I used to read the Captain Underpants books all the time when I was younger. Admittedly, I didn't think that they would work as a film, but what did I know.
I have seen very few consistently funny comedies this year. Lego Batman was exactly what I wanted. Fist Fight was awful. Free Fire was more fun than funny (in a good way). Going in Style was enjoyable, but I wouldn't be able to tell you a single joke from it. Mindhorn was hilarious. Colossal wasn't trying to be really funny. Baywatch had its moments. The House had one really good joke, then the rest were subpar. Despicable Me 3 was disappointing. And The Big Sick was more of a drama made by comedians. That's two out of ten which I would recommend to someone wanting to laugh for 90 minutes or more. Luckily, Captain Underpants adds another film to the consistently funny list.
I really shouldn't be surprised that it's funny. I remember laughing at the books, and writer Nick Stoller has made funny films in the past. On the surface you may think that there is only toilet humour. But there is a lot of smart humour to do with the animation styles and how eight year olds see the world. George and Harold break the fourth wall throughout wit good quips that help keep the feel of the books alive in the film. The film never strays into a conventional structure, instead it has fun with the nature of the film and the jokes inside it.
Also, it has a better commentary on the American school system than Fist Fight. It's not too relevant, I just wanted to take another opportunity to diss Fist Fight.
In short: Captain Underpants is a very faithful adaptation that is one of the funniest films of the year.
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