This was a surprisingly good Disney Channel movie, despite the highly implausible storyline. For once, the characters actually have some depth and deal with serious relational issues. This is also the first Disney Channel movie in several years where the main characters are older than middle-school age (Roscoe actually drives!), which may be part of the reason for the unusual depth of the material.
Credit goes to Ricky Ullman for his excellent performance as Roscoe, a kid with serious fantasy/reality distinguishing problems. The character could have come across as either disturbingly weird or just plain silly, but Ullman approaches the role with a realness and sincerity that you just don't see a lot of in this sort of production.
The movie's depictions of being inside the Internet and the human brain are imaginative, inspired, and really rather thought-provoking. The visual-effects experience of director Mark Dippe really comes through very well in this.
The songs throughout the movie are fun and frothy, but don't be fooled -- there's a serious, emotional, raw undercurrent to the entire film that really sets it apart from most Disney Channel fare. A very good movie indeed.
Credit goes to Ricky Ullman for his excellent performance as Roscoe, a kid with serious fantasy/reality distinguishing problems. The character could have come across as either disturbingly weird or just plain silly, but Ullman approaches the role with a realness and sincerity that you just don't see a lot of in this sort of production.
The movie's depictions of being inside the Internet and the human brain are imaginative, inspired, and really rather thought-provoking. The visual-effects experience of director Mark Dippe really comes through very well in this.
The songs throughout the movie are fun and frothy, but don't be fooled -- there's a serious, emotional, raw undercurrent to the entire film that really sets it apart from most Disney Channel fare. A very good movie indeed.