And I'll tell you why. This movie has been described as a series finale for the TV series, and it has also been described as the third instalment of the film series. It is neither. Given the contradictions and non-relations between the TV series and the other two films, I've pretty much concluded that they occur in different timelines. So we can call films Timeline A and TV Timeline B. If you followed either A or B you might be excited to see how this film ties into either one. Problem is, it doesn't. The film opens with The Man with The Yellow Hat and George exiting their apartment building. But is the doorman THE Doorman, or is it Ivan? If you wanted to know, it sucks to be you!
But this is where it is most disappointing. The closest you get to tie-ins are similarities to Timeline A: Spaceman Houston calls The Man by his film name, Ted, and shows them pictures of their space flight from the end of the first movie. So if this film takes place in Timeline A, one must ask: where is everybody? Mr. Bloomsberry retired and his son buzzed off, so you can pass without seeing them. But Ivan and Clovis, who were supposed to be right there? Or Maggie? If you watched the second film, which by the way is an underrated treasure, it seems Maggie and Ted were getting pretty serious. The absences of all these characters simply breaks the story. The films set a stage of warmth and affection that the TV series simply didn't have time for, and because this film does away with all the protagonists' loved ones (in Maggie's own words), it simply lacks that element, replacing it with the soulless programming of globalism. I'm not politicising with that statement, just pointing out fact. Fellow reviewer zacharychitwood is right -I'd say that the environmentalist message, which there could have been plenty of room for, outright replaced the family/social elements that the first movie introduced and the second developed.
In short, this film is a big non sequitur. It is best watched as a non-relation to the other two films if at all. If it is to be considered part of Timeline A, it is a very sad way to end the story indeed. If it is its own creature, Timeline C, then it does what the action sequences of Curious George 2 did but worse. If you like George's antics and seeing Ted go flying places, sometimes unwillingly, watch Curious George 2. There's a reason this one doesn't even have its own Wikipedia article.
In short, this film is a big non sequitur. It is best watched as a non-relation to the other two films if at all. If it is to be considered part of Timeline A, it is a very sad way to end the story indeed. If it is its own creature, Timeline C, then it does what the action sequences of Curious George 2 did but worse. If you like George's antics and seeing Ted go flying places, sometimes unwillingly, watch Curious George 2. There's a reason this one doesn't even have its own Wikipedia article.