Wonder Park: Movie Review

Wonder Park tells the story of an imaginative young girl named June. This wildly creative kid spends her time thinking up crazy ideas and building them with her mom. Together, they create a magical amusement park called Wonder Land.

When sad news comes to the family, June's whole world crumbles. Some time later, on a walk, June stumbles into their theme park, hidden inside a nearby overgrown forest. What she ends up finding in Wonder Land isn't what she (or her mom) imagined. The park is in shambles and needs her help before it's lost and gone forever.

Wonder Park offers some real highs and lows. Sadly, it's not entirely a thrill ride. The Paramount Pictures animation takes a deep dive into some serious waters. The PG film vividly depicts how depression/darkness can take over and destroy a child's life. And, the resolution - though ultimately a happy one - doesn't resonate with the same depth as the story's great premise and setup.

June's story will take you on a loop the loop of emotions as you watch her become a shell of her former self. And that heaviness might hit you harder than the movie's happy ending.

What's to love about Wonder Park? June. Her creativity. Her can-do attitude. Her engineering mind. Her resourcefulness. Her love for loving people and bringing them joy. She's great, which makes watching her spiral that much harder.

Rated PG for "some mild thematic elements and action", Wonder Park is fairly tame, content wise. However, it might be distressing for some kiddos. Those you do take might need a little reassuring (heard a dad doing this behind me at my screening). Oh, and there's zombie-like monkey dolls at the park. They're not scary, just a bit creepy.

Wonder Park has the makings of a fun, fulfilling family-friendly film, and delivers to a degree. It just doesn't hit the bullseye.