Film
VeggieTales: Lord of the Beans
- High fantasy
- Light-hearted
VeggieTales' irreverent take on *Lord of the Rings*, with vegetables instead of hobbits and a Christian moral underneath. It's energetic, silly, stuffed with jokes for both kids and adults who've seen the films it's parodying. A 44-minute romp that knows exactly what it's doing and commits entirely to the bit.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you grew up on vegetable sketches and still think a parody of a sprawling epic works best when it is sung, silly and sincere about its moral.
Skip it if you find talking produce and earnest moral lessons cloying, since the gags lean on spoofing a famous fantasy trilogy and the sincerity runs thick throughout.
What it asks of you: Forty-four minutes, brisk and bouncy, with a pace that never lingers; it wants a child's attention span and an adult's willingness to laugh at bean puns.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring2001
The template this whole film exists to parody. If you've never seen it, you're missing context; if you have, the VeggieTales version hits harder. Genuinely spectacular filmmaking that justifies the affection.
But Three hours long, and the pacing drags in places. Some of the exposition scenes feel glacial now.
Shrek2001
Another fairy-tale property that commits to ribald humour and subverting expectations. Similar energy of being funny for adults while remaining accessible to kids, with genuine heart underneath the jokes.
But The pop-culture references are dated and thick enough to feel exhausting if you're not in the mood for them.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail1975
The spiritual ancestor of this kind of comedy: literary parody executed with total commitment and genuine wit. If you love the idea of important source material getting the piss taken out of it, this is the master class.
But The humour is very specific to 1970s British sensibilities and some of it hasn't aged well. Also genuinely silly in ways that will irritate people who want actual jokes.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from VeggieTales: Lord of the Beans
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
VeggieTales: The Ballad of Little Joe2003
Same universe, same comedy engine, but applied to an entirely different narrative template—proof that the format works across multiple genres and modes.
Earlier VeggieTales film that's structured as a Western rather than a fantasy epic. Same cast and sensibility, but a completely different kind of story—smart, silly, and genuinely affecting. The best proof that VeggieTales works across genres.
But If you find vegetable-based comedy fundamentally exhausting, this won't convert you. It's even shorter and less cinematic than Lord of the Beans.
More like this (8)
The Princess Bride1987
A fairy-tale adventure that's funny, charming, and genuinely touching. Proves that you can parody adventure stories while also being one yourself—much like what VeggieTales attempts.
But It's beloved to the point of over-quotation, and some people find that exhausting now. The pacing can feel slow if you're after constant action.
Nimona2023
Recent animated film that brings genuine heart and style to a familiar genre. Smart, funny, visually inventive, and unafraid to be sincere about its emotional stakes alongside the comedy.
But It's considerably darker in tone than VeggieTales. The animation style won't appeal to everyone, and the humour is very contemporary.
How to Train Your Dragon2010
Family animation that trusts its audience's intelligence and sense of humour. Great character work, genuine stakes, and comedy that works on multiple levels without condescension.
But The sequels got progressively less interesting, which might make you hesitant to revisit the first one. Some of the pop-culture references feel dated.
The Lego Movie2014
Endlessly inventive parody and homage all at once. If you appreciate the VeggieTales approach of constant jokes and references layered over genuine storytelling, this pushes it further.
But It's relentlessly busy. Some people find the constant joke density exhausting rather than fun, and the humour can feel scattered.
Aladdin1992
Robin Williams' voice acting is a masterclass in comedic improv. The film uses comedy to carry you through a story that's genuinely entertaining for both kids and adults, with real emotional weight.
But The film is visibly a product of its era in ways that feel dated now. Some of the humour feels forced, and the plot is pretty thin.
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted2012
A sequel that's actually inventive and fun, packed with jokes and physical comedy. If you like the VeggieTales approach of throwing everything at the wall, this has similar chaotic energy.
But It's a third film in a franchise, so the novelty has worn off. The plot is almost nonexistent, and it's mostly just jokes and set pieces.
The NeverEnding Story1984
Both are fantasy quests with ordinary heroes and a mentor figure, but this one leans into the genuinely strange and melancholic rather than the comedic—showing what the same structure becomes when toned differently.
A fantasy adventure that's genuinely weird and unsettling in ways most children's films aren't. Visually stunning and deeply imaginative, with a real sense of stakes and oddness that elevates it beyond generic adventure.
But It's genuinely eerie in places and some children find it frightening. The pacing is slow and dreamlike, which modern audiences often struggle with.
The Secret of Kells2009
A quest film for children that respects them enough to be genuinely artistic and strange—the opposite tonal choice from VeggieTales' comedy, but built on the same conviction that children's entertainment can be ambitious and layered.
Hand-drawn animation of extraordinary beauty, telling a Celtic folklore-inspired adventure. Visually adventurous in ways that will make you reconsider what animation can do, with real magic to it.
But The plot is secondary to the visuals and mood. If you want plot clarity and narrative momentum, this will frustrate you. It's slow and deliberately archaic in tone.
People
Cast
Phil VischerBob the Tomato / Billboy Baggypants (Archibald) / Randolf (Mr. Nezzer) / Leg-O-Lamb (Jimmy Gourd) / Grumpy (Pa Grape) / Ahem (Mr. Lunt) / Scaryman (Scallion) / Announcer (voice)
Mike NawrockiEar-O-Corn (Larry the Cucumber) / Other Elf (Jerry Gourd) / Chief Elder / Cockney Eagle (voice)
Lisa VischerToto Baggypants (Junior Asparagus) (voice)- Joe SpadafordLead Spork (voice)
Tim HodgeUmbrella Boy (voice)- Charlotte Volkman JacksonElf Girl (Miss Achmetha) (voice)
Directing
- Mike NawrockiDirector
Writing
- Brian K. RobertsStory Artist
- Tod CarterStory Artist
- David PittsStory Developer
- Gail SchenbaumStory Developer
- Mike NawrockiStory Developer
- Phil VischerStory Developer
- Tim HodgeStory Developer
- Phil VischerWriter
Production
- Terry PefanisExecutive In Charge Of Production
- David PittsProducer
- Andrew YoussiProduction Coordinator
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