After a successful first attempt at a feature film and a well received albeit poorly performed stand-alone sequel, the next Peanuts movie wouldn't be made until about five years later, with Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown. Unlike Snoopy Come Home, this film did pretty well at the box office and is often considered to be one of the best Peanuts films by fans. Granted, that may be from fans who grew up with it compared to critics of its day who liked it but gave it some criticisms for its predictability and straight forward narrative. I can see where both sides come from though, as the film doesn't quite contain the timeless introspection of childhood that the Peanuts series is known for, it still has enough charm and hilarity to stand well on its own.

The basic premise follows the Peanuts gang at summer camp getting challenged by a bunch of older bullies in a raft race along a wild river, where numerous obstacles occur, including them all getting lost in the woods. From that plot line alone, one can already tell how cliched the movie is, not just from the one dimensional bullies provoking the underdogs, but also from the very idea of them entering into a raft race. Also, another big problem with the film is that the character interactions feel surprisingly out of place in a Peanuts film, as much of the main cast just squabble at each other in a rather crabby fashion. Sure they do help each other out during the race, but it's really saying something when Lucy comes off as the least moody of them all here. Not to mention, while there are some stakes throughout the race, such as the bullies sabotaging the gang's rafts and Snoopy and Woodstock getting separated, the actual venture itself feels rather unexciting and even mundane. Perhaps the problem there lies in how it doesn't really stand out from other children's sport movies that have done this premise before in the same way, compared to Lucy's child psychiatry booth and Charlie Brown's inner enigmas feeling much more mature in comparison.

So with those problems mentioned, does that make the movie bad? No, quite the contrary actually. In spite of the predictable plot, there are still plenty of hilarious moments with the characters that make the film worthwhile. For one thing, it's always great to see Peppermint Patty on screen due to her tomboyish nature and charming naivety, but her acting as a leader for the girls team at camp is nothing short of brilliant. She always tries her best to motivate the group, and even when she fails, there's always teamwork from other peeps to help her out along the way. Also, Snoopy and Woodstock's arch of getting lost in the woods does have its share of tenderness here and there, especially with the pressure of being out in the middle of nowhere. Even though this film is not a musical, the whole gang do end up getting lost in a cabin yet entertain themselves with a very cute sing-a-long, and that moment alone does display some decent choreography. That, and if there is anything to take away from the film substance-wise, it would have to be the lesson regarding teamwork and cooperation. It's important to remember that even during the toughest obstacles in our lives, getting help from others can solve the problem faster and better than we'd like to think.

In terms of other added bonuses, I have no idea why, but the bullies having a ferocious beast like cat with a spiked collar is the cherry on top of the slimy banana cream pie. This would mark the first Peanuts feature produced after the death of their famed composer Vince Guaraldi. In his place is Ed Bogas, who formally composed the scores for Fritz the Cat & Heavy Traffic, and his contributions are appropriate for the intended suspenseful ride this film entails. During the more calm moments, his touches of a more country-like aesthetic add in to the feel of the great wilderness, and the few stakes that do happen in the feature at least offer some well conducted fear tracks. Another notable highlight is the opening song, as it offers a catchy drumbeat and some happy-go-lucky lyrics that help set the tone for the great outdoors that the film strongly features. Even Snoopy's motorcycle scenes, in addition to their bizarre action and colorful visuals, display a really hyped up 70s soundtrack that would fit right in to any cyclist ride sequence in movies around this time. It goes to show that sometimes a movie which suffers from a routine storyline can be saved by touches of entertainment value in other aspects.

So while Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown does fall short of surprises from its cliched story and out of place crabbiness, it contains just enough charm in other areas to delight viewers, such as the presence of Peppermint Patty, the lively soundtrack, some funny and even heartfelt character moments, and a nice message on teamwork. Granted, children might have more to gain from this film than adults, which is a little bit of shame considering that the Peanuts content was made for everybody, but the aforementioned moral is still worth cherishing as long as you can stand by that mentality. Hey, if a bunch of flawed albeit hysterical children, an intellectual dog and a carefree bird can teach us all that, where's the harm in valuing that message?

This is the only Charlie Brown full length motion picture I have ever watched, but I believe I have seen it at least 20 times by now. I caught it on Thanksgiving Day afternoon on channel 7 in Washington DC around 1983 or so, and have been compelled to stop and watch it every time I see it, ever since.

The plot centers around the Peanuts gang going to a summer camp, where a group of punk kids and a nasty, mangy cat are intent on humiliating the other kids, and winning the raft race. The Peanuts gang competes in the race, with the guys (Charlie Brown, Schroeder, Linus, and Franklin) sharing one raft, the girls (Lucy, Sally, Peppermint Patty, and Marcie) sharing another raft, and Snoopy and Woodstock having their own raft. Of course, mishaps ensue and the gang ends up working together to defeat the bullies.

This movie really has what a lot of real life movies don't have. Perfect comic timing. There's so many hilarious scenes... Snoopy rides in the abandoned tire, the debate over cold cereal for breakfast, Charlie Brown is promoted to leader of the gang but can't get a word in edgewise due to Peppermint Patty ("That's IT CHUCK!!! You're LEADING!!! BOY WHAT A LEADER!!!!! LEAD ON CHUCK!!!!"), Lucy's insistence on doing things democratically ("The question before the group is... Do we have the boys join us? Marcie! Prepare the secret ballots!!!").

Highly entertaining. Charles Schultz has done his characters proud.