrealistic humour.

David Quinlan

USA 2009. UK Distributor: Sony (Columbia). Colour by deluxe.
90 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: U.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 0, Swearing 0.

Review date: 12 Sep 2009