The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series has been prevalent in the childhood of many. With 11 books and now five movies, there is no shortage of content. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” the new animated movie, was released Dec. 3, 2021, on Disney+. The movie is a recreation of the iconic “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” the first movie created. The original movie was a live action film starring Zachary Gordon (Greg) and Robert Capron (Rowley).  

Unlike many original scenes, the infamous Halloween night did make a reappearance in the animated production. This scene, the highlight of the movie, captures the cliche of boys struggling to survive middle school. The boys, Greg and Rowley, stumble into their school bullies and are forced to run for their lives. This scene was the only one that provided the viewer any suspense as they watched the cartoon boys run throughout town. A measly 58 minutes, the film feels incomplete. Even after the movie ends, the story is unfinished. There needs to be more to encapsulate the purpose of the film and Diary of a Wimpy Kid series as a whole.  

Jeff Kinney, the creator of the franchise, always envisioned an animated production of his books. His dream was to have his sketched characters portrayed as closely as possible on screen, and this movie accomplished that.  

“We’re really seeing Greg’s world come to life in animated form for the first time quite fully,” Kinney said. 

The movie did not encapsulate the key elements that make the series what it is. Without actors on screen, the movie lacks emotion; The viewer doesn’t feel the humor they should while watching the movie. The script itself is sufficient, yet the delivery was subpar.