1 Where's Thomas In His First Movie?
I was so excited to get this movie for my brother who loves Thomas and knows everything a three year old can know about trains. I only wish I had read a couple of reviews first. I almost did not buy it just because Alec Baldwin was in it and after seeing this movie, I'll never waste another dime on anything he is in.
So why is this movie so bad? Let's start with the story. It has more to do with Mr. Conductor (a stupid name) than it has to do with Thomas and his friends. The dialogue is horrible. When it does show an engine from the Island of Sodor, it bears no resemblence to the engines in the beloved books. For instance, James comes across as an idiot. Thomas is nearly absent for most of the movie. The voices of the engines sound like little kids, which is silly. On the other hand the character played by Mara Wilson should have been played by a little kid. She is very unconvincing in this role and the boy, Patch is even worse. Some characters seem to be there for no reason at all, like Mr. Conductor's cousin. But that is the way the entire movie goes, things just happen for no reason, leaving the viewer with a bunch of annoying questions: Why is Diesel 10 so angry and mean? Why does Mr. conductor go from the "real" world to the Island of Sodor? Why would Sir Topham Hatt trust this simpleton to run his railroad? Why was Peter Fonda's character able to get to Sodor in the first place? Why was this movie ever made? Why did nobody check in with the original stories to see if any of this made sense? Why was Britt Allcroft allowed to do this kind of damage to Thomas the Tank Engine? Why am I so angry about this? Did they show this movie to a test audience? If so how did it ever make it to theaters?
In short, this is THE WORST movie I have ever seen from the screenplay to the acting to the editing. It has not one redeeming quality.
2 Thomas and the Magic Railroad
This movie is just awful. The story is lame, the acting worse. I think that the Rev. Awdry would hate this movie. My kids and I are train buffs and huge fans of Thomas and His Friends. However, if this movie were our introduction to Thomas and the Island of Sodor we would not look beyond this. Alec Baldwin should retire.
3 Terrible movie
This movie was by far the worst Thomas production ever made. I was horrified when I discovered that Britt Allcroft wrote it; now we know why she always had a co-writer when she was writing episodes for the TV series, and why she was kicked out of Gullane Entertainment afterwards.
The script is so poorly written that I feel sorry for the trees used to make the paper that it was written on. The Island of Sodor, in the TV series an island off the coast of England that was more or less normal, has been turned into a magical ghost town populated by talking trains and literate animals. Why Britt Allcroft chose to make such a rapid departure from the TV series I will never know. She also filled the script with complicated plot devices that few children will be able to understand (you'd need to be Einstein or Stephen Hawking to figure out the answer to the riddle on the windmill wall), and threw her healthy knowledge of the Thomas characters out of the window (Thomas is portrayed as a goody-goody, Bertie as being annoyingly hyperactive, Henry as being a whiny pain in the neck, and James as being so short of brain cells that he doesn't know what the word "shoo" means).
Usually, bad scripts bring in bad acting, and this movie was no exception. Alec Baldwin's character was so annoying (I'm sure I'm not the only person who wishes Diesel 10 had dropped him off the viaduct), and took the limelight that should have been given to Thomas and the other engines. Peter Fonda's character was the most miserable, depressing character in the history of children's movies. Mara Wilson's character was better, but still seemed like a teenage girl younger than her years. And what was the point of having big name actors anyway? It's not as if little children are going to recognise them.
I also find the film to be overly violent. Diesel 10 is so nasty that it's no wonder little children started crying and asking to leave the theater when he made his first appearance. We're never told why he's evil either, he just comes off as a character who wants to destroy steam engines for no reason whatsoever. In the original series, if a character was evil it was usually for a good reason. In a similar fashion, while characters in the TV series might be evil, they never went further than playing tricks on the other engines and trying to get them sent away. Here, Diesel 10 tries to kill Mr Conductor and Junior in scenes that make me amazed the film got a G rating.
Then there's the fact that the steam engines get what can only be described as outstanding cameos. When I went to see this at the theater, I noticed a lot of little children fidgeting and looking bored during the scenes with the human characters. Really I'm not at all surprised that they were; they came to the theater to see their favorite blue engine and his friends, not a Lilliputian railroad conductor who had lost his gold dust.
Last but not least, what can little children learn from this movie? The TV series episodes all have morals in them, like "don't tell lies" and "don't get too full of yourself." Other than a brief line at the end about helping each other, this movie has no moral value in it whatsoever (unless you count teaching children to be senselessly violent a moral).
In September of this year a second Thomas movie is coming out, albeit shorter than this one and being released direct to video, called "Calling All Engines." Cross your fingers and hope it's better than this turkey.
4 If You Want To Commit Suicide...This Is The Movie To Watch!
My daughter really loves trains, and although we've only seen a few episodes of "Thomas & Friends" (our PBS station doesn't carry it, but it available from time to time on the On Demand Channel) we both really enjoy it. So, when my daughter received this movie for X-mas, I thought we would both like it. I vaguely remember the trailers for it when it came out and it seemed like an okay movie, but I didn't have kids at the time, so I didn't bother to see it. Wow, was I wrong...on both counts.
