‘Wonder Park’ is a fun family film with a surprisingly touching story

Posted on March 22, 2019

By MARK VIOLA

I’ve always felt that children’s movies shouldn’t pander to kids. Sure, there’s room for mindless entertainment — just like summer popcorn flicks can entertain adults — but I appreciate family films that take the extra effort to deliver something a little more.

I’ll be honest, going into “Wonder Park” — produced by Ilion Animation Studios (“Planet 51”) and distributed by Nickelodeon Films — I did not expect it to be one of them. On the surface, it seems to be about a young girl and a magical amusement park, but if you strip away all the goofy characters and colorful surroundings, there is a story about a child worried about the health of a parent, something that all too many children have to face.

Even more surprising, “Wonder Park” manages to handle this aspect of the story in a very respectful fashion. In that, it is similar to Pixar’s “Inside Out” and Japanese director Mamoru Hosoda’s “Mirai,” which came out last year. In both of those films, the main characters had to deal with a very real circumstance, whether it be moving to a new town or welcoming a new sibling.

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