Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul Blu-ray Review

By: Lynn Barker

In Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul, an embarrassing video of Greg Heffley (Jason Drucker) goes viral and he has mega rep repair to do. Can he meet and get advice from his idol; a video game guru/blogger? Player Expo is a long way away. Can a road trip with the entire family get him there where he hopes to start a bromance with his idol that will assure him popularity success?

Greg catching up to the runaway family vanCourtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

How Mega-Embarrassing!

At a Chuckie Cheese-type restaurant with his family, Greg, 12, gets video-recorded with a diaper stuck to him while searching in a plastic-ball pile for little bro Manny. The video goes viral and Greg is determined to repair his rep. Meanwhile, his bro 16-year-old Rodrick (Charlie Wright) is still into being a very bad drummer in a rock band, hoping for some impossible hot action with girls and, of course giving Greg a hard time.

Rodrick wants a deep-fried butter stick at the fairCourtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Repair that Rep!

Maybe a video with his hero, star gamer Mac Digby (Joshua Hoover) will repair some of Greg’s reputation. Rodrick wouldn’t mind going to the cool Player Expo video game convention where Mac will appear. The duo thinks they can sneak away while on the family road trip to nearby grandma “Meemaw’s” 90^th birthday party in the Midwest.

Little bro wins a piglet at the fairCourtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Road Trip Hell

The family hits the road with mom Susan (Alicia Silverstone) deciding that the family needs quality face time so she bans all electronic devices on the road and listens to a “learn Spanish” CD. Of course Greg and Rodrick can’t think of anything worse. Well, maybe mom bursting into ‘80’s pop songs is worse. Dad (Tom Everett Scott) didn’t even arrange for real time off from work so he keeps sneaking time on his cell.

Mom is excited about a family road tripCourtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

It’s Getting Ugly

On the road to Meemaw’s, the family stays in a roach-filled motel, visits a county fair where they win a piglet and later get attacked and pooed on by big birds right out of an Alfred Hitchcock thriller. When their car gets stuck, efforts to free it ends in a mud-covered bunch of Heffleys, all their luggage falls out of the boat they are towing and they meet another strange travelling family they dub “the Beardos” due to the dad’s hairy appearance. When he sits on a toilet, gross gets much grosser.

Motel roaches, now bird poo bombs!Courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

A Doomed Plan?

Greg and Rodrick manage to get to the convention but Mom catches Greg there. Will everyone get to granny’s birthday celebration on time or at all?  Will Greg meet and at least get a selfie with his vlogger idol or is, as usual, his plan doomed to fail?

Messy, muddy HeffleysCourtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Special Extra Features

There are quite a few on this Blu-ray. Most are fun if short.

• Making a Scene goes into detail on three scenes; winning the piglet at the fair, acting with the cute pigs and a robot pig, Alien Abduction is the ride at the fair in which Greg gets chased by Beardo weirdo guy. We see how it was shot. When Seagulls Attack gives the details on the massive bird poo scene. Alicia Silverstone is glad the fake “poo” was at least “healthy”.. all birds were CGI.  Fun extra.
• Greg Heffley’s 10 Rules for the Perfect Road Trip – Based on what happens in the film, the rules are all workable advice.
• Road Games presents three actual games you can play on a road trip: 20 Questions, Rodrick’s Shopping List and Would You Rather.  Interesting to try at least.
• Learn to Draw features author/cartoonist Jeff Kinney teaching in detail how to draw all the major characters. This is actually quite fun and easy. Enjoyed it.

Greg, covered with bird poo, in the family boatCourtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

• A Decade of Wimpy Fun again features Kinney talking about creating the characters for cartoon strips, then novels and finally films. We hear from filmmakers, actors and fans and learn why the “Wimpy” universe is so popular. Nice.
• Bloopers and Deleted Scenes – These are mashed together in one feature. We get the usual line flubs, making faces, and some short extra scenes. Worth a watch.
• Deleted Animation is very short consisting of a “magazine” that mom reads that gives her all her ideas for family activities.
• Haulin’ Through Georgia has the director explaining why the film was shot in Georgia. The state offers such varied terrain that it could stand in for many different states along the road.
• Gallery is a series of still photos from the film and off set.

Greg avoiding Beardo on the Alien Abduction rideCourtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Wrapping Up

This new “Wimpy” film has a new cast. Zach Gordon who played Greg is 19 and Devon Bostick who was Rodrick is 25! Gotta get younger newbies to play the lead bros. There might be disappointment that none of Greg's school pals is involved...just family this time but, if you love the “Wimpy” books and films, you will probably want to collect this Blu-ray/DVD/Digital HD set.  With it you get an HD Digital copy of the first film!

Worst road trip ever!Courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Extras are cute and entertaining. The best in my book is one featuring author Jeff Kinney who talks about inventing the comic based on his own tween life, writing the books and on through the films. Also enjoyed his drawing lessons. If you have the other films, you’ll want to keep collecting. As we did for the feature film, we go three stars.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul Blu-ray Rating: 

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul Blu-rayCourtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul is now available in stores!

Have Your Say

Is a road trip with your family your idea of lots of fun or a hellish nightmare? Are you a Wimpy Kid fan? Leave a comment!