Horrid Henry: The Movie is a 2011 British 3Dcomedy film directed by Nick Moore[4] and produced by Allan Niblo, Rupert Preston, Mike Watts, and Lucinda Whiteley,[5] who wrote it. In the film, Henry and the Purple Hand Gang fight to prevent the closure of their school by an evil private school headmaster. It is based on the fictional character Horrid Henry from the children's book series of the same name by Francesca Simon.[6] The film itself takes place before series 3 of the TV series.
Phase 4 Films and Entertainment One released the film in theatres in the United States and Canada on 22 December 2012.[9] The film universally panned by critics and audiences, who criticised its humour, use of 3D, acting, and low quality, but was positively received from fans of the books and the TV series. It grossed $10.1 million worldwide. Horrid Henry: The Movie was released on DVD and Blu-ray on 28 November 2011 in the United Kingdom. Horrid Henry: The Movie has sold over 750,000 DVD copies in the UK.[10]
Plot
After once again neglecting to finish his homework, Horrid Henry has his friend, Brainy Brian, forge a note from his mother claiming that his cat ate it. His teacher, Miss Battle-Axe, sees through Henry's ruse because the word "homework" is spelled correctly, something Henry struggles with. While Henry is in detention, his friends join him, and they rehearse for a school talent contest; they are interrupted by Miss Oddbod, the Headmistress, and two school inspectors.
Meanwhile, Vic Van Wrinkle, the headmaster of the prestigious Brick House School, influences the school inspectors to close down Ashton Primary, the school Henry attends, hoping to profit from an influx of new students. The inspectors encourage Henry's pranks, resulting in Miss Battle-Axe and her colleague, Miss Lovely, being dismissed for failing to maintain discipline. Furthermore, Miss Oddbod prohibits Henry's band, the Zero Zombies, from entering the talent contest.
With Ashton Primary on the brink of closing, Henry's Great Aunt Greta offers to pay for Henry to attend an all-girls private academy (thinking Henry is a girl) and his younger brother, Perfect Peter, to attend Brick House. Miss Lovely applies for a job at Brick House and spies on Van Wrinkle; she is captured, but passes notes about Van Wrinkle's plan to Peter. After Henry escapes from his new school with the help of Margaret, who has also been transferred there, he and the Zero Zombies compete in the talent contest, hoping that a victory will garner enough fame to save Ashton Primary from closure. They win the contest, but Miss Oddbod informs Henry that fame is irrelevant in this case.
Henry later receives an invitation to participate in the game show2 Cool 4 School, and Margaret suggests they use the cash prize to bribe the school inspectors into leaving Ashton Primary alone. In the final round of the game, Henry is confronted by Miss Battle-Axe, who challenges him to spell "homework." Recalling Miss Battle-Axe's previous admonitions and using the phrase "Oh, Henry" as a mnemonic device, he finally spells the word correctly and wins.
Meanwhile, Peter and his friends try to rescue Miss Lovely, but are captured by Van Wrinkle. Miss Lovely tricks Van Wrinkle into explaining his plan while Peter has her mobile phone on a call with Miss Oddbod, who calls the police. Van Wrinkle attempts to escape, but falls over due to Peter tying his shoelaces together; he and the school inspectors are arrested. Henry offers the cash prize to Miss Oddbod, who declines it and explains that the school has already been saved. Instead, the money is used to throw a party at Henry's house.
Cast
Theo Stevenson as Horrid Henry, a 11-year-old boy who is considered horrid due to his behaviour.
Anjelica Huston as Miss Boudicca Battle-Axe, the teacher of Henry and his class who despises him, yet is determined to teach him something.
David Schneider as Soggy Sid, the P.E teacher at Ashton Primary who despises Henry.
Rebecca Front as Miss Cynthia Oddbod, the Headmistress of Ashton Primary who often confiscates toys and sweets from her students.
Jo Brand as Greasy Greta, a dinner lady who serves Henry vegetable stew on 2 Cool 4 School.
Parminder Nagra as Miss Lovely, Perfect Peter's teacher who is kind and optimistic.
Dick and Dom as the presenters of 2 Cool 4 School.
Kimberley Walsh as Prissy Polly, Henry and Peter's older cousin.
Richard E. Grant as Vic Van Wrinkle, the Headmaster of Brick House.
Mathew Horne as Silly Simon (Dad), the father of Henry and Peter and the husband of Mum.
Noel Fielding as Ed Banger, the lead singer of the Killer Boy Rats, Henry's favourite band.
Prunella Scales as Great Aunt Greta, Henry's great aunt who thinks that Henry is a girl named Henrietta and that Peter is a teenager.
