jesus twins

Minnesota Cuke and a motley crew of other animated vegetable characters search out the mysterious umbrella that Noah had while on the ark in Minnesota Cuke and the Search for Noah’s Umbrella. If the animated vegetable part didn’t give it away, this is the latest in a string of Veggietales movies which are aimed at teaching small children about the Bible and life lessons at the same time. If the stories appeal to adults (college students are the leading demographic from back in the day) then that’s okay with the creators, too!

In this tale, an unconvinced Minnesota finds himself in an Indiana Jones-themed adventure. From the music, dress of the characters, title and credit sequences, and various quest-oriented tips, to the way that various scenes play out, adults will be reminded of scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. Regardless of the under-the-surface pokes at various elements of pop culture, this tale’s beauty is in the Biblical story behind it.

Minnesota is more like Jonah than Noah from a theological characteristic perspective. Minnesota doesn’t really want to be involved and finds various excuses to get himself out of trouble, and doesn’t really want to be a hero in the first place. I can’t speak to his characterizations from the previous adventures he’s been in (The Search for Samson’s Hairbrush or the interactive Coconut Apes) but here, he’s not much in the bravery department.

The good guys and the bad guys (this one involves twins on either side) are searching for Noah’s ark and the umbrella that is heard to carry magical powers. Of course, the lesson revolves around following the word of God, and believing in what God says is best, while understanding that no magical powers caused the miracle of Noah and the ark, just God’s omnipotence and love.

I don’t think there’s much negative you can say here, unless you hate vegetables, but really, what’s more wholesome than watching a clean-spirited, Biblically-themed cartoon with your kids? Veggietales’ founder Phil Vischer has always been a class act, and his creation continues to spin an alternate universe where vegetables are prophets, priests and kings, and in this case, treasure hunters who find more than they could ever hope for when they see God’s glory revealed in a parable.

This is a plant that can only bear ripe, not rotten, fruit. (And somewhere, a talking cucumber groans.)