Much like a significant portion of Gen Z, Phineas and Ferb is a television show that I loved growing up and one that I'm not afraid to admit I still adore. My sister and I got my little brother to love it too, so it's something I find myself watching very often, even at sixteen years old. I've been anticipating this film ever since it was announced back in April of last year and now that it has finally been released onto Disney+, I can confidently say that Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe is everything that fans of the show could've ever dreamed of.
The film follows Candace (Ashley Tisdale) who, when she is unable to bust her brothers once again, gets abducted by aliens along with her friend Vanessa (Olivia Olson). Phineas and Ferb (Vincent Martella and David Errigo Jr., respectively) gather their friends Isabella (Alyson Stoner), Baljeet (Maulik Pancholy), and Buford (Bobby Gaylor) to embark on a rescue mission with the help of Dr. Doofenshmirtz (Dan Povenmire).
This should go without saying but Candance Against the Universe takes everything that is so special about Phineas and Ferb and heightens it. The entire voice cast is pretty much retained from the original show and although it's been 5 years since the television show ended its run, it practically feels like nothing has changed in regards to their voices and the mannerisms they bring to the characters. Unsurprisingly, everybody does a fantastic job voicing their roles. There are some bigger names on the cast specifically for this movie, the most prominent being Ali Wong as the alien queen, who does a really good job in that role. The standout for the entire cast, though, is easily Ashley Tisdale as Candance. Candace is a character who has suffered and been gaslit for so long and it's so refreshing to see this movie focus heavily on her and for her to finally get her due in the spotlight.
Another element that is completely unchanged from the show is the humor, which is insanely clever and absolutely hilarious. There are so many recurring jokes in the movie that made me laugh every single time they'd appear again. The randomness and offbeatness of the humor, which is part of what makes Phineas and Ferb so distinct, once again shines through and proves why we love these characters and this world, especially all these years later. There are also some very meta moments throughout the film which were absolutely golden. Much like the show, Candace Against the Universe has a fair share of songs throughout, all of which add to the movie's humor and are just complete bops. The movie also has a huge beating heart at its core, something that the show doesn't get enough time to flesh out completely. There are some incredibly sweet character dynamics, especially between Candace and her brothers, and the movie preaches some very nice and important messages of self-worth, family, and teamwork.
Perhaps what Candace Against the Universe does the best is being able to cater to different demographics. People who grew up watching the show are able to jump right back into the world of Danville without feeling like anything has changed. It gives us new elements of these characters but also keeps everything that we loved about them before. There's also a bunch of glorious callbacks that are solely for fans of the show that I really appreciated. However, the movie does not require that you have prior knowledge of the show to be able to fully understand the story and enjoy the experience of watching it. It shows its love for longtime fans all while welcoming new ones and that's an integral aspect of any movie based on an existing property such as this. Also, much like the show, the movie is entertaining viewing for all members of the family, old and young, so it's a nice movie to watch together.
With everything going on in the world and school starting back up soon, these times aren't exactly the happiest. Candace Against the Universe gave me the escape that I needed and made me realize how much I truly missed these characters and how much I needed them back on my television screen, if only for 90 minutes. Sure, the film is a bit conventional in its story structure but it's a kids movie and one that is still better than most of the ones we get today. It's funny, heartfelt, adventurous, colorful, nostalgic, and action-packed and is easily the most feel-good film I've seen so far this year- as well as one of the straight-up best.
★★★★½
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