Horrid Henry: The Movie

Directed by Nick Moore. Starring Theo Stevenson, Scarlett Stitt, Siobhan Hayes, Mathew Horne, Richard E Grant, Anjelica Huston, Jo Brand G cert, gen release, 93 min

KEEP THE little ones away from the fizzy pop before bringing them – if you must – to Nick Moore’s take on Francesca Simon’s pathologically alliterative series of children’s novels. The film itself is so juiced-up that, even without Tartrazine, youngersters may find themselves propelled into paroxysms of hyperactivity. Proud parents please proceed perspicaciously.

As readers under the age of 12 will be aware, Horrid Henryfollows a charmingly cheeky child (I'll stop now) as he interacts with friends shouldering such revealing names as Moody Margaret, Weepy William and Prissy Polly. This particular adventure finds the evil headmaster of a snooty private school – kudos for the class warfare – plotting to close Henry's place of study and force the distressed parents to pay his exorbitant fees.

Richard E Grant does good work as the villain. Despite a shaky Scottish accent, Angelica Huston is effective as Miss Battle-Axe, the teacher who might be concealing a heart of gold beneath her rugged exterior. Other British stalwarts (Jo Brand, Prunella Scales, Rebecca Front), having missed out on the Harry Potter pension plan, appear in the hope that the film might spawn a lengthy franchise.

I wouldn't invest in that holiday home just yet, folks. Though the production values are impressive for a mid-budget picture, Moore's apparent desire to ape the hectic style of Delicatessenand Améliespins the project towards indigestible levels of tricksy busyness.

Barely a minute goes by without somebody launching into a head- spinningly chaotic musical number. The clothes are all the colour of boiled sweets. The camera gets the jitters if asked to sit on its bottom for longer than a nanosecond. The film reaches its amphetamine nadir during an absurdly elongated gameshow sequence featuring the unlovely comic duo Dick and Dom.

Never quite achieving the cool surrealism of kids' shows such as Yo Gabba Gabba!, Horrid Henryhas the look of a film with a desperate, probably fruitless desire to be loved. Children will see through its insincerity. Adults will leave with headaches and ringing ears.