"Chicken Little:" Not Just for Kids By Robin Marlowe, 11.10.05
Despite opening to mixed reviews, “Chicken Little” sold out at the local theater in Rome, Georgia.
“We had to add a show each night just to seat all who came out to see it,” Jeremy Poling, a ticket agent at The Movies at Berry Square, said.
On Friday and Saturday night, long lines formed around the building as people waited to get their sought after tickets. Some were disappointed as they stepped up to the ticket window to find out their shows were sold out.
“Chicken Little” had several themes running throughout the film.
One theme prominent in the film was about communication between parents and children. Sometimes parents ignore their children unknowingly and there is awkwardness between the parents and children because of not knowing how to talk to one another. “Chicken Little” does an excellent job of displaying this common relationship problem.
Another theme addressed in the film is overcoming the need to be popular and treating others with respect. The leader of the mean spirited popular kids Foxy Locksey makes the un-popular kids plain awful. They taunt Chicken Little and his friends as they play a hard-hitting game of dodge ball.
Lastly, the theme of helping others in need is sprinkled throughout the film. The characters in this film teach children to not think only of themselves. Chicken Little, his friends, and his dad help a little lost child get back to his parents.
Jordan Palmer laughed uncontrollably watching “Chicken Little” as he had an awful time getting to school. He looked over and said “That’s so funny” with a smile ear to ear, turning quickly back to the movie as not to miss anything. Clearly he thought the movie was great.
Some movie-goers thought the film was too deep for young children to understand.
“The themes in the movie may have been a bit too adult, a little too serious to keep a young child interested, though I liked the movie myself,” Glyn Davis said.
“There were times in the movie where kids were a little bit restless, but there was enough slapstick humor to keep them happy,” Brenda Palmer said.
Buck Cluck and Chicken Little struggle to communicate effectively with one another. They finally resolve their issues between them by uniting to save Oakey Oaks.
“Today many families have the same communication problem and it’s nice to see a movie addressing this issue,” Jackie Palmer said.
Thi Ingram and his six year old daughter Rylynn enjoy “Chicken Little’s” cute humor.
“I like it,” Rylann said “my favorite part is where the sky fell on Chicken Littles head and no one believed him.”
The audience both young and old chuckled along as the film portrayed Chicken Little, Runt of the Litter, Abby Mallard and Fish out of Water as struggling outcasts trying their hardest to fit in somewhere. Parents and children can enjoy the nature of the film for its seriousness and for its lightheartedness.
As the movie ended the outtakes held many in their seats for a last minute giggle. Movie-goers seem pleased as the masses poured out into the lobby with noisy acclaims of the movie. Parents and children came out hand in hand reminiscing about the scenes in the movie that made them laugh the hardest.
All in all it is the producers of “Chicken Little” at Walt Disney who get the last laugh. This film is the first computer animation production made by Disney without the help of Pixar productions.
With “Chicken Little” opening up this weekend to an astounding 40.1 million in sales Disney has its first home run. It is obvious that parents and children find this movie a must see event for the entire family.
