Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules
(PG), 105 minutes
Stars: 3/5
The year of the sequel continues at a good pace with the second in the series from the best-selling Diary of a Wimpy Kid books.
In the children's genre, coming soon are sequels for Cars and Kung Fu Panda,
and for older audiences new adventures for Transformers and Harry Potter continue the theme.
Such is the demand for box-office success, moviemakers are obviously pursuing the tried and true.
Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon) brought such success when we first met him last year.
Greg was a boy who just wanted to fit in when he arrived at middle school.
But with mates like Rowley Jefferson and Fregley, that wasn't going to be easy.
We rejoin Greg after the summer holidays and he returns to school older and wiser, expecting a trouble-free year.
If only his brother Roderick (Devon Bostick) was on board with that plan.
Roderick's sole purpose in life seems to be tormenting his younger brother.
He enjoys untold pleasure in embarrassing Greg and getting him into trouble with their parents.
Mum, Susan, has other plans for the boys and sets out on a mission to bring them closer.
Little does she know that the only things Roderick will teach Greg are not worth knowing.
Through a combination of shared crimes and obligation, the boys do get closer.
Greg also learns a few of the tricks of the trade that have got Roderick to the lowly position in life he now occupies.
This sequel moves slightly away from the formula of the original and is not about goofy kids getting in strife.
While the same kids float in and out of the storyline, it is more about the siblings and the weird way their relationship grows.
Judging by the youngsters in the cinema, they enjoyed Greg's latest adventure and will be back for more.
