Movie review: Mr Peabody & Sherman

Mr Peabody & Sherman (PG) 110minutes

Based on Jay Ward's cartoon characters from Peabody's Improbable History on the 60s television show Rocky and Bullwinkle, Mr Peabody is the world's smartest person ... who just happens to be a dog.

Rejected by human owners, he turns his mind to amazing accomplishments, including the invention of the WABAC (way back) time machine. He also finds an unwanted baby, Sherman, and adopts him.

On Sherman's first day of school he gets into a fight, bullied by schoolmate Penny, who calls him a dog.

When child services threaten to take Sherman away, Mr Peabody attempts to win them around, but it all turns hilariously chaotic when Sherman takes Penny in the time machine.

Travelling through the Renaissance and the Battle of Troy, and inspiring the painting of the Mona Lisa, they need to enlist Mr Peabody's help. Hiccups in their time travel lead to history spinning out of control, and Mr Peabody and Sherman must work out how to save the world.

The movie is educational without being overly didactic. Clever humour peppers the plot and Mr Peabody's genius and language play will delight adults as well as kids.

Historical events and characters are colourfully woven into the plot with accuracy and flair, including portraying how Mona Lisa got her smile or asking whether George Washington really did chop down a cherry tree.

There are also subtle moral lessons in the tale that will appeal to children, such as how to stand up to bullies and what it means to be different - whether you're a geek or a dog.

Anyone who enjoys a good-time travel yarn will also enjoy the pseudo-science of "wormholes" and the space-time continuum, which kids will ponder and debate for hours afterwards.

The makeover of the original cartoon characters includes technological wizardry to satisfy the 21st-century audience, but they still retain their charm.

Like its eponymous characters, Mr Peabody and Sherman is witty, funny and engaging, and is sure to educate and captivate.

Watch the trailer here: