Appropriately, one of the characters in Hey Arnold! The Movie parodies a character from The X-Files, a television show spawning a film that came across as little more than an extended t.v. episode. Arnold's movie manages to accomplish the same feat of mediocrity.

However, unlike The X-Files, which was a first-rate show, the animated half-hour Hey, Arnold! contains little to distinguish it from its peers. A harmless cartoon featuring peculiar but good-natured characters, it projects a sweet undertone sprinkled with glimpses of random lunacy. Its protagonist, Arnold (voiced by Spencer Klein), a boy sometimes referred to by others as a "football-headed kid," is a sensible optimist. Although I find this cartoon's sincerity refreshing, its story lines seem trite, often ending with familiar morals. And its decidedly unremarkable writing aims straight at children, opting for the feel of a safe babysitter rather than trying for its own brand of memorable zing.

Equally unambitious writing emerges in the movie, using a plot that could have come from an animated-movie screenwriting textbook -- the beloved underdog protagonist fights to save his neighborhood from an evil developer. Arnold is joined by his best friend Gerald (voiced by Jamil Walker Smith), and together they get to play their own version of Spy Kids by trying to obtain a missing document that will protect their homes. Maybe, as a child, I've seen too many similar stories. I found myself predicting almost every event and plot turn, like how seemingly insignificant information will come in handy later, or who the secret person helping Arnold really is. Unable to conjure a sense of magic from its proceedings or establish a strong audience connection to its characters, the film falls back on uninspired pop culture spoofs and easy gags -- utilizing everything from bird droppings to a listening device accidentally set to broadcast.

The most annoying element in a movie like this is a syndrome my movie-watching partner terms "the snapback." Since Hey Arnold! The Movie is really just another episode of the t.v. show, all wayward events must eventually snap back to the norm. Because any episode must be able to start with the same familiar situations and running gags, no permanent changes can take place. The most anticipated event in this movie involves a certain confession coming from one character who, for the life of the show, has harbored a secret affection for another. Not only did this story line experience a snapback, it was an especially weak one -- the cinematic equivalent of having a winning goal discounted because of a referee's bad call.

Art and animation for this movie appear barely a step up from the television cartoon. Nothing would feel significantly different if this feature went straight to video. With no advantage being taken of the cinematic medium, one wonders why Hey Arnold! The Movie is being shown in theaters. The only reason I can think of? A wide screen happens to be the perfect shape for close-ups of Arnold’s football-shaped head.

(Review also posted at www.windowtothemovies.com)

Distributed by Paramount Pictures and rated "PG" for some thematic elements.