Blast off! It’s time for Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius, a co-production of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies, one of the most original and eye-popping animated features of the decade, and a thoroughly enjoyable movie suitable for the whole family.

Jimmy is a computer-generated ‘toon character sporting a big head capped by a pompadour hairdo. He is described in the production featurette on this DVD as "one-third Einstein, one-third Bart Simpson, and one-third Jim Carrey." He is at an age just before puberty. "We don’t like girls yet, do we Jimmy?" asks his best friend, the dim-witted, asthmatic, and loyal Carl Wheezer. Carl is reassured that they do not, but that someday soon their hormones will overpower their better judgment. Jimmy longs to be a hero in the eyes of his parents and classmates, a theme to which every viewer can relate. He invents Rube Goldberg-like devices to make life easier, including a gadget that will shrink people, one of many well-intentioned ploys that backfire. This one miniaturizes his teacher, who is then attacked by a worm in an apple brought in by a student. Jimmy’s best, and most reliable, invention is his dog, Goddard, a robotic creature, who can do amazing tricks and transformations.

Though Jimmy’s inventions are futuristic, they are modern in a ‘50s way, for the whole movie is a tribute to that era. The town Jimmy lives in is called Retroville and the automobiles have shark fins that remind one of the Plymouths of the period. Even the school villain seems not so much downright bad as an overly sensitive, misunderstood, rebellious James Dean type.

One of Jimmy’s newest creations, fashioned from a toaster and a spatula, is a satellite that attracts the attention of evil aliens who come to earth and abduct all the adults. After a daylong celebration of life without adult supervision, the kids band together under Jimmy’s leadership, turn the town’s amusement-park rides into space ships, and go into outer space to rescue their parents.

The movie is paced in a breathless manner, with a style that seems to suit the plot and characters. Unlike most kid movies, there is a merciful absence of bodily function jokes. Burps and belches are as far as it goes, and even those references are kept to a minimum. Jimmy is, above all, a hero, and the film’s script reminds us that heroes need to be pure in heart and mind. We like Jimmy because even when he screws up, he does it trying to do the right thing, just like most of us. But Jimmy gets to do what we only dreamed of as kids. He saves the world.

It is hard to imagine the movie looking any better than it does on this high-resolution DVD. It is offered in both widescreen and full-screen transfers. The 1.85:1 transfer that we chose to watch was sharp as a tack, and the outrageous, bright colors of the original have been accurately preserved. Both dark and brightly lit scenes have excellent contrast, and there is no distracting edge ripple or extraneous noise. The 5.1 audio design is A-plus. Careful use of the center-channel keeps dialogue focused and easy to understand. The front stereo spread of music and sound effects are spacious, and the rear channels accurately provide both ambient and directional effects.