As successful as The Big Bang Theory has been for Jim Parsons, who plays the US sitcom's central character Sheldon Cooper, you'd wonder if his career might plummet southwards when that show ends as he's indelibly associated with that one role.
Even here, in the latest animated feature from DreamWorks, the shadow of Sheldon looms large. Parsons voices Oh, a member of an alien race called the Boov, but all I could hear was a benign version of Sheldon.
The Boov are on the run from the evil Gorg and are looking to relocate to an ideal planet, and find one in Earth. In return, Earthlings are shunted off around the world in a most benevolent fashion, which is where Rihanna's character, the 12-year-old Gratuity 'Tip' Tucci, comes in.
She gets separated from her mother, and bumps into Oh when he is on the run from his fellow Boov after inadvertently revealing their location to the galaxy. An alliance between the two is soon forged and a series of adventures begin that bring them closer together.
Unlike many animated offerings of recent times, there's very little here for adults and I have to admit that my attention strayed occasionally, but that's a minor matter. It's good fun, with adorable aliens and a reassuring message. Pre-schoolers in particular should lap it up, especially as Oh has a rather unique way of expressing himself in English.
Other voices involved in the fun are Jennifer Lopez as Tip’s displaced mother and Steve Martin as Smek, the cowardly and egotistical leader of the Boov. Both Lopez and Rihanna contribute to the soundtrack.
Home offers little new, but that's irrelevant if you're five and unaware of cinema's historical relationship with aliens. Bring the kids and have a good laugh.
