Thunderpants

This topic contains:

• details about Thunderpants' classification and consumer advice lines
• a review of Thunderpants completed by Young Media Australia (YMA) on 15 January 2003.

About the movie

This section contains details about the movie, including its classification by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) and the associated consumer advice lines.

YMA review

This review of the movie Thunderpants contains the following information:

• a synopsis of the story
• use of violence
• material that may scare children
• sexual references, nudity and sexual activity
• use of alcohol and other drugs
• coarse language
• the movie's message
• overall comments

A synopsis of the story

Thunderpants is the story of Patrick Smash, who was born with a very unique gift, two stomachs and the ability to control, at will, extremely volatile flatulence. As a baby, Patrick's gift created a number of problems for the family, such as violently explosive nappies. After being hospitalised from Patrick's exploding nappies, Patrick's father leaves home for a more quite life leaving Patrick and his older sister to be raised by their mother.

Problems really begin to develop for Patrick when he starts school, as he is continuously ostracised and bullied by other children as a result of his "problem". At school, Patrick develops a friendship with Alan A Allen, a boy genius with absolutely no sense of smell. Alan Allen uses his genius to invent Thunderpants 1, unique pants designed to solve Patrick's problem. At this point Alan A Allen is snatched up by men in black and taken to America where his genius is used in an attempt to save an orbiting space station in dire straits. The situation develops to the point where Alan A Allen can only save the space station by creating a rocket ship powered by Patrick's flatulence. This provides Patrick with a chance of fulfilling his life long dream of becoming an astronaut. In the end Patrick's bottom saves the day, and Patrick becomes a hero and the envy of all those who ridiculed him.

Use of violence

There is some violence in a comic slapstick context:

• Nappies explode causing Patrick's father to be hospitalised.
• A falling stage light kills an opera singer, which is also set in an unrealistic and comic context where Patrick is charged with the murder of the opera singer and placed in front of a firing squad.

More serious violence is portrayed, including Patrick being bullied, specifically:

• receiving a number of savage punches to his face
• being tied to playground equipment, stripped to his underwear, and then ridiculed by the entire school.
  This violence is set in a real life context and presented in a realistic manner, yet seemingly has no real life consequences.

Material that may scare children

Children might be disturbed when Patrick is:

• abandoned by his father
• ostracised by the community at large
• punched and chased by schoolyard bullies
• tied to school play equipment and stripped naked
• verbally abused by his peers ('fart boy')
• abandoned by his friend Alan
• jailed for the murder of an opera singer and faced in front of a firing squad
• having his life threatened when the rocket ship is launched.

Sexual references, nudity and sexual activity

There are no sexual references or nudity in this movie.

Use of alcohol and other drugs

Patrick's mother continuously sneaks sips from a hip flask whenever problems arise in relation to Patrick's problem. It is not indicated at any time what the flask is filled with, but alcohol appears the most obvious inference.

Coarse language

There is no coarse language, there however a number of put-downs such as 'fart boy'.

The movie's message

The main take home message presented in Thunderpants is that personal weakness if used wisely can be turned into strengths.

Values that parents may wish to encourage include:

• the value and meaning of friendship and loyalty
• the value of achievement and self worth
• belief in one's own special abilities and talents.

Values that parents may wish to discourage include:

• bullying. The bullies portrayed are always males and big and involves the use of physical violence
• that being different is a weakness or disadvantage and results in being ostracised
• parents abandon children who are different or cause a problem.

Overall comments

Most children will enjoy the 'bottom' humour in this movie, with the following provisos:

Children under 8
Young children may find the schoolyard violence real and scary. Patrick's father abandoning his family may also create problems for some young children

Children aged 8-12
May have better skills to cope with the school yard violence.

Children over the age of 12
Would probably find that story line lacks the challenge needed to keep their interest.