When I decided to watch this with my movie theatre-working friend, I didn't really know much of what it was about other than it was based on some books I never read and that it had a satirical bent concerning superheros and kids' imagination in creating them. George and Harold are a couple of pre-teen boys who love comics to the point of creating the title character mentioned above. But the principal at their school has had enough of their pranks and resolves to separate them by having them in different classes. I'll stop there and just say this was quite funny and maybe a bit touching in how some things get resolved. But the fact the fourth wall is often broken seems a sure sign that nothing is meant to be taken seriously. My friend had seen this before and liked it enough to let me watch it with him. It really tickled my funny bone, that's for sure! So on that note, I-and he-highly recommend Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie.

This has been a huge week for "Wonder Woman", as it set a record for a female-directed movie with over $100,000,000 at the box office. However, in all the excitement over this film there is another superhero movie that debuted as well that deserves our attention as well…"Captain Underpants"! And, after having seen both films, I have to admit that I enjoyed watching "Captain Underpants" more because it is something few superhero movies are these days….it's fun! Please understand me…I am not saying it's necessarily better. However, it is a lot of fun and lighthearted…things you'd almost never associate with today's very dark superhero films…and reasons you might not want to take kids to see most of the pictures in this genre.

In order to enjoy the Captain Underpants movie it sure helps if you are a child…or if you are a bit childish. My daughters grew up reading the Captain Underpants books and Dav Pilkey's character certainly has been a hit among kids. Why do kids love Captain Underpants? Well, it's everything serious literature is not…it's filled with potty humor, bad jokes and silliness because Pilkey wrote and illustrated the books as if they were really created by mischievous children…the same George and Harold who are the stars of the film. And, having been a middle school teacher as well as a man who adamantly refuses to grow up, I had a wonderful time seeing it with my 22 year-old daughter…who also loved the movie.

The story begins with George and Harold being called into their very grouchy principal's office. As usual, they are up to no good and as usual the mirthless man is about to throw the book at the boys… sending them to separate classrooms…which is horrible since they are best friends. However, in desperation, George tries out his cheap hypno- ring he got in a cereal box and amazingly it works…turning the principal into the boys' slave. They decide to make him become Captain Underpants…the hero in the comic book the boys have created. And, like this character, the principal begins running around town fighting crime….in his underwear! Little do the boys realize that they'll need his help when the evil Professor Poopypants arrives with his latest weapon!

Okay…I'll admit this does not sound like Shakespeare or Jane Austin. You've got Professor Poopypants, comments about Uranus and fart jokes. But these are exactly what kids really love…and I heard lots of kids laughing throughout the movie. And, even though I am supposed to be sophisticated and above all this, I found myself laughing too.

I also appreciate how the Canadian team who made the film managed to capture the look, style and spirit of the Captain Underpants books. While the CGI is not the most complicated I've ever seen, it matches the characters perfectly…and even offers a cute added sock puppet show! Funny, well written and a lot of fun, this is NOT a good date night movie but a perfect film if you've got kids (young or even grown like mine) who grew up with Pilkey's creation. Not to be missed.

The books are generally fun and immensely charming, predominantly they are child-friendly but there is no real reason why adults would dismiss them, due to the lively characters, nice messaging, humour and heart.

Saw 'Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie' as a huge fan of animation and to see how it stacked up with the books. There was a little trepidation too, because it sounded childish and the humour is usually not my kind of humour and often done badly. Seeing 'Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie', there are certainly far better animated films out there but also far worse. Was scared as to whether it would be pants, but after seeing it it is a long way from that though it falls short of being epic.

'Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie' is a little too hectic at times in terms of the pacing. More could have been done with the villain.

Out of a host of characters that generally fairly thin in development, he in particular did seem under-explored and not much more than a standard more humorous than expected villain, he also seemed a little too abruptly introduced.

However, the animation is very bright and colourful, with lots of rich detail and clever character designs. The music is infectious in its energy and it works with the action rather than against it. There is generally a very nice lively energy to the story, apart from a tendency to be too hectic.

Amazingly, the humour worked surprisingly well. Surprisingly seeing as it really isn't my kind of humour at all and something that should have come over in a childish fashion. It is incredibly silly but also remarkably funny, with the jokes and writing coming thick and fast. The potty-themed slapstick will delight children while adults are likely to find themselves laughing out loud at the knowing verbal wit.

The messaging makes its point without being preachy. Despite them not being the best development, the characters are thankfully more engaging than they are annoying. Voice actors that one expects to not fit and sound completely wrong in their parts actually work perfectly and sound like they're enjoying themselves, Nick Kroll in particular.

In conclusion, surprisingly enjoyable if not perfect. 7/10 Bethany Cox