Watch Kids' Reviews of
INVENTORS

Inventors has a good, not great, premise. It definitely took me a while to engage, and though pretty predictable, I definitely wanted to see it through to the end. The ending, however, is a bit disjointed>The story follows two teams of scientific-minded characters that attend Inventacon and vie to create a device that will save all of mankind. There's teamwork and tension along the way to the final reveal, where the future of Inventacon is at stake.

The opening credits and music are flashy and make the viewer want to enjoy the film. For the most part, the storyline abides by the principle of Chekhov's gun, introducing an item or arc that will be used or resolved by the story's end. This is a stop action film in which the characters are presented by doll-like figurines with quite realistic faces. They seem to be cyborgs, and the reason for that is completely unclear. All the voiceover actors are excellent. I especially enjoyed the character of Duffy (Tom Clark),who had a history of being bullied, so he developed the ability to do vocal imitations of Arnold Schwarzenegger and many more famous actors and comedians--great comedic relief! The figurines over gesticulate while talking, which is a bit distracting. The costumes of these characters pay great attention to detail in their wardrobe choices, including the shoe styles. One character, Bull, has a Mohawk which is so obviously glued on that it draws the viewer's attention too much to it, especially since the character has a mannerism of rubbing his hair when thinking or stressed.

The backgrounds are lively and vibrant, using a palette of bold primary colors. The story requires lots of scientific props, and these things are wildly creative! Some are recognizable daily objects such as beads or copper scrubber pads--very fun! Other props, such as tools, had to be made to scale. This aspect is wonderfully done.

All of the songs are catchy and well composed, and introduced seamlessly during appropriate scenes. The lyrics are somewhat more pedantic than necessary--kids can get the point from the storyline's action. The ending, however, is somewhat perplexing. We discover a whole world outside the world we've been following. It breaks the fourth wall and introduces the human judges of CreAtech, as well as a live audience. It is a bit disconcerting. Also, it morphs to a PSA sort of message that is more heavy handed method than necessary. The ending is just odd and doesn't seem to quite fit the storyline--it's so abrupt in its placement and presence!

The message is very obvious: teamwork makes the dream work--if everyone can set aside differences and focus on the goal, anything can be achieved. The secondary message in the ending is that we need to get off social media and interact with our fellow human beings in earnest.

I give Inventors 3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12, plus adults. By Debra L., KIDS FIRST!

Inventors has a good, not great, premise. It definitely took me a while to engage, and though pretty predictable, I definitely wanted to see it through to the end. The ending, however, is a bit disjointed>The story follows two teams of scientific-minded characters that attend Inventacon and vie to create a device that will save all of mankind. There's teamwork and tension along the way to the final reveal, where the future of Inventacon is at stake.

The opening credits and music are flashy and make the viewer want to enjoy the film. For the most part, the storyline abides by the principle of Chekhov's gun, introducing an item or arc that will be used or resolved by the story's end. This is a stop action film in which the characters are presented by doll-like figurines with quite realistic faces. They seem to be cyborgs, and the reason for that is completely unclear. All the voiceover actors are excellent. I especially enjoyed the character of Duffy (Tom Clark),who had a history of being bullied, so he developed the ability to do vocal imitations of Arnold Schwarzenegger and many more famous actors and comedians--great comedic relief! The figurines over gesticulate while talking, which is a bit distracting. The costumes of these characters pay great attention to detail in their wardrobe choices, including the shoe styles. One character, Bull, has a Mohawk which is so obviously glued on that it draws the viewer's attention too much to it, especially since the character has a mannerism of rubbing his hair when thinking or stressed.

The backgrounds are lively and vibrant, using a palette of bold primary colors. The story requires lots of scientific props, and these things are wildly creative! Some are recognizable daily objects such as beads or copper scrubber pads--very fun! Other props, such as tools, had to be made to scale. This aspect is wonderfully done.

All of the songs are catchy and well composed, and introduced seamlessly during appropriate scenes. The lyrics are somewhat more pedantic than necessary--kids can get the point from the storyline's action. The ending, however, is somewhat perplexing. We discover a whole world outside the world we've been following. It breaks the fourth wall and introduces the human judges of CreAtech, as well as a live audience. It is a bit disconcerting. Also, it morphs to a PSA sort of message that is more heavy handed method than necessary. The ending is just odd and doesn't seem to quite fit the storyline--it's so abrupt in its placement and presence!

The message is very obvious: teamwork makes the dream work--if everyone can set aside differences and focus on the goal, anything can be achieved. The secondary message in the ending is that we need to get off social media and interact with our fellow human beings in earnest.

I give Inventors 3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 12, plus adults. By Debra L., KIDS FIRST!

This year's Invent-A-Con could be the last. Teams have three days to create an invention to save their contest. Before joining his new team, Bull is confronted by his former teammate about leaving. Bull tries to take charge. Liz explains they need to work together but Bull works on his own. Liz & Bull disagree on a shortcut. Liz sees Duffy has adjusted his recharger. With hours left, their device explodes. Bull's idea caused it. Team 2 wins, but, it doesn't meet the requirements to save Invent-A-Con. All are devastated. Bull suggests they combine the two inventions. The judges approve. There won't be enough power for the new invention. Bull offers to sacrifice his power. It won't be enough. Duffy remembers his recharger increases power. The teams work to combine the inventions. Bull apologizes to Liz and Henry. They remove Bull's power and insert it into the new invention. It works! Judges approve! They connect their power together to save Bull. We pull out to see a large lab with pleased handicapped kids equipped with devices that have been controlling our avatars.