Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against The Universe is directed by Bob Bowen and it is the second movie based off the Disney Channel hit show. In this sequel, Candace has just had enough of getting gaslighted by the universe and her brothers. It is only when she gets sucked up by an unknown spaceship that takes her to a planet which adores her that she feels special. However Phineas and Ferb fear she may be in danger so they go on a space adventure to save their sister! The movie stars Ashley Tisdale, Vincent Martella, Dan Povenmire, Ali Wong and Alyson Stoner.

Like most kids growing up in the 2000’s, I consider Disney Channel to be a staple from my childhood. One of the many shows I loved to watch was Phineas and Ferb. I was mostly a casual fan but I really did enjoy seeing what crazy inventions the brothers would come up with each episode. As I grew older the show disappeared from the radar mostly because it ended but they have been showing tons of reruns of Disney XD and I gotta say, the humor and bizarre nature of the show really held my attention. The show still holds up and I am happy that I did refamiliarize myself with the show because I can happily tell you that this new adventure keeps the personality of the show so intact, it will genuinely feel like this cast of characters never left.

Candace Against The Universe is exactly what you’ve come to expect from this show. It’s a genuinely funny, self-aware and bizarre hour and a half. It is a perfectly entertaining adventure that will please long-time Phineas and Ferb fans and will surely make new fans from the younger viewers. The older viewers will love pointing out the million references in this movie, I know I did. I actually was not aware that this is a standalone movie so I was under the impression that this movie is canon and the message lost it’s impact on me. The message of this movie feels like it belongs to a series finale, if anything this emtire movie feels like a second shot at that. That being said, this movie doesn’t really justify it’s own existence. The story regarding Candace and her brothers should have been explored in the actual show and now that it’s being done it’s not considered canon which is weird.

On that note, Candace Against The Universe is a title which screams epic space adventure and this movie really doesn’t deliver on that aspect. I can think of numerous episodes and specials from the show which had a bigger scope and higher stakes than this movie. The first movie Across the 2nd Dimension was a far better exploration of what a Phineas and Ferb movie could be. This on the other hand feels more like it should’ve been a 45-minute special that took place before the finale. Doofenshmirtz and Vanessa’s presence in the movie is not really necessary, if this were a normal episode Vanessa wouldn’t even be in this at all but I’m not complaining, we stan Vanessa Doofenshmirtz in this household. That being said, there are other characters which appear for literally maybe two minutes, offer nothing to the plot and then leave *COUGH COUGH* Jeremy *COUGH COUGH*.

Speaking of characters with barely anything to give to the plot, Perry the Platypus is in this movie to literally hide from everyone else. The only time he came to good use was during a very weird but funny asteroid scene. During that same scene, a song plays and I have to say, I did not know it’s purpose or the fact that it’s available to buy because this movie has an official soundtrack. Now I understand that this show has some great songs (Busted is still superior) but the songs in this movie did not do it for me at all. To be fair they rarely do when it comes to this show, I only know the classics. Another thing which weirded me out was the animation, I guess they used a thicker outline which looked weird at first but you get used to it fairly quickly.

When it comes to movies based on animated shows, it’s a tricky thing to review. For example I love Steven Universe: The Movie not only because I genuinely think it’s a great movie but I am also a humongous fan of the show which obviously factored into my review. A few months ago I reviewed We Bare Bears: The Movie and I said it was fine, I haven’t seen much of the show so I wasn’t a fan going in. With this movie, it’s complicated. I like these characters, I was a casual fan of the show but at the end of the day this movie is just fine. If you take it for what it really is, which is more Phineas and Ferb content to bring in more subsribers for Disney+, it’s amazing. I had a great time watching it, I chuckled many times but it’s not a movie I’m going to willingly revisit. If I had to pick between Across The 2nd Dimension and Candace Against The Universe, I’m picking the first movie. I am positive that true fans of the show will love and adore this movie, there is a definitely a ton to like.

Overall Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against The Universe will please fans of the show and make new fans out of the younger viewers. Its clever, witty script and the genuinely smart humor keep the essence of the original show intact making this truly feel like it could have come out during the show’s run. While not as exciting and grand as other specials or the previous movie, Candace Against The Universe is as Phineas and Ferb as it gets with heart, humor and imagination coming together to create an entertaining adventure once again.

RATING: C