Though my daughter seems to like it somewhat, since once in a while she asks to watch it again, I hate it with a passion. As soon as I put the movie in the VCR, I run from the living room, put earphones on, and blast the music as loud as I can so I don't have to hear a word of the most inane script anyone as ever written. My daughter could make a better Thomas movie than this, and she's only three years old! You're wondering if it's just the inane script that bothers me. No, it isn't. Here's a list of other things that really bug me about this movie:
1. They have a 13 year old play a part meant for a six year old. I like Mara Wilson. She used to be on "Guiding Light" and she was also in "Mrs. Doubtfire". She did a very good job on both of those. But in this movie...OMG is she horrible! She sounded like she was reading off cue cards or something. It's obvious she is sent off to Grandpa's house because mom is about to drop another kid any minute, but why? At 13, you don't really need to be babysat anymore. Also, she's playing pretend games with stuffed animals. I can see at 13 still collecting stuffed animals, but playing with them? Most kids are past that stage at 13 already. The more I got into the movie, the more I suspected Mara's character was mentally retarded. I think it would have made the whole movie more believable if they mentioned that in the beginning.
2. Peter Fonda--Ohhh...there's no words to describe his acting, or non-acting, I should say. He was either drunk or took took much valium throughout the whole movie. It usually took him like ten minutes to get five words out. I cringed everytime he was in a scene. I can't believe this guy has been nominated for an Academy Award twice! Let's just say I'm glad he wasn't for this one.
3. The Plot--or lack thereof. What is the plot, you ask? I don't know. I've seen the movie and I have no clue what it is. It seems to involve getting Lady (Grampa's engine)in working order and into Sodor and getting more gold dust for the little conductors. Why? I don't know. There was no reason given. There's also a bad engine called Diesel 10 whose mere existence (besides contributing greenhouse gases to the atmosphere) is to make everyone on Sodor miserable with his badboy rip 'em to shreds hydrolic arm. Why you ask? I don't know that either. Sounds like a great movie, huh? Add the psychedelic effects and you have the makings of the worst movie since "Wild At Heart".
4. Where are the engines? The screen time with Thomas (supposedly the main character of the movie; I mean his name IS in the title) is minimal. I know this is hard to believe, but I swear it's true: The trains are more believable and have more personality than the live actors do! Too bad you barely see them in this movie. Supposedly the action is supposed to revolve around them, but you wouldn't know it by watching this film.
Well, if you're a mostly functioning adult, I would not recommend this movie at all. I'd advise just watching the TV show and buying the books. Your kids might like it, but I guarantee you will live to regret purchasing this video. Actually, my copy is soon going to Grandma & Grandpa's house--they bought this disaster, so I think I should have to sit down and watch it too.
5 My four-year-old LOVES this movie
My son, age 4, is also sort of obsessed with trains. He LOVES Thomas, but also loves those long, boring documentary-type videos that just show train after train after train... And so he's willing to sit through a lot of dialog just to get to the next train. When we rented this movie, he watched it NINE times in the three days we had it, and cried his heart out when we had to return it (that's why we've now bought it...)
If your child needs more stimulation and is really looking for a movie that just focuses on the trains alone, this one probably isn't the one for you. But if he/she is older, or can focus on a little more intricate story line, give this one a try. This is one of those movies that just really works for some kids, and really doesn't for others. If you don't want to shell out the ten bucks or so and take a chance, then I recommend renting it at your local video store first, and then you'll know if it's worth the investment.
6 The trains were cute but this movie's awful
For some reason I can't fathom my daughters love this movie, but sitting through it is painful. The little boy in the movie should consider another career, and Peter Fonda is more wooden than the trains (although if you're in the right mood his performance is almost funny, but mostly it's just painful). Alex Baldwin tried, but the script and the direction kept this movie from being anything more than dismal. The Thomas series is much more entertaining and well-written. Do yourself a favor and don't spend money on this dog.
7 If your child loves Thomas...
...then there's a good chance they will love this movie. My daughter is 2 1/2 and LOVES this movie. She knows many of the parts by heart. Many other reviews state the poor acting but this is a kids video. Some of the lines (and acting) are corny, but my daughter loves those scenes. I can't tell you how many times we have watched it. I still enjoy watching it with my child. It is a great children's video and I would buy it as a gift for other Thomas fans. Because of this video we bought the wooden railroad with the characters from the movie including Lady, Diesel/Pinchy, Thomas, James, etc. She now watches the movie and acts it out with her toys. FUN, FUN, FUN!
8 My Thomas FANatic Loves This Movie
I have to admit that I held off buying this movie for my son simply because the reviews have been so bad, but I ultimately broke down and purchased it last week. My 3.5 year old Thomas fan loves it (I on the otherhand think it's not so great, but it's not for me right).
After watching the standard Thomas DVD's (over and over again) I think he mostly enjoys the fact that Thomas and his friends are interacting with real people. There are real people riding in the trains and real people on the Island of Sodor which is a welcome change to the wooden ones whose mouths don't move :) It is also neat to see a lot of different trains and hear them talking (Toby, Annie and Clarabel all talk for instance) which never happens in the regular DVD's.
