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The boxy, vivid animation is at first intriguing and catchy, but eventually it wears us down with its simplicity and a general lack of inventiveness. Hilarious jokes, movie references and sight gags go whizzing by us amid the dull-witted mayhem and simplistic story. Basically, this isn't much more than a souped-up Pokemon movie--action and violence for their own sake alone. And to be honest, it's far too violent. Sure, the filmmakers try to assure us that no one actually gets hurt, but frequent images of damaged skyscrapers raining debris down onto the panicked city dwellers, who are screaming and running for cover, is just a little disturbing in today's political climate. The sugary sweet side-plot about the happily bonding Professor and his girls just doesn't gel with this; it feels like a crass and juvenile attempt to be hip and cool, juxtaposing wide-eyed cuteness with video-game destruction, South Park-style (as if!). Sure, there's plenty of wacky energy, but if you look even a little closely there's nothing else at all.