Photo courtesy of Walt Disney pictures

Max, played by Alex D. Linz, Megan, played by Zena Grey, and Robe, played by Josh Peck, get into trouble in "Max Keeble's Big Move." The movie opens tomorrow.

Thursday October 4, 2001

Grade:

B

When you were in sixth grade and you needed something to watch, you used to go for "Saved By The Bell." For those unable to abandon Slater - the true, everlasting object of our affection - it is difficult to let go.

But things have changed. Mr. Belding (a.k.a. Richard Haskins) is actually in "Max Keeble's Big Move," and he looks really old.

Instead of Slater you've got Lil' Romeo. He doesn't do anything in the film but grin and nod his head slowly like he knows what's up. He's so cool.

There are other changes too. Instead of Zack, you've got Max (Alex D. Linz). Max is way shorter than Zack, but easily as cool. He's witty, a little sassy and adorably mischievous. He gets into the exact same "I pulled a crazy prank and got all my friends in trouble and now I have to own up and face the consequences" kind of trouble Zack used to.

Where there was Screech, there's Robe (Josh Peck). He wears a robe over his normal clothes to school everyday. He's a good friend to Max, despite his quirks.

Where once there was Jesse, there's Megan (Zena Grey). She's really nice. She's not as pretty as the voluptuous character with the "Oops I did It Again" soundtrack following her around everywhere, but she sticks by Max - which pays off in the end.

Yes, the end - the inevitably all-encompassing resolution of every problem anyone in the film has ever had.

But before the end, Max is a paperboy starting his first day of junior high. The film opens with a Bond-esque chase sequence between Max and the Evil Ice Cream Man (his actual name), which turns out to be a dream, as the brilliant, almost wet-paint looking color in the sequence suggested all along. That's one thing - the cinematography in this film is actually pretty cool.

Sure, introducing the characters by freeze-framing them and doing something weird to their images while the narrator casually breaks down their profiles isn't exactly a new idea, but "Keeble" does it justice. Each new character becomes a sticker in a sticker book with appropriate iconography stuck next to them for emphasis - like Max's renovation-obsessed mom who is surrounded by wallpaper and furniture stickers. Kinda quirky.

The new Principal Belding is Principal Jindraike, who - unlike that gentle moron - flaunts rank and crushes evil. He wants to destroy the animal shelter! And take away the music program! And destroy the lives of all children for his own sinister purposes! Max to the rescue!

Somewhere between distracting and entertaining the younger audience, "Keeble" manages to slip in an Americanized representation of the Marxist struggle between the proletariat and bourgeoisie through a showdown between one kid genius-wall-street-hotshot-bully and the Evil Ice Cream Man, in which they trade insults like "capitalist tool!" and "vendor!" (Digress, digress.)

So, by the end, Max has destroyed the school and become momentarily estranged from his friends; then he sets his little eyebrows to Determined and fixes everything in about 14 minutes.

The bullies get what was coming, so does the Evil Ice Cream Man and Principle Jindraike. In case anyone is worried it won't come out okay, have no fear. It does.