I will admit that the only thing worse than the story (which is totally confusing) is the acting. Peter Fonda is so bad you will actually laugh out loud. But in the end it is the trains that are the real stars of this movie and if you have a Thomas fan in the house - you won't regret spending the $9.99 (less than the price of one train) to add this one to your DVD collection.
9 2-Year-Old is Unimpressed
My son, who is almost three, is the quintissential Thomas fan. He watches the videos over and over, quotes dialogue, acts out the stories, and I've lost count of how many Thomas engines and accessories he has.
He can't stand this movie!
He was first introduced to Thomas by a promo for this movie on one of his Bear in the Big Blue House videos. He was so fascinated by Thomas that he'd watch the Bear movie just to see the promo. We bought him a couple of Thomas videos, and he was hooked. When he finally got the Thomas Movie on a special occasion, he was thrilled -- until he actually watched it. It's nothing like his "Thomas & Friends" videos.
And that's the problem -- this isn't really a "Thomas" movie at all; it's a "Shining Time Station Movie." And since my son has never seen "Shining Time Station" (he was born well after PBS dropped the show) he has no idea who "Mr. Conductor" is, or "Stacey Jones" -- and he's never seen live actors interact with the engines on the Island of Sodor! He watched it once; he still has it, but he's not at all interested in seeing it again. He seems to find it disturbing...
If your child remembers Shining Time Station, he (or she) will probably like this movie. But then again, if your kid remembers Shining Time Station, he (or she) is probably too old for Thomas. It probably won't appeal to kids who have only been exposed to the Thomas & Friends videos.
Maybe that's why it's selling (or not) for less than $10. Unfortunately, Amazon's review system won't let me give it less than one star.
10 Writers were on drugs
Try not to expose your children to one of the worst written children's movies of all-time. The people involved in this production somehow got decent actors, but spent no money on the script. It's all over the map, makes no sense at all and is painful even for children to watch. My son loves Thomas, but could not follow this. There are plenty of other Thomas stories that actually have a coherent narrative. Choose any of those instead of this train wreck.
11 A child's perspective
I have to agree with all the other reviewers that this is a child's movie and my 2 1/2 year old loves it. We rented it, and my son was beside himself when we took it back. He perfers to watch this instead of the other shows. He loves the singing and he loves D-10, he yells "he is bad" he is not afraid of him, he laughs at him. I happen to think that Alec does a great job and it is a cute fantasy movie. You have to think outside the box. Our family is huge fans, and I am glad this movie is available and I would love to see them do another.
12 Outstanding film!
Our kids love this one, can't see it enough! And it actually has plot, a star cast, and excellent special effects!
13 This is the best movie for Toddlers and Preschool
After reading all of the bad reviews for this movie, I almost didn't buy it. I sure am glad that I did because this is a really cute movie!! I truely enjoyed watching this with my son. It is a wonderful movie for young children!! Other reviewers have gone on and on about how terrible Peter Fonda's acting is. To me, I don't see what the big deal is, he is not seen in that much of the movie until the end. And as another reviewer pointed out this is a child's movie. Kids don't care how well he acts... They are only watching to see the trains.
As for Diesel 10, when he first appeared in the movie my 3 year old (only been 3 a couple of weeks)laughed. He did not seem bothered at all until the end when Diesel is chasing Thomas and Lady. Even then, all he did was scream go faster Thomas. So unless you have a really sensitive child, I think that most little ones can tolerate him. Let's face it, there are much worse and scarier villians in other children's programs than Diesel 10.
Several reviews said the plot doesn't make sense or it is all over the place. I just have to plain disagree. It made perfect sense to me. I did not find myself lost as to what was going on at any time during this movie. It does not have your typical Thomas plots that teach a moral lesson with little 4 or 5 minute segments. However, there are plenty lessons to be learned throughout the course of the movie, such as have courage, good triumphs over evil, don't give up...etc... So I am not sure why so many had such negative things to say about "the moral lessons".
I am accustomed to watching movies repeatedly with my son, and I must say that I believe this one will be easier to sit through than some of the others that I have suffered through over and over!! Buy this because it is worth every penny.
