A children's comedy about a boy with unnatural flatulence, Thunderpants may not be the most thoughtful film in the world, but it does have surprisingly hidden depths. Concerning the extraordinary exploits of childhood outcast Patrick Smash and his sole friend, the boy genius Alan Allen, Thunderpants moves from the most basic of comedy (unsurprising, given the original premise) to some wonderfully subtle, touching moments of genuine emotion. Director Peter Hewitt resurrects the cartoon style of his hit The Borrowers, creating a vision of England that is timeless yet also steals themes and images from every period from the 1950s onwards, combining Beano-style school children in short trousers with 21st-century technology. The humour is certainly bawdy (perfect for older pre-teens) but the film also has a quaintly old-fashioned feel. Its message, that the world would not be that bad a place if it were just run by children, is oddly reminiscent of the Disney live-action films of yore. Debutant Bruce Cook, beautifully understated while all around him overact mercilessly (especially Simon Callow and Harry Potter's Rupert Grint), brings a quietly innocent dignity to Smash, allowing the hero to rise to the surface. As Stephen Fry points out, a film about a boy who farts excessively shouldn't really work, but Thunderpants is a huge success.
On the DVD: Thunderpants, like many other recent children's films, is an excellent DVD package. Aside from the director's commentary and trailers, there is Bruce Cook's video diary, interviews with the main cast members (proving Cook to be not that dissimilar from his character), a fart montage and a video from hapless pop muppets the Allstars. In addition there are extra features for computer users and a choice of languages. The picture quality is superb, allowing Hewitt's unique visual style full reign; and the sound more than does justice to the unique sound-effect requirements. --Phil Udell
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