History takes a roller coaster ride

Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014)

Mr. Peabody, the most accomplished dog in the world, and his mischievous boy Sherman, use their time machine - the WABAC - to go on the most outrageous adventures known to man or dog. But when Sherman takes the WABAC out for a joyride to impress his friend Penny, they accidentally rip a hole in the universe, wreaking havoc on the most important events in world history. Before they forever alter the past, present and future, Mr. Peabody must come to their rescue, ultimately facing the most daunting challenge of any era: figuring out how to be a parent. Together, the time traveling trio will make their mark on history. (c) Twentieth Century Fox

Mr. Peabody and Sherman was unexpectedly fun. Or pun-filled, as it were.

The 3D animated feature on the time-travelling adventures of the dog-and-his-boy tandem is both entertaining and clever, energetic and touching.

Honestly, I only agreed to watching it because I heard Bastille's Pompeii in the trailer, and I thought it was a good reason enough to watch it. Moreover, I'm certainly am not familiar with the cartoon series it was based on. And watching the trailer alone, I went to the cinema without any grand expectations aside from it being a straight-up science fiction adventure for kids. 

With the trio's misadventures told in breakneck speed, cheeky characterizations of historical figures, the rather poignant adoption father-and-son arc, not to mention the overall visual appeal of the sets and character designs, the film was surprisingly enjoyable. 

I'm actually more inclined to believe that the film is designed to be enjoyed by adults more, with all the lively historical anecdotes and puns. (Or maybe because my companion and I are kids-pretending-to-be-adults ourselves.) I think Mr. Peabody & Sherman didn't promise anything spectacular with its premise and plot. It's simple, and managed to deliver in the fun department.