'LarryBoy and the Bad Apple'

Whether it's on my YouTube channel, on social media, or just word-of-mouth, I would go on and on about LarryBoy and the Bad Apple (2006). This is a movie that gets me going, keeps me going, and gets me to think. In fact, this is my go-to movie on any occasion—birthdays, Christmas, you name it. I remember buying the DVD when it was first released in 2006; in fact, I still have my DVD to this day, because it's that good!

The Scenario

So, what's the story?

The superhero LarryBoy makes his return to Bumblyburg (If you watched this movie's two predecessors, LarryBoy and the Fib from Outer Space and LarryBoy and the Rumor Weed, then you'll understand more about his "return"). We immediately learn that he has a weakness for chocolate, to which his butler advises him to cut back on the stuff.

But little do the veggies know that a sinister apple named Apply is planning to take over the city by trapping them in their temptations with her web portals.

A simple story of a hero and villain, right? But believe me—it doesn't disappoint!

The Hero: LarryBoy

If you're like me, who grew up with VeggieTales in the 90s and early 2000s, then you're probably aware of LarryBoy, their superhero mascot played by Larry the Cucumber. LarryBoy was first introduced in the Dave and the Giant Pickle (1996) video as a working concept, as well as serving as a teachable moment of being happy for who you are. But he didn't get his own stand-alone video until 1997 with LarryBoy and the Fib from Outer Space.

Now, when talking a bit about LarryBoy and the Fib from Outer Space and LarryBoy and the Rumor Weed, I'm going to go into spoiler territory—but within reason, I promise!

The biggest criticism that people had made on both Fib from Outer Space and Rumor Weed was that the title character (LarryBoy) didn't save anyone in both videos. In fact, we have the side characters solving the problem. Well, to be fair, LarryBoy at least made an effort to go after the bad guys. But in the end, unfortunately, the hero gets cast aside, as a side character solves the issue at hand, whether it's telling the truth out loud to stop a space-alien embodiment of a lie (Fib from Outer Space), or pleading a case about a person who was being wrongfully accused of being a robotic threat (Rumor Weed).

But LarryBoy and the Bad Apple was able to break away from that stigma, because you actually see the hero saving the day this time. Not only are side characters like the butler, a news reporter, and the town mayor struggling with temptation, but so is LarryBoy. So, kids will have little to no problem relating to the hero, because if LarryBoy wasn't struggling with anything in that movie, then why would the viewers care about the situation. Also, candy is what kids tend to whine and beg for, so when seeing this hero struggling to overcome his chocolate addiction, and eventually mastering moderation can be seen as a kid-friendly lesson.

The Villain: The Bad Apple

Now, the way I see it, I can see the Bad Apple as both a pro and a con.

First, the Bad Apple is well-thought-out and well-designed. She's an apple, of course, the fruit that's always referenced from the Adam and Eve story (even though there have been many versions that have indicated a different type of fruit). So, her theme is temptation. She manipulates people to give into their temptations. Not to mention, she has the gadgets and technology to go forth with her plans.

But with that said, there are some questionable things about this villain. Even though she tempts people with her tricks and treats, there's a certain way that she does so, that it may leave parents scratching their heads.

For example, there's one point where the Bad Apple meets up with the female reporter in her news van, stands there with shifting eyes, and says "I have something you might be interested in." This can be seen as similar to the Letter-O guy—you know, the guy in the trench coat and fedora hat that Ernie once met on Sesame Street (their so-called "Old School" era—Look it up)?

There's also one point in the movie where she's invited into LarryBoy's lair, and she gets super close to him with a chocolate bar and says. "Care for a bite?" Moments later, she's seen physically taking him aside to have him try the different chocolates that she conjures with her temptation illusions. In hindsight, she's supposed to resemble temptation and all that, but the possibly-seductive nature of the villain might not sit well in the kid-friendly atmosphere that is VeggieTales. This is especially concerning, since Rack, Shack, and Benny (a modern retelling of the Biblical story of Nebuchadnezzer—the ruler that had three men tossed in a furnace for not worshiping him, and the trio makes it out alive and unharmed) was made in house, with a controversial song, and an equally controversial story to adapt for kids.

Nonetheless, the majority of the Bad Apple's seductive nature is played down, so that the movie stays family-oriented.

On LarryBoy Fanatic, I talk more about this movie. And earlier this year (April 2019), I did a Vlogs-Month video about it (a way similar to Doug Walker's Disneycember Reviews).

In my opinion, this was a movie that made me appreciate LarryBoy a lot more, because he's different than any of the superheroes from Marvel and DC. And this movie was an improvement from its two previous videos, and the short-lived Cartoon Adventures series (where it was hand-drawn animation).

Whether you're a VeggieTales fan or not, this movie is definitely worth checking out.