Movie review: Conservation-themed animal tale, ‘Norm of the North’ has lots of potty humor
"Norm of the North." (Lionsgate)
Parents need to know that Norm of the North is an animated adventure about a polar bear, Norm (voiced by Rob Schneider), who can communicate with humans - and so travels to New York to convince people not to build a proposed real-estate development in his Arctic home. (Common Sense Media/TNS)
In "Norm of the North," Norm (Rob Schneider) plays a polar bear trying to protect the Arctic.
The character Socrates (Bill Nighy) in a scene from "North of the North."
Parents need to know that “Norm of the North” is an animated adventure about a polar bear, Norm (voiced by Rob Schneider), who can communicate with humans — and travels to New York to convince people not to build a proposed real-estate development in his Arctic home. Families familiar with movies like “Happy Feet” and “Hoot” will know right away to expect clear environmental themes … as well as lots of crude potty jokes to make kids laugh. In addition to the gratuitous bathroom humor, which may bother some parents, there’s also plenty of slapstick humor, a little bit of innuendo, a stereotypical joke based on the phrase “coming out,” some potentially frightening sequences involving a tranquilizer gun, and an apparent death.
WHAT’S THE STORY
“Norm of the North” opens with the titular polar bear’s failed attempt at a seal hunt. When he captures the seal instead of eating it, he reveals why he’s not a killer: Norm (Rob Schenider) explains that he, like his wise grandpa, the “King of the Arctic” (Colm Meany), is the rare polar bear gifted with the ability to speak “human.” But his grandpa has been missing, and no one knows where he’s gone. One day, while lurking on his grandfather’s lands, Norm spots a home, which he discovers is a prototype for New York City real estate developer Mr. Greene’s (Ken Jeong) proposed luxury-home project. When Norm’s family and friends call him crazy for thinking humans would want to move to the Arctic, he and his three lemmings sidekicks sneak on a cargo ship headed back to New York. In Manhattan, the developer’s assistant, Vera (Heather Graham), hires Norm (believing him to be an actor in genuine-fur costume) to play the proposed development’s spokesperson to help it win public approval. As Norm gains popularity, he struggles with when to reveal his true identity and tell the world not to allow Greene’s plan to hurt the Arctic.
IS IT ANY GOOD?
Families are better off skipping this underwhelming, potty-humor-filled mess and re-watching better eco-friendly themed films like “Happy Feet” and “Hoot.” “Norm” means well, of course, and there’s nothing truly awful about it, but it’s definitely one to stream or rent at home rather than pay full fare to see. Sadly, no amount of conservation messaging can outweigh the forgettable and dated animation, sub-par writing, and lowbrow humor (really, does anyone need to see lemmings peeing into a fish tank for that many seconds?).
One of the movie’s most egregious problems is its generic use of New York. Although there’s a shot of the Brooklyn Bridge and a couple of Times Square, it otherwise might as well have been set basically anywhere. Unlike “Madagascar” or “Bee Movie,” “Norm” doesn’t mention real places or highlight well-known landmarks, giving no sense of setting other than a generic “insert skyscrapers and outdated yellow taxis” urban landscape. All of that said, the voice talent is decent, especially Jeong, who makes Greene sound appropriately smarmy as a faux zen developer (fake ponytail and all) capitalizing on the “green” trend — when all he wants is the green in his pocket.
RATING AND CONTENT
Recommended for ages 6 and older
Quality: 2 out of 5
Positive messages: 3 out of 5
Positive role models: 3 out of 5
Violence: 2 out of 5
Sex: 1 out of 5
Language: 1 out of 5
Drinking, drugs, and smoking: 1 out of 5
Consumerism: 0 out of 5 (Are products/advertisements embedded? Is the title part of a broader marketing initiative/empire? Is the intent to sell things to kids?)
MOVIE DETAILS
Theatrical release date: January 15, 2016
Cast: Heather Graham, Bill Nighy, Rob Schneider
Director: Trevor Wall
Studio: Lionsgate
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 86 minutes
