Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie |
|
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster
|
|
| Directed by | Phil Vischer Mike Nawrocki |
| Produced by | Ameake Owens |
| Written by | Phil Vischer Mike Nawrocki |
| Starring | Phil Vischer Mike Nawrocki Tim Hodge Lisa Vischer Dan Anderson Shelby Vischer Kristin Blegen Jim Poole |
| Music by | Kurt Heinecke David Mullen Phil Vischer |
| Editing by | John Wahba |
| Studio | Big Idea Productions F.H.E. Pictures |
| Distributed by | Artisan Entertainment |
| Release date(s) | August 14, 2002 (Hollywood Theater) October 4, 2002 (United States) |
| Running time | 83 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $14 million |
| Money made | $25.6 million |
Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie is a fun computer-animated Christian musical comedy adventure film. It was made by Big Idea Productions and came out in 2002. This movie was the very first full-length film in the popular VeggieTales series. The main ideas in the film are about showing compassion (being kind and caring) and mercy (giving someone a second chance).
The story uses two different parts to show these important lessons. It features the silly Pirates Who Don't Do Anything, who you might remember from a "Silly Song." The first part of the story happens in the present day. It's about a funny accident with Bob the Tomato and Dad Asparagus on their way to a concert. The second part, set in ancient Israel, tells the biblical story of Jonah. Through both stories, compassion and mercy help characters get a second chance.
Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie first showed on August 14, 2002, in Hollywood. It was released everywhere two months later on October 4, 2002. Critics liked the movie, especially its humor. The film earned $25.6 million, which was a lot more than its $14 million cost. This made it the highest-grossing film from Big Idea Productions.
The movie became available on VHS and DVD on March 4, 2003. Later, it was re-released on DVD in 2008 and on Blu-ray in 2011. Another version came out in 2018 from Universal Pictures.
Contents
The Story of Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie
A Trip Gone Wrong
The movie begins with Bob the Tomato driving his friends to a concert. His group includes Dad Asparagus, Laura Carrot, and Junior Asparagus. Laura is excited because she won a backstage pass, and she teases Junior about it.
Meanwhile, Bob is annoyed with Dad Asparagus. Dad is singing and playing his guitar instead of helping with the map. Laura's teasing distracts Dad, and he accidentally hits Bob with his guitar. This makes Bob lose control of the van for a moment. Laura's pass flies out the window, and Dad's guitar gets stuck in the steering wheel.
More trouble happens when a porcupine shoots its quills to protect her babies. The quills pop two of the van's tires! The van then drives off the road and rolls down a hill. Luckily, it stops right before a river.
At a nearby seafood restaurant, Bob blames Dad Asparagus for the crash. Junior tells Laura that losing her pass was her own fault. While Bob calls for a tow truck, Junior meets The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything. These pirates are played by Larry, Mr. Lunt, and Pa Grape.
The Pirates tell Junior he was being too harsh on his friend. They encourage him to show more compassion. To make their point, the Pirates tell everyone the story of a man named Jonah.
Jonah's Big Adventure
Jonah, played by Archibald Asparagus, is a Prophet in ancient Israel. He travels around delivering God's messages. One night, God asks him to go to Nineveh. Nineveh is a city known for its very bad citizens. Jonah doesn't want to go because he dislikes the Ninevites. So, he decides to run away to Tarshish with The Pirates.
After leaving the port, Jonah feels guilty. Below deck, he meets a caterpillar salesman named Khalil. Khalil decides to join Jonah on his journey.
A Storm and a Whale
Jonah has a bad dream and wakes up to a huge storm hitting the ship. Pa Grape thinks the storm is happening because God is angry at someone on board. The group plays a game to figure out who is causing the trouble. Jonah loses the game, and he admits why he ran away from God's command. He is then forced to walk the plank.
As soon as Jonah is off the ship, the storm stops. The Pirates try to pull Jonah back in, but a giant whale swallows him! The pirates try to attack the whale with a bowling ball. But the whale just swallows the ball (where Khalil was hiding) and spits out Jonah's lifebelt. Then, it swims away.
Inside the whale's stomach, Khalil finds a sad Jonah. Soon, God's angels appear. They explain that if Jonah says he's sorry, God will give him a second chance. Jonah repents, and then he and Khalil are spit out onto the shore. They ride Jonah's camel, Reginald, to Nineveh.
Nineveh and a Lesson Learned
When Jonah tries to enter Nineveh, he is turned away. The Pirates appear again and help him sneak into the city. They pretend they won a contest for "Mr. Twisty's Twisted Cheese Curls." Soon, the group gets arrested after Larry takes the King's Cheese Curls, thinking they are free samples. They face a serious punishment.
As a last request, they get to meet King Twistomer. Jonah then delivers God's message: the Ninevites must immediately change their ways or Nineveh will be destroyed. Jonah also proves he was inside a whale, which convinces King Twistomer and the Ninevites. They quickly agree to change.
Jonah still expects God to destroy Nineveh for their past sins. He watches and waits from a distance in the hot sun. God provides a plant to shade Jonah. But Khalil eats a single leaf, which kills the plant. Jonah is sad about the dead plant. Khalil is disappointed that Jonah shows compassion for a plant, but not for the people of Nineveh.
Khalil tries to explain that God is compassionate and merciful. He wants to give everyone a second chance, no matter who they are. Jonah refuses to accept this and says he would rather be dead. The story ends with Khalil and Reginald leaving Jonah to his sadness.
The Veggies Understand
Back in the present day, the Veggies are a little disappointed by the ending. But they finally understand the main point of the story. God wants everyone to show compassion and mercy, even to those who might not seem to deserve it.
Twippo, the singer they were going to see, suddenly appears in the restaurant! He looks a lot like Jonah. Twippo offers to give everyone a ride to the concert. Bob forgives Dad Asparagus, and Junior gives his Twippo ticket to Laura. The movie ends with a song and the surprise arrival of the tow truck driver, who is Khalil!
Characters and Voices
- Phil Vischer as Bob the Tomato / Archibald Asparagus (as Jonah and Twippo) / Mr. Lunt / Pa Grape / Mr. Nezzer / Apollo Gourd (as King Twistomer) / Jimmy Gourd / Phillipe Pea / Percy Pea
- Mike Nawrocki as Larry the Cucumber / Jerry Gourd / Jean Claude Pea
- Tim Hodge as Khalil
- Dan Anderson as Dad Asparagus
- Lisa Vischer as Junior Asparagus
- Kristin Blegen as Laura Carrot
- Shelby Vischer as Annie Onion
- Jim Poole as Scooter
Music from the Movie
The film features several fun songs:
- "Billy Joe McGuffrey"
- "Bald Bunny"
- "Steak and Shrimp"
- "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything", sung by Relient K (soundtrack only)
- "Message from the Lord"
- "It Cannot Be"
- "Second Chances", sung by Anointed
- "Jonah Was a Prophet"
- "In the Belly of the Whale", sung by Newsboys
- "The Credits Song" (end credits only)
- "Billy Joe McGuffrey" (Single Version), sung by Chris Rice (soundtrack only)
