Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie

2002 Comedy

One of the best-known stories from the Bible gets a new and decidedly playful retelling in this animated comedy, the first feature film from the creators of the popular video series VeggieTales. Archibald Asparagus (voice of Phil Vischer) stars as Jonah, who is chosen by God to help spread his message to the world. Unfortunately, his first stop on his evangelical tour is the city of Nineveh, where the residents while away their days bingeing on cheese snacks and arguing, usually settling a war of words by throwing fish at one another. Circumstances force Jonah to set sail across the ocean, where he's assisted by Khalil (voice of Tim Hodge), a carpet peddler who is half caterpillar and half worm ("but I'm OK with that now"), and "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything," who are led by the well-meaning but lethargic Mr. Lunt, Pa Grape (both voiced by Phil Vischer), and Larry the Cucumber (voice of Mike Nawrocki). However, Jonah's mission gets a bit of a setback when a mammoth whale changes his plans. Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki, who provide most of the character voices, also wrote and directed Jonah: A Veggie Tales Movie, and also created the original video series. more..

Director: Phil Vischer

Reviews

  • Bouncy animation and catchy songs keep the film from tasting too much like spinach.

    Bruce Fretts - Entertainment Weekly

    26 April 2013

  • The main lessons Jonah attempts to teach are compassion and mercy. That's an unusual -- and welcome -- message these days.

    Claudia Puig - USA Today

    26 April 2013

  • The movie's heart is in the right place, but all its messages of tolerance might resonate better if the Spanish-accented pirate didn't get drawn with a gold tooth and the turban-wearing Khalil wasn't an opportunistic rug merchant.

    Janice Page - The Boston Globe

    26 April 2013

  • Enough SpongeBob-meets-Monty-Python silliness to give adults a kick as well.

    Megan Lehmann - New York Post

    26 April 2013

  • Kids will enjoy the wisecracks and foolishness, and the big musical production numbers are toe-tappers -- or would be if the veggies had feet.

    - The San Francisco Chronicle

    26 April 2013

Awards

  • Outstanding Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production

    Annie Awards (2003)