14 A Thomas Travesty
Moreover,this was pretty much of a joke.Let me tell you,I have loved the ''Thomas the Tank Engine''show for many years(I STILL do),but this was so-so.I mean,it did have its' funny parts,but,to tell you the truth,it was silly and lame overall.The reasons: 1.The voices for the trains were HORRID!!!!!Thomas and Gordon's voices were too high,Toby and Lady sounded too low,and,for no apparent reason,Percy and James were voiced by females.Bertie and Harold sounded OK,but the only voices that actually sounded good were Henry,Diesel 10,Dodge,and Splatter. 2.Not all the characters were used,i.e.some Season 1 characters(Edward,Henrietta,Terence,Sir Topham Hatt),almost every Season 2 character(Tank Engine Twins,Scottish Twins,Duck,Diesel,Daisy,Boco,or Trevor),and NO Season 3,4,or 5 characters were used at all(I simply can't name them all individually)!And ,by the way,some Shining Time Station characters didn't appear, either(Dan,Kara,Becky,Schemer,Mr.Typo,and,of course,The Juke Box Puppet Band),and Miss Stacy was almost unrecognizable with her new hairstyle. 3.The new characters(Lady,Diesel 10,Splatter,and Dodge)never appeared in any other adventures as far as I'm aware. 4.The whole ''gold dust''idea just doesn't fit with the basic Thomas idea,I mean,they survived without it in the original stories! 5.The engines no longer seem to have drivers(or those cantankerous passengers,for that matter!). 6.The relationship between Peter Fonda and Lady is creepy. 7.There's no narrator;it tells its own story. 8.The trains have British accents(I know what you're thinking of me,but I'm entitled to my own opinion,although Ringo Starr,Michael Angelis,and Michael Brandon are excellent narrators)! 9.The plot was pretty farfetched,if you ask me. You know,I don't think it's Britt Allcroft's fault such crud as this popped into her head.Someone who's never seen the original series might find this a bit appealing,but if you're a true fan of the show,I'd recommend this FOR RENTING.
15 The worst thing that's ever happened to Thomas
When I first heard that there was going to be a Thomas movie released, I was excited. It was about time Thomas made the jump to the silver screen, and I thought it would be brilliant. But when I actually saw it, I was shocked at how awful it was. Here are the reasons why...
1. Sodor is portrayed as a magical universe. You can't get to it without gold dust or by travelling on the Magic Railroad. There are only about two or three people living there, and they're all pint-sized (at least that's what Mr Conductor says). And the engines can all drive themselves. In the original series, Sodor was connected to the main line, there were plenty of people living there and they were all normal-sized, and the engines had drivers and fireman to control them.
2. There are a lot of continuity errors with the original series. Aside from the ones I've mentioned above about Sodor being a magical universe, the engines' whistling and puffing sounds are wrong, and Henry is portrayed as being unwell when his stay at Crewe in the earlier episodes supposedly rectified that.
3. There's too much emphasis on the human characters. The movie focuses more on Mr Conductor than it does on Thomas. It's supposed to be about Thomas the Tank Engine, not a silly railway conductor who's losing his sparkle! And I really dislike Burnett Stone; all he does is sit around feeling sorry for himself.
4. Poor acting. Alec Baldwin is easily the worst narrator for the Thomas series, and in this movie he's just as bad. And Peter Fonda is just terrible. Mara Wilson was alright though, but the rest of the acting? No. Just no.
5. Silly dialogue. "Sandle fly! Boo fly! Shoo fly! That's it!" What the hell is that? "Thank throttles you're safe!" Very irritating. "And helping each other brings to life the magic in all of us." What on earth is she going on about? Whoever wrote the script for this has a lot to answer to.
6. There are very few characters from the original series. Edward, the first engine ever created, has been completely ignored in this movie. So have other classic characters like Duck, Donald and Douglas. Same goes for the Shining Time Station side of the movie...where are characters like Schemer and JB King?
7. Americanisation. The Fat Controller is referred to as "Sir Topham Hatt," like he is in the American version. American words are used all over the movie. Half the actors are American. Even some of the engines sound American. Thomas is a British show, and having a Thomas movie that's American is just stupid.
8. The non-human characters' voices. Percy and James are both voiced by women. Percy I can understand, as he's supposed to be the engine equivilant of a small child and a female voice would make him sound cuter. But why was James voiced by a women? As for the other characters...Harold doesn't sound nearly as good as he does in the television series. Gordon isn't deep enough. Lady doesn't sound young enough. And Henry and Bertie are just awful. It's almost a blessing that Donald and Douglas weren't in the movie, because they probably wouldn't have Scottish accents like they should have!
The only redeeming features of this DVD are the new characters. Diesel 10 is a really good villain, and Dodge and Splatter provide plenty of comic relief as the "dim-witted sidekicks." Lady is pretty good as well.
But apart from the new characters, this movie is terrible. Even my brother dislikes it, and he's one of the biggest Thomas fans in the world, so that must be saying something. Stick to the far better television series, and avoid this movie like the plague.
16 Pretty good movie
I first saw this movie early this year and I liked it. Junior was my favorite character. Even though this movie was good overall, it did have its share of flaws. First of all the story doesn't have much depth to it and the dialogue can be confusing at times. Also they show the real world more than the island of Sodor. And worst of all, Peter Fonda sucked! It seemed like he didn't want to play the part or something like that. But overall, even though its not as good as the actual Thomas videos,its still good.
17 The Worst Thomas Production
Let me start of by saying I was excited to hear of this movie. But after it ended I said in my head "WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT"?!