Siobhan Hayes as Ecstatic Eileen (Mum), the mother of Henry and Peter and the wife of Dad.
Helen Lederer as Rich Aunt Ruby, the sister of Mum and the wealthy aunt of Henry and Peter.
Scarlett Stitt as Moody Margaret, the Arch enemy of Henry who lives next door to him and the Leader of the Secret Club.
Ross Marron as Perfect Peter, the 9-year-old younger brother of Henry who is good and well-behaved.
Lloyd Howells as Rude Ralph, Henry's best friend.
Jack Sanders as Aerobic Al, an athletic boy who is good friends with Henry.
Connor O'Mara as Beefy Bert, a boy who lacks intelligence and always says "I dunno" who is a friend of Henry's.
Reuben Lee as Brainy Brian, the most intelligent in his class and a friend of Henry's.
Billy Kennedy as Weepy William, a sensitive boy who often gets emotional and a friend of Henry's.
Helena Barlow as Sour Susan, Moody Margaret's best friend who usually copies what she says.
Nikita Mistry as Gorgeous Gurinder, a vain girl who is friends with Margaret.
Ela Warburton as Lazy Linda, a lazy girl who often sleeps in class and a friend of Margaret's.
Nethra Tilakumara as Singing Soraya, a girl who enjoys singing and often sings her sentences and a friend of Margaret's.
Metin and Timur Ahmet as the School Inspectors, the Henchmen of Vic Van Wrinkle who are being paid to help get Ashton Primary closed down.
Frank Kauer as Spotless Sam, a tidy boy who is best friends with Peter.
Joshua-James Thomas as Goody Goody Gordon, a well-behaved boy who is best friends with Peter.
Gabriel Werb as Tidy Ted, a tidy boy who is best friends with Peter.
Tyger Drew-Honey as Stuck-up Steve, the snobby older cousin of Henry and Peter, who is spoiled and attends Brick House.
Tamsin Heatley as Miss Tutu, the dance teacher at Ashton Primary who teaches some students ballet, and the voice of Fang, Henry's vicious pet hamster.
Philip Pope as Moody Margaret's Dad, the lenient father of Margaret who spoils her.
Kia Pegg as Vicious Vicky, the younger sister of Sour Susan who frequently bites people for no reason.
Grant Logan as Wheely Walter, the Science teacher at Ashton Primary who uses a wheelchair.
Lily and Sasha Demetriou Ottaway as Vomiting Vera, the baby girl of Prissy Polly.
Lizzie Waterworth-Santo as Nitty Nora, the nit nurse at Ashton Primary.
Production
Horrid Henry: The Movie was filmed at London for seven weeks in November and December in 2010 and was released in cinemas the following summer.[8]
Release
Horrid Henry: The Movie was theatrically released on 29 July 2011, in the U.K. by Vertigo Films.[11][9] It was later released on DVD and Blu-ray on 28 November, that same year, in the United Kingdom.
The film received extremely negative reviews from critics. Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports that 9% of 22 reviews for Horrid Henry: The Movie are positive; the average rating is 3.60/10.[14] Common criticisms included the unfunny, juvenile humour,[15][16][17] stuttering plot,[15][17][18] and unimaginative use of stereoscopy.[15][16][17] The bright colour palette was widely praised, but generally said to be wasted, given the overall low quality of the film.[15][16][18]
Leslie Felperin of Variety stated: 'Thinly scripted, even for a kidpic, but luridly colored enough to keep even nap needing tots (or parents) awake, this sophomore effort by Brit helmer Nick Moore (Wild Child) reps something of a waste of its impressive roster of supporting thespian talent, while its use of 3D is likewise less than imaginative.'[15]
Derek Adams offered the film mild praise in Time Out: "Horrid Henry is indelibly flawed and disorderly in tone but not devoid of rambunctious charm".[18] When interviewed on Desert Island Discs by Kirsty Young, Horrid Henry book author Francesca Simon stated: 'I haven't seen it (the film)...I had nothing to do with it.'[19] Sandie Angulo Chen of Common Sense Media gave this a film two stars out of five, describing as a "forgettable British kid comedy is pretty horrid indeed."[20]
Killer Boy Rats (Lucinda Whiteley, Matthew Corbett and Mike Wilkie)
Sequel
In an interview with Novel Entertainment, aired out in January 2020 after the success of Horrid Henry: The Movie being aired on Nicktoons, executive producer Lucinda Whiteley said she was "absolutely [working on a sequel]! And not just one but two sequels, as the story of how Henry ends up saving the world needs more than just 90 minutes!"[23]
