Horrid Henry: The Movie is a 2011 British live-action movie based on the book series by Francesca Simon and the animated TV series.The movie is about Henry (played by Theo Stevenson) trying to stop his school from being closed down by a sinister private school headmaster named Vic Van Wrinkle (played by Richard E. Grant).
Also starring in the movie are Anjelica Huston as Ms. Boudica Battle-Axe, Ross Marron as Perfect Peter, Scarlet Stitt as Moody Margaret, Mathew Horne as Henry's Dad, Dick and Dom as the TV Presenters of 2Cool4School, Rebecca Front as Ms. Oddbod, Parminder Nagra as Ms. Lovely and David Schneider as Soggy Sid.
This movie has examples of
- Adaptational Nice Guy:
- Moody Margaret isn't quite as mean or rude towards her friends as she was in the TV series or books.
- Additionally, Mrs. Battle-Axe isn't that unlikeable in the movie as she seems to have a valid reason to hate Henry.
- Downplayed example with Henry. He does some horrid acts, such as stealing Margaret's biscuits, but he's seemingly nicer than he was in the show.
- Adaptational Heroism:
- Henry's focus on his heroic traits are played with more here than in the TV series, where he's more of an Anti-Hero. He may hate school, but not enough to see it shut down and does show a bit of sympathy when he sees Ms Oddbod break down.
- Miss Battle-Axe also plays a far more heroic role here than in the TV series (where she's almost always the antagonist).
- Adaptational Nationality: Miss Lovely, who speaks with a Welsh accent in the cartoon, is English in this movie.
- Adapted Out: Some major characters, including Greedy Graham and Anxious Andrew, are nowhere to be found.
- Age Lift: Stuck-Up Steve is a teenager while in the cartoon he is about the same age as Henry.
- Big Bad: Vic Van Wrinkle is the one who wants to close down Ashton Primary, and nearly succeeds.
- Big Damn Movie: It has Henry trying to save his school from a diabolical headmaster of a rival school.
- Black and Nerdy: Brainy Brian.
- Canon Foreigner: Van Wrinkle was created for this film, and is the only character to not appear in the show.
- Dance Party Ending: How the movie ends as Kimberley Walsh's (who plays Prissy Polly in the movie) cover of "Everybody Dance" plays following the scenes of the film's cast dancing.
- Dean Bitterman: Van Wrinkle heads a private school and is rotten to the core.
- Excited Kids' Show Host: The 2C4S presenters, which are played by Dick and Dom.
- Fiery Redhead: Moody Margaret and, to a lesser extent, Sour Susan.
- Knight of Cerebus: Aside from getting his shoelaces tied up by Peter and then falling off the window, Van Wrinkle has no funny moments and is the Big Bad.
- Minor Major Character: Ms Battle-Axe is important to the plot, but she only appears in the beginning and the ending.
- Race Lift: Miss Lovely's iteration in the cartoon is black, here she is portrayed by Parminder Nagra, a second generation British Indian.
- Smug Snake: Van Wrinkle takes great pride in his evil plan, as he believes that Henry would fail the earning the cash prize.
- Team Power Walk: Done by the Purple Hand Gang in the beginning of the movie as Henry introduces his friends to the viewers.
- Villainous Cheek Bones: Van Wrinkle has noticeable cheekbones.
