Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius

"Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius" is the computer-generated kid with the big hairdo who has been playing havoc with Nickelodeon network's programming for several months. That amusing anarchy was actually promotion work for Jimmy's first big-screen adventure.

Frankly, the whole concept works better on television.

Although director John A. Davis and his DNA Productions company try to make the most of their off-the-shelf-software, digital-animation approach, what may appear stylistically inventive at home often just looks quaint or incompletely rendered in larger doses. Davis makes no attempt to match the photorealistic quality of such highly power-sourced outfits as Pixar and DreamWorks. Instead, he proudly emphasizes the cartoony, which, theoretically, may be perfectly fine, but it doesn't take into account that no one thinks those other films look realistic, either.

There's no mistaking that the relatively flat, motion-limited animation "Jimmy Neutron" operates comes from a different, cheaper dimension. Of course, if the film's writing and characterizations were a bit more clever, no one would care.

Preteen Jimmy lives in Retroville with his equally big-haired mom and almost-grown-out-of-geekdom dad. Being a boy genius, Jimmy's built himself a multitalented robot dog named Goddard, a secret underground laboratory and such must-have toys as a shrinking ray and personal rocket ship. He's also, unfortunately, sent his own alien-greeting satellite into outer space — unfortunate because of the aliens it greets.

Green, egglike space creatures called Yokians (lots of bird gags here, folks) kidnap all the adult Retrovillians for nefarious "To Serve Man" purposes. When they wake up to find no adult supervision, the neighborhood kids go on a happy spree. Many tummy aches later, however, they realize they still need their parents. So they set out for Eggworld to rescue their folks, using amusement park rides that Jimmy has converted for space travel.

While there are certainly amusing moments and nice designs sprinkled throughout "Jimmy Neutron," precious little of it feels inspired, comically or visually. The fact that the plot is basically the same as the much more energetic and wacky "Spy Kids" doesn't work to "Jimmy's" advantage, either. "Spy Kids" looked cooler — and it was live-action.

"Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius" is rated G for slapstick violence and some mildly vulgar humor. Running time: 84 minutes.