I have been a Thomas fan for many years but after watching this one I'd tell buyers pass up this one. Spend it on GOOD videos or DVDs such as Thomas Comes to Breakfast, Thomas & His Friends Get Along, or Trust Thomas. This is the worst Thomas production. Lady, Splatter, and Dodge were never seen after this. It dosen't show characters such as: Edward, Duck, Oliver, Donald, Douglas, Bill, Ben, Stepney, Trevor, Terance Cranky, Mavis, and BoCo. Even the recently released Steamies VS. Diesels is better than this. Alec Baldwin does his best in this movie. His best Thomas productions were: Cranky Bugs, Races Rescues & Runaways, Spills & Chills, Make Someone Happy, Gordon & the Gremlin (indivisual episode from Trackside Tunes), and this. After this it all went downhill. Plus they show more real world scenes than Sodor scenes. This was the Engines day to shine, not the Humans (except for Mr. C). Don't buy it at all.
18 Very Cute Movie! (but Peter Fonda is BAD!!)
When my son was about 2 1/2 he watched this movie over and over and over again for about a year!! He loved it and could not get enough of it. Now his little brother who is almost 2 loves it too. First of all the movie is very cute. The guy who plays Alec Baldwins nephew does a really good job and Alec Baldwin is really good too, BUT Peter Fonda is so bad!! And he is not acting that way so the kids could understand him, he is just HORRIBLE!!! So bad that he is frustrating!
All in all the movie is very good and definitely worth $10 if you have a child that loves Thomas.
19 Was Thomas DUPED?
I saw this movie four years ago and I loved it. My sister was afraid of it, but not long ago she watched it with me and she loved it as well. But then I thought about it... the movie has more human scenes than train ones. So, was Thomas, that adorable, loveable tank engine, duped? Well, what I think you do not understand is that Thomas and his friends were created in 1945 by the Reverend W. Awdrey. He created the wonderful Sodor, with bright stuff. But putting in an evil diesel does not seem to make any sense. Because of all this junk, this product has lost a star.
20 Let me off
I am in pain! Forget that it doesn't fit logically let alone ideologically with the Thomas series. It is just a really horrible movie. Disjointed, blues cluesy at points, but not consistently anything but bad.
In Sodor all the trains learn life lessons by making mistakes. They all have their flaws, but none are evil. They always have a chance to make it right. What's up with one evil engine? Scary, and pointless- no moral lesson here. And magic gold dust? The biggest discussion that I can have with my 3 children regarding this movie is, "If an evil train ever gives you trouble, grab some gold glitter and toss it in the air"?
21 3 y.o twins love it - but are now saying "GET OUTTA MY WAY!"
It is definitely for the under 5 crowd, and they will sit through this unlike many other movies. It captivates them, and I can handle watching it, but the boys did learn the "GET OUTTA MY WAY!" phrase from Deisel 10 and I am not thrilled about that. Especially when repeated in the preschool yard!
22 Thomas the Magic Railroad wasn't so magical after all.
After reading the previous reviews about the film and comtemplating on the opinions. I realized that this film doesn't have the Thomas spirit. I'm 16 years old and I have watched numerous videos of Thomas in my young childhood and like to rejoice on the great memories that I have had with Thomas. When the movie was released, I watched it at home and I wasn't all that impressed. The basic storyline was pretty well thought out but it didn't seem like a regular Thomas storyline. Some of the children nowadays would think it is boring and simply terrifying with the exception of Diesel 10. The majority of the children have watched the show and videos and learned that Thomas is a innocent, friendly, and a hard worker. When you put a evil train into the mix, it doesn't seem right. The original Diesel used to cause trouble out in the yards etc., but this one didn't fit. Overall the storyline isn't all that bad, but the they could have had better acting and more train scenes instead of the humans. I mean it is Thomas's movie. But in conclusion, they didn't ruin the Thomas series, it just put a little confusion in the likes of the series.
23 Should be zero stars
Honest - I think this may be the worst movie I've ever seen. I agree with the previous reviewer: kids who are young enough to be interested in Thomas won't sit still for the live-action scenes. And an adult who doesn't mind watching a typical Thomas video with a child will find this movie just excruciating. The "plot" is extremely tedious, and the acting is just plain awful. I have no idea why Alec Baldwin and Peter Fonda took these roles unless (1) they never read the script or (2) somebody backed a truckload of money up to their door. I would have rated it a zero if I could. Just plain bad. Don't waste your money.
24 Mara wilson. 4th may 2004.
By looking on the advertisements, it looked fairly good. Mostly wanted it cos mara wilson was in it, i like her films, she is a good actress. I don't think it is amusing for any older kid, after watching it myself i know that older kids might get a bit bored of it. Not just for those who just like thomas the tank engine, it is kind of an adventure too. People who don't like thomas might absolutely hate this film, for me there is too much talking trains and it is great for an ill kid,especcially young ones.
