Maybe it has to do with the lowered expectations surrounding something with Dog Days in its title being released during a traditionally less stellar time in the movie-going season, but the third installment in the Wimpy Kid franchise turns out to be not so wimpy after all.
Although it paints everything with the same broad sitcom strokes as its predecessor, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, culled from the third and fourth books in Jeff Kinneys wildly successful novel in cartoons series, proves nimbler and truer to its origins than last years Rodrick Rules.
Despite the fact that this schools out edition is hitting theatres at a time when many kids in the country are getting ready to go back, the modestly budgeted Fox 2000 presentation should still come within spitball distance of the $53 million taken domestically by number two.
Its summer break in the Heffley household, and while the teenaged Greg (Zachary Gordon) is content to while away the sunny hours inside playing video games, his hapless dad, Frank (Steve Zahn) has other, father-son bonding ideas.
Hes initially able to dodge working as an intern at Franks office by pretending he already landed a job at the ritzy country club where his buddy Rowley belongs--and where his crush Holly Hills (Peyton List) hangs out--but when his dad catches on to the ruse, Greg gets dragged off on an ill-fated camping trip.
David Bowers, who also helmed Rodrick Rules and incoming screenwriters Maya Forbes (The Larry Sanders Show) and Wallace Wolodarsky (Monsters vs. Aliens) have brought the title character closer to those wimpier roots after Greg came across as a little too mean-spirited the last time out.
As again portrayed by Gordon, this time around theres more vulnerability to temper that smart-ass streak, while the story as a whole feels less episodic.
You still wont find the characters fleshed out any more substantially than Kinneys stick figures, but Zahns unique way with a line reading or reaction keeps things benignly amusing.
Also back are Rachael Harris as Gregs just-coping mom, Devon Bostick as lazy big-brother Rodrick and red-headed Robert Capron as his big-hearted best pal Rowley.
Shooting once again took place in Vancouver, shot back-to-back with the second film last summer, to ensure the wimpy kid didnt look more like a wimpy man.
Opens: Friday, Aug. 3 (20th Century Fox)
Production companies: Fox 2000 Pictures, Color Force
Cast: Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron, Devon Bostick, Rachael Harris, Steve Zahn
Director: David Bowers
Screenwriters: Maya Forbes & Wallace Wolodarsky
Executive producers: Jeff Kinney, Jeremiah Samuels
Producers: Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson
Director of photography: Anthony B. Richmond
Production designer: Brent Thomas
Music: Edward Shearmur
Costume designer: Monique Prudhomme
Editor: Troy Takaki
Rating: PG, 94 minutes.
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