When you're doing a movie adaptation of a superhero story, audiences expect you to go through the origin story and have the arch-nemesis be confronted for the first time in an epic battle that serves as the climax. And if you're doing a film version of a series that usually airs on television, the animation should be better and the stakes should be higher. The Powerpuff Girls Movie fails to disappoint on all these fronts, but also exceeds expectations in an oft-overlooked aspect in stakes-raising: character drama.
Having the Powerpuff Girls each take on the role of The Atoner was also a brilliant way of making their motivations to become superheroes more interesting, especially because they helped build up their enemy which made it more personal than just "Save The World from the Big Bad". The only flaw I can find in this movie is that the denouement is too short if we're looking at this as a stand alone piece. I would've preferred if there was a brief montage of the Powerpuff Girls putting Townsville back together, before attending a good-as-new Pokey Oaks where they aren't hated anymore. However, the Powerpuff Girls series itself does more than enough to even out the lack of a satisfactory portrayal of a positive reception of the team in the denouement to balance out the first half.
Regardless, the Powerpuff Girls Movie was an excellent example of how to do a film adaptation right.
The Powerpuff Girls' Big Damn Movie: Spoilers Ahoy!
When you're doing a movie adaptation of a superhero story, audiences expect you to go through the origin story and have the arch-nemesis be confronted for the first time in an epic battle that serves as the climax. And if you're doing a film version of a series that usually airs on television, the animation should be better and the stakes should be higher. The Powerpuff Girls Movie fails to disappoint on all these fronts, but also exceeds expectations in an oft-overlooked aspect in stakes-raising: character drama.
Sure you can have gigantic battles to establish that the series needed the big screen to tell its story, but having increased drama is also a good way to ratchet up the intrigue because you're more invested in the resolution of the conflict. This movie is Darker And Edgier in the best way, because Reality Ensues for the Powerpuff Girls in a logical yet soul-crushing manner in their game of tag and the town's reaction to it. Not to mention the tragic scene where Professor Utonium's desperately pleas to be released from prison while the girls waited for him outside of school, which didn't require any actual changes to the characters themselves, just the circumstances surrounding them, which is the key to this movie's effective execution of emotional conflict.
Having the Powerpuff Girls each take on the role of The Atoner was also a brilliant way of making their motivations to become superheroes more interesting, especially because they helped build up their enemy which made it more personal than just "Save The World from the Big Bad". The only flaw I can find in this movie is that the denouement is too short if we're looking at this as a stand alone piece. I would've preferred if there was a brief montage of the Powerpuff Girls putting Townsville back together, before attending a good-as-new Pokey Oaks where they aren't hated anymore. However, the Powerpuff Girls series itself does more than enough to even out the lack of a satisfactory portrayal of a positive reception of the team in the denouement to balance out the first half.
Regardless, the Powerpuff Girls Movie was an excellent example of how to do a film adaptation right.