25 Hello! It's for young kids!
First of all, most of you people are reviewing this movie as if it meant something to you as an adult. This movie is for kids under 5, end of story. Yes, it has a corny story, but kids that young don't care. My 2 1/2 year old son loves Thomas and had a few other videos before this. He has Diesel, but never played with him until seeing this movie. Now he loves Diesel. He knows he's bad, but now he can add another dimension to his playing with his other trains. He will sit through the whole 80 minutes and then want to watch it again. As with other reviewers saying their 5 yr old cried and was scared when he saw Diesel, I don't know what to tell you. The only time my 2 1/2 yr old cries during this movie is when it ends and I won't let him immediately watch it again in the same sitting. I gave the DVD 4 stars because it lacks any bonus material or games that the other Thomas videos have, but then again, it is a theatrical movie and should be treated as such. Besides, I only spent $8 at Toys 'R Us so it was worth my money since my child loves it and it keeps his interest. Let's not forget this movie is a young kids movie made for young kids. If you're an adult watching this without a kid, for your own enjoyment, then there's something wrong with you.
26 A Train Wreck of a Film
My son was very excited at the prospect of this film when it came out in theatres. He was about five years old and had to be carried screaming from the theatre when the evil diesel made its appearance. I am sorry to say that in typical boy fashion, he recently decided he had to prove he was not afraid of Diesel and asked me to get this for him. I did, and now I feel like I should be carried screaming from the room.
The plot, such as it is, is incoherent and completely contrary to the purpose of the original Thomas stories, which were all about hard work, determination, teamwork and honesty. Very bland unmagical Anglo-Saxon qualities, but good ones to have and good ones to teach to your children. This movie, on the other hand, seems to have nothing to do with those corny virtues and everything to do with the Conductor's quest for some sort of magic gold dust.
The acting is leaden, but I don't know that the actors themselves are to blame. I'm sure they were all expecting a better script. Honestly this film seems to have more in common with The Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour" than it does with any of the previous Thomas stories. It's sloppy, disjointed, with all sorts of weird hallucinogenic touches, like the conductor talking into a phone made of flowers.
The story also seems to make my son very hyper (something the original Thomas stories never did) -- he even seems to have more trouble sleeping if he watches it. I'm sorry I let him have it, plan to "lose" it as soon as possible, and only wish he still had the good taste he had when he was five and hated the thing!!!
27 My Kids Love This Movie
This story takes place in the perfect little town, Shining Time, where everyone apparently sits around at the train station with nothing to do; and the Island of Sodor, which is populated only by trains (which leaves me wondering, why the need for passenger cars) and Sir Topham Hat, the cranky railway controller. Mr. C is a tiny little guy who magically pops in and out using gold dust. Gold dust is the only way to travel to the Island of Sodor and it's running out. And to make things worse a nasty Diesel engine is running amok threatening the steam engines. Hence the plot of this movie.
I have to agree with almost all of the other reviews-- for the most part the acting stinks, but my kids love it. They want to watch it nearly every day. They love to watch the "choo-choo's". Because of that I gave it 4 stars.
From an adult perspective I would give it 2 stars, only because of Alec Baldwin. If it weren't for Baldwin this movie would have nothing for the adults to watch. He is absolutely hillarious as Mr. Conductor. He plays the part perfectly. The only other good acting comes from C Jr., Mr. C's nephew (don't know his real name), who plays a funny British surfer-dude. On the other hand Peter Fonda's acting is so bad, it would be funny if he weren't so annoying. He plays Burnett Stone, a sad-sack old recluse who never comes down from the mountain and now I see why. If he did come down he would be pelted with rocks.
This movie is full of stupid dialog and situations. One of the more stupid moments in this movie: A girl asking a stray dog what train to get on and where to get off. The most stupid lines: Native-American: "Does Burnett Stone ever give you a smile?" Patch: "No, but he doesn't frighten my horse either. Which means I don't think he's a bad man."
28 My son loves this movie but I don't!
My son loves the movie, but I can't stand it.
Movie is 90min long- it's the perfect movie length for when your child gets up at 5:30am on a Saturday morning and the parent need some extra sleep. It's also nice to have a full length movie about Thomas as a change from the shorter Thomas stories.
As an adult watching the movie, the acting is HORRIBLE! It's painful to watch at times- I really wish they had spent a little more time/money on the film- it could have been great.
Additionally, this was the first exposure my son (3yo) had to a villian (Diesel10)- he was frightened the first time we watched it- if I had known that the movie was going to frighten him, I would have better prepared him for it.
I have also noticed behavorial changes with my very laid back son after he has watched the movie. He becomes aggressive/angry when he plays with his trains (like how Diesel10 is in the movie)compared to how he plays with the trains when he hasn't seen the movie for some time.
So even though my son does love this movie, and asks for it often, I very rarely permit him to watch it. I don't like the change in his behavior after the movie. I think an older child would really like the movie, and I'm sure my son will still love the movie a few years from now.
29 My 3 year old son loves it
My 3 year old son is a huge Thomas fan and he's absolutely addicted to this dvd. We've had it for several months now and he's probably watched it over 20 times. That of course means I had to watch it many times over as well. It's actually not a bad movie, even though I've seen it a ton of times I still enjoy it (I'm 30 years old). My only big complaint is the acting is absolutely horrible. Kids probably don't care, but it bothers me some. The actors could at least act like they are into it. The worst offender is Peter Fonda - its like he's reading all his lines off cue cards.
