Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days

‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days’ is not very different from the last two films of the series; it is simply yet another chapter full of mishaps and quirky moments. One thing that is nice about these films for pre-adolescent kids is being able to follow the same set of characters throughout different stages of their lives. These are the kind of movies you can let your kids watch from home, as going to the theater might bore adults with the story, since there is not much intellect that drives it.

This movie combines two books from the wimpy kid series The Last Straw and Dog Days; here Greg (Zachary Gordon) is ready for summer but not being the outdoorsy type he plans on spending it playing videogames with the curtains drawn. His plans change as his dad Frank (Steve Zahn) tries to get him to enjoy the summer by playing sports and joining a camp. Thanks to his friend Rowley (Robert Capron) he’s able to escape from his dad by joining him in a country club, where he bumps into his crush Holly (Peyton List) and his summer plans quickly begin to change.

The thing I disliked most about the film is how much Greg prefers videogames to being outdoors, and while this is an attitude most kids unfortunately undertake nowadays, it almost seems like the movie is promoting it. I don’t have much of a problem with Greg’s dependency but more so with his actions, and although this might be realistic I think it might teach bad habits. The simple plot will easily bore adults; it is mainly aimed at its younger audience who will probably enjoy it from either following the books or the movie series.   

One important thing it teaches is how much interaction and bonding between the parents and children are needed no matter how it’s done, since it helps to create a more understanding relationship. Another important thing is how it shows that even when things don’t go as expected the world isn’t over and there’s always a way to see things positively and to have fun.

I think director David Bowers has made it so that anyone can easily watch the film whether or not you’ve followed the books or movies, as you can easily get the characters and the familiarity that surrounds the film. These movies can easily work as a TV series and hence the reason why I think it best to watch it from home, since it doesn’t offer anything out of the ordinary to force you to spend the extra money at the movie theater.