Review of Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (2012) by Alex M — 24 Aug 2012

Based off the popular-but-losing-steam children's book series, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies have consistently been average movies. They are watchable, but they don't really add much new to the table and are a little low on truly funny moments. The newest entry, Dog Days, seems to be a bit of an improvement over the last one (like the second one was over the first), but the series is starting to feel a bit tiresome and repetitive.

In Dog Days, school has let out, shifting the focus completely from the middle school scenarios that the first movie nailed so well and instead trying something new for the series. Greg Heffley, the titular Wimpy Kid, has two problems on his hands. The first is getting closer to Holly Hills, which was also a bit focus in the last one. Actually, Greg and Holly are already friends in this one, but Greg wants to take it one step farther. The other big problem is the relationship between Greg and his father. You see, Greg's father thinks that his son needs to toughen up so he might send him to military school. So now the Wimpy Kid has to prove he's "manly" enough so he doesn't have to get shipped off while trying to impress Holly at the same time.

It's clear that this threequel is trying it's best to distinguish itself from it's predecessors, but even still it does come off as a little old. The series is essentially turning into several short comedy skits linked together by a rather thin overarching plot. Most of the action takes place at the country club of which many of the series' characters conveniently belong to (Rowley, Holly, Patty Ferrell). This setting is overused, but at least several of the things that take place here are humorous. There's also trip to the beach that Greg takes with Rowley's family (definitely the highlight of the movie) and a camping trip. Unfortunately, the climax is a stretch and goes on too long, and it is easily one of the weaker parts of the movie. Overall, the movie has some funny moments, but ends up falling short as a whole.

Greg Heffley is clearly getting older (just listen to his new voice and you'll see what I mean), and this series is getting older right along with him. Unfortunately, the movies aren't getting smarter overtime like this needs to get in order to not get stale. So although Diary of Wimpy Kid: Dog Days is passable and somewhat enjoyable, the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series needs to get wittier if it wants to see successful entries in the future.