I've seen some reviews saying their child was traumatized by Diesel 10. My son had the opposite reaction. He now runs around the house chasing me screaming "Diesel 10", using his hand as pinchy. Pretty funny. He tries to push me off the couch onto the carpet saying he's pushing me in the water like Diesel 10 does in the movie.
Highly recommended for any child that is into Thomas. Even grownups can have a little fun with it to.
30 Choo-Choo loving 2 Year Old
This movie is really just for toddlers/kids. For an adult to actually try to make any sense out of it or to become involved in the plot or the awful acting, is just ridiculous, although its much more interesting to me than, say, Bob the Builder or Barney. Fortunately for me, my 2-year-old is very active and does not like TV but he loves this movie, it's the longest I have seen him sit still for anything!
31 Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad
I hate this movie. I really do. My kids love it though, so that's why it gets two stars.
This movie makes absolutely no sense to any thinking adult. There are so many errors it's annoying. And the acting...oh, my gosh. If it weren't for Alec Baldwin and the man who plays his nephew, there would be noone in the movie who could act.
It's just an all around bad movie that should have gone straight to video. It's not even good enough to be a made for tv movie.
But, of course, you kids will love it. And, if you buy it, you will be forced to endure it.s
32 Thomas did good but they made a lot of mistakes
I thought this movie was pretty good and my sister dubbed it Thomas Square. I still don't know why but I can sit through this one a few times without getting bored. I thought they made a few mistakes in it though. First of all none of the engines have drivers. I know none of the drivers in the story ever had names besides Edward's driver being called Charlie once but Mr Conductor could've called them Sir or Driver or not really address them at all. Second I thought Edward should've been in it. Edward was one of the oringinal engines from the first tape and he could've had a small part. Next I thought it was weird how Thomas would leave Annie and Clarabel in the middle of the line where another engine could run into them. I thought it was neat how each engine had their own individual voices. The acting was good and I was suprised they were able to find the old actors from Shining Time Station. This movie was good and little kids love it.
33 Not Very Well Done - But I Like it Anyway
There are several moments in this film where the rules of movie craftsmanship are flagrantly violated. But I have to say that this did not detract much from my enjoyment of the film. This is the kind of movie that my kids watch over and over for a week on the VCR while I sort of hover in the background, never really getting to watch the film from beginning to end. I judge these sorts of movies by their ability to engage me without actually involving me to the point where I have to stop doing the dishes. I enjoy trying to figure out what's going on. The rather convoluted (but not at all pointless) plot of this movie was, therefore, an asset in its favor. Similarly, the fact that there isn't enough movie to fill out the plot actually makes the film kind of cryptic and intriguing. And the storyline is fortunately aimed at older children and adults to help them sit through the picture.
My fragmented and repetitive viewing style also helps me appreciate some of the isolated great moments in the film, like when Lady emerges from the Magic Railroad.
In a sense, I guess I think of the movie as the rehearsal outtakes of a sprawling 5 hour epic that never got made but that would have been great....
34 Amazing movie, but what's wrong with you people?!
Well I bought this movie, and I showed it to myself and my little 3-year-old. You know what? WE LOVED IT!! And I decided to read what other people thought...and now me and my son wonder why older kids were so scared of this movie.
You know, this movie was amazing. Diesel-10 (an English Electric Class 37 & 40 diesel with a claw attatchment) made an excellent villan--easily what you'd expect from a little kid's movie. Real people were in the movie, plus it had a great storyline.
So why did people give the movie low ratings? Diesel-10, duh. Their kids were scared at the begining of the movie, where D-10 appears out of nowhere going EXTREMELY fast, and fast stuff is often scary to small kids.
4 new characters are introduced in this movie: Lady (a magic steam engine that creates gold dust) , Diesel 10 (the villian diesel engine with a claw), Splatter and Dodge (Diesel 10's henchmen, and they are extremely lazy).
If you find this review useless, good for you.
35 Thomas
Thomas and the Magic Railroad was a great movie. It was suspencful,adventurful, fun, and exciting. I'm 13,and I thought that this movie would be boring but the movie was good. I'll tell you a part in the movie. " Diesel 10 is threating to distroy all the steam engines by distroying the 'lost' steam engine. Which is the source to all the steam trains magic and the conductors magic to traval between 'Thomas's world' and the 'real world'".....................................
36 Bargain !
I like the movie because the runtime is almost 90 minutes compared to the others (average runtime of 35 minutes). Pricey for a $16.00 DVD. Pretty good story! You dont also have to select through the menu program to get to the movie. I want peace and quiet when my boys watch the movie.l
37 A GREAT movie
This is one of the greatest movies I've ever seen. I like it because it is funny and exciting. I like the old characters like Thomas and Percy and James, and the new characters like Lady, Diesel 10 and Splatter and Dodge(the bad guys). I liked how there are people mixed in to this movie, like Mr. Conductor, his cousin Junior, Lily and her grandfather, Burnett Stone and two original characters from Shining Time Station, Stacey Jones and Billy the native American. I think this movie is great!
