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Rating: Country: USA Release Date: July 3, 2002

In the world of animation, there are rare shows that come along and cross the gap between children and adults. Shows such as "The Flintstones" and "The Jetsons" are early examples of shows that could bring in an adult audience, and over the years a few shows have carried on that tradition such as "The Simpsons." In the 90's, 'cartoon' shows such as "Ren & Stimpy" and "Beavis & Butthead" started a new revolution in animation, where the show's writing was actually geared towards the adult market, yet still crossed into the younger market. Today, cable networks Nickelodeon and the Cartoon Network are breeding grounds for animated shows that are not only kid-pleasers, but that are also chic for parents to watch as well. Current favorites such as "Spongebob Squarepants" and "Johnny Bravo" come to mind. Also falling into this category is Cartoon Network's The Powerpuff Girls, whose first foray onto the big screen opened July 3rd. While widely popular with children (girls in particular), the show has a large adult audience as well.

The movie zips into theatres with what may be the most famous, and most quoted, MPAA rating to date: "Rated PG for nonstop frenetic animated action." That may also be a one-sentence review of the film if there ever was one. Even the opening credits are set to a rapid-fire drumbeat. If you are unfamiliar with the television show, don't worry; the film's story is a "let's go back to the beginning" approach, filling you in on the creation of the main characters and how they became the super heroines of today. For those familiar with the show, the character development and history are interesting nonetheless. The end plot of the film is old hat, with the Evil Mojo Jojo hell-bent on taking over the world, but that's o.k. In the context of the film, it plays as a prequel to what viewers have seen over the last two seasons.

There are two things that make this film stand out from other films, however. First of all, the film makes a great transition from the small screen. The background matting is exquisite, and the animation, although simplistic, flows well on the big screen. Compared to other recent strictly animated films ("Hey Arnold! The Movie" and "Lilo & Stitch"), the Girls seem to transfer cleaner and classier. Secondly, the MPAA rating is an understatement; the Girls are constantly zipping from here to there to here to there, up walls down walls, playing tag, fighting bad monkeys...it's enough to make you tired just thinking about it. There really is so much that goes on in the movie you'll have a hard time catching the subtle jokes scattered throughout, let alone following the action on the screen.

Overall, this is a great first step for the future of the franchise. The film can stand up on it's own apart from the show for new viewers, as well as keeping current fans of the series entertained. Since The Powerpuff Girls is acceptable for adults to enjoy, if you haven't ever seen the show before, take a chance and spend 88 minutes full of action and laughs. If you're already a fan of the show, you won't be disappointed. Oh, and neither will your kids...you might want to take them as well.

Overall Rating: B+