It's unlikely, in the annals of biblical screen adaptations, that a prophet has been played by a talking piece of asparagus before. Such a thing, however, is par for the course for "VeggieTales," the popular series of Christian-themed children's videos. "Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie" marks the computer-animated foodstuffs' feature film debut, and does indeed star a piece of asparagus -- who wears a monocle -- in the title role.
On their way to a concert by a popular singer, an anthropomorphic group of vegetable children and their chaperones wind up with a flat tire. Lost and with only each other to blame, the disheartened group holes up in a remote seafood restaurant, the children bickering amongst themselves while the adults seethe. Overheard by a nearby table occupied by the self-proclaimed Pirates Who Don't Do Anything (mostly they drink root beer and play ping-pong), the angry vegetables are told Jonah's story.
Surprisingly faithful to the biblical story beyond its cast of produce, the VeggieTales version of Jonah is a haughty piece of asparagus who, as a prophet, travels from village to village delivering literal messages from God. Jonah doesn't know what to do, however, when God tells him to travel to distant Nineveh to give a message to its corrupt people, who like to...slap each other with fish (OK, maybe sometimes not so faithful). Afraid, Jonah instead vows to go as far away from Nineveh as possible, and to that end he enlists the Pirates Who Don't Do Anything to Do Something.
Sailing as far from Nineveh as possible doesn't help Jonah: a storm threatens Jonah, the pirates and stowaway Khalil, an entrepreneurial caterpillar. Knowing a sign from God when they see one, the pirates toss Jonah overboard, where he is promptly swallowed by the famous whale. Vowing to make good on his commitment as a prophet if given a second chance, Jonah, his skin now bleached white, is spit up by the whale and left to complete his mission to the desert city of Nineveh.
Jonah's story, naturally, imparts a lesson to the listening vegetables, one of compassion and the virtue of giving second chances. Packed with musical numbers both bland and charming (the song sung by the children on the bus is particularly catchy) and stocked with the usual cast of characters from the video series, "Jonah" provides the usual white bread whimsy fans of the series have come to appreciate. For anyone else, however, especially those with less religious sensibilities, "Jonah" and its heavy-handed, if cutely animated, way of teaching may come across as grating. "Jonah" is not without its strengths: It's difficult to levy criticism at a film as earnestly determined to deliver its message.
A bit padded even at 79 minutes, "Jonah" will still please VeggieTales fans and those who like peas with French accents, but many might prefer less actual preaching.
"Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie" opens in theaters everywhere Fri., Oct. 4. The film is Rated G.
