I haven't seen the movie, but it's one that I've definitely had my eye on once it comes out on DVD. And not that I really pay close attention to reviews before I see a movie because, as I've said, I like to see a movie before I read the reviews because I like to make up my own mind and then see if I agree with a reviewer or not, but just judging by the stars or letter grades that have been awarded, it seems as if this is one of those movies that people either respond well to or they don't. There doesn't seem to be much of a middle ground. And interestingly enough, given your theory that its approach could be a way to go with some sort of a DS movie, Entertainment Weekly was one of the reviews that didn't much like the movie, whereas, as I've mentioned before, they did like DS - and the same guy reviewed both.
Once I do see the movie, I'll try to remember to track down this topic to post my thoughts.