‘Woody Woodpecker’ Netflix Movie Review - A Mischievous Bird Meets Modern Mayhem

Watching Woody Woodpecker is like walking into a cartoon that refuses to sit still. It’s loud, brash, full of antics, and not particularly concerned with being taken seriously. Based on the classic animated character from the 1940s, the 2017 film tries to modernize Woody for a new generation by mixing CGI with live-action. What comes out is something you’d expect from a Saturday morning kids' marathon — full of color, noise, and that high-pitched laugh drilling into your ears like, well, a woodpecker.

The plot is as simple as it gets. Lance Walters, a recently fired attorney, decides to escape the city and build a home in the forest. With his girlfriend Vanessa and his somewhat neglected son Tommy in tow, Lance heads out to Pine Grove, a picturesque spot that just so happens to be home to Woody, the resident red-headed menace. Woody does not take kindly to bulldozers, power tools, or humans, and promptly wages war on the construction site — sabotaging everything from generators to relationships.

Let’s start with what works. Woody, as a character, hasn’t lost his spunk. His pranks, while repetitive, do carry some of the classic cartoon mischief that made him famous. His design is vibrant, and his expressions and voice bring just enough personality to keep him from becoming a total nuisance. When he's on-screen — whether setting traps or flinging paint — you at least know you’re not going to be bored. The film doesn’t try to dull his edge too much, which, for a kids' movie, is almost refreshing.

There are also a few heartwarming touches. Tommy, the young son, becomes the emotional anchor. He starts off resentful of the move and of his distracted dad, but slowly finds connection — not just with his new surroundings but with Woody himself. The scenes where Tommy and Woody bond over shared peanut butter and general mischief offer brief glimmers of heart in an otherwise frantic film. It’s the classic lonely-kid-meets-unruly-animal trope, but there’s some charm in seeing it play out, especially when it’s not overdone.

But for every laugh, Woody manages to pull off, there are two gags that fall flat. The humor rarely rises above basic slapstick. It’s a parade of food fights, bathroom jokes, and the kind of cartoonish violence that has someone electrocuted or launched into the air every five minutes. While younger kids might find it hilarious, anyone older than ten might start checking their watch. And while the movie tries to be self-aware in parts, it never fully commits to cleverness. It plays it safe, and safe here means predictable.

The humans in the movie don’t get much love from the script either. Lance is your standard out-of-touch dad — career-focused, mildly clueless, and eventually redeemed. His girlfriend Vanessa exists mostly to be annoyed by nature and storm off in designer heels. Their arcs are scribbled in with the lightest pencil and then rushed to a conclusion. The poachers, Nate and Otis, exist purely for physical comedy and loud groans, and while they do deliver a few fun moments, they’re too thinly drawn to leave any lasting impression.

Visually, the movie is glossy but uneven. The CGI on Woody is decent, but his interactions with the real world are hit-or-miss. Sometimes it works, and other times it looks like he’s pasted onto the frame. The film's budget shows — not in a good way — especially during the more ambitious set pieces. The editing is sharp but relentless, hopping from scene to scene with the attention span of a sugar-high toddler. The soundtrack leans heavily into fast-paced chase music and forgettable rock tracks, adding to the sensory overload.

By the end, the movie ties everything up with a neat little bow. Lance learns to be a better father, Tommy finds a new home, and Woody gets to keep his trees. The resolution feels less like a conclusion and more like a relief — the movie has finally stopped moving.

So, is Woody Woodpecker a disaster? Not quite. It does what it sets out to do: entertain kids for an hour and a half without asking too much from them or their parents. It’s loud, colorful, and packed with enough goofy energy to keep younger audiences engaged. But it also never tries to do more than that. It doesn’t aim for cleverness or emotional depth. It doesn’t even really aim for originality. It’s content to be exactly what it is — a cartoon stretched into a feature film with a few modern touches and a lot of chaos.

Whether or not that’s a good thing depends entirely on what you’re looking for. If it’s nostalgia, you might chuckle once or twice. If it’s storytelling or subtlety, you might be better off revisiting the original shorts. But if it’s a movie to keep your kids giggling while you catch your breath for a bit, this woodpecker will do the job — no hammer required.

Final Score- [5/10]
Reviewed by - Anjali Sharma
Follow @AnjaliS54769166 on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times