38 He LOVES it!!
I read the reviews for this film about 2 months ago on Amazon and decided to rent it versus buying it because of all the poor reviews. We had it for five days and my son and daughter watched it at least 3 times a day. When we had to return it, my son would shout "Lady, Lady" whenever we drove by the video rental store. For Christmas he received his own copy from his grandma and immediately ran over to the VCR to put it on. He LOVES this movie - even diesel, who is a 'mean' engine. He may walk away for a few minutes but always comes back and has a fit if I take it out. I myself have watched it twice and I don't think it is as "awful" as some of the other reviewers have said. This a movie for children, the actors need not give Academy Award winning performances. My kids love this movie and that is why we purchased it. We also have the book and the Lady engine. If your child enjoys Thomas video's and books I would recommend this movie. It will introduce them to a movie plot and give them additional ideas for their pretend play sessions with the Thomas characters.
39 ...could have been a lot better........
Right off the bat I have a complaint- It is absolutly stupid that the title character gets only what can be best refered to as a cameo.Are kids really going to like that? Get a clue. I didn't see any improvements over the TV program, either... IS IT SO HARD TO ANIMATE A TRAIN'S MOUTH!?!? The acting is just so-so. It looks like the actors sleepwalked through this, in paticular, Peter Fonda. Not to mention the villain- an odd looking bulldozer whachamahoozet. It's painfully obvious that, unlike the other wheeled characters, "Diesel 10" has no prototype. All in all a halfhearted atempt at a family flick that could have been dramatically better.
40 Very scarey
I bought this for my son cause I heard it was good and he loves Thomas. I also wanted to introduce him to new trains. Well, as soon as Diesel 10 came on the screen, my son was screaming and crying cause he was so scared of him. That night he wouldn't go to sleep by himself either. I have put it away for now. I'm getting him the trains, including diesel 10 so maybe he won't be so scared of him when he see him next. He was enjoying the movie until he was scared.
41 Gotta Love C. Junior!
I LOVED THIS FILM! My two-and-a-half-year old son cannot stop watching it, and I love to watch it with him -- yes, even over and over again! :) The best performances are given by Alec Baldwin (Mr. Conductor) and Michael E. Rodgers (Mr. C. Junior), and the best scenes are between these two actors. I also believe Michael E. Rodgers brings out the best in Mara Wilson's acting. Peter Fonda's acting is questionable, but all in all this is a very entertaining and high-quality movie for the whole family. The trains have new voices and facial expressions that fit their personalities perfectly, and the music is whimsical and of excellent quality. I adore the concept of the magic railroad, and this movie has sparked hours of imaginative play in my son. He now has his own gold dust and uses his bed to travel down the magic railroad. Once again, Michael E. Rodgers completely lights up the film with his humour and uninhibited acting style. I can't wait to see more of these Thomas films!
42 KIDS LOVE IT--even if adults don't
I personally don't think this is a very good movie, but my opinion doesn't matter. MY 4 YEAR OLD SON LOVES IT! His hero Thomas plays the role of, well, the hero. He meets a new enchanting character, Lady, whose chugging spins out the railroad's magical energy, gold-dust. There's a villainous train, Diesel 10, who is just scary enough for a youngster.
The movie is great for young kids, so why are all the adults critiquing it from our adult expectations of entertainment? Yeah, Peter Fonda is so flat that I wish he'd go drop some acid. And the child actors are horrible--and given preposterous lines to say. It looks like there was all of a $50 budget for the movie. But in spite of that, Thomas is just plain magical for kids. They will love it.
43 We all loved it!
What a fun movie! My husband and I even enjoyed the video. Our 2 1/2 year old son loves it so much we are going to buy it for him for Christmas. This movie is so much better than the Thomas videos which are painful to watch!
44 Just really bad despite Alec Baldwin's best efforts
Alec Baldwin is the only bright spot in this dog. Well, okay, the trains are good, too, but there are far too little of them in the movie. Peter Fonda is just awful, and the plot is truly befuddling. Of course, my 3-year-old loves this movie so I'm forced to watch it a couple of times a month. It took several viewings for me to figure out that the Conductor and his cousin were Lilliputian unless they were on Sodor. What happened to Tasha? And what about that little bluebird? Why not make it turn into a real bird at the end? Don't let your kids watch this--they might like it and then you'll be stuck with it. The Best of Thomas is a much better choice!
45 Dull for a Thomas-loving toddler
I purchased this DVD through Amazon.com in preparation for a trip I recently took with my 2 1/2 year old. He loves Thomas and I thought he'd like this video. I had read that purist Thomas fans didn't care for it, but since we don't have any of the regular videos, I figured it would be okay. What I didn't realize is that there are relatively few scenes of the trains in this video, and my son found the extended dialog between the "real" people to be completely uninteresting. He would actually walk away from the TV, he was so bored.
As an adult, I found the plot to be overly complicated with too many sub elements. The boy and girl characters appear to have been shoe-horned in for a little human interest, but are tedious to watch. Alec Baldwin provides a perfomance that is so bad, I couldn't look at the screen. Peter Fonda didn't do so well either.
This video may entertain an older child, but I highly suggest renting it or checkign it out from the library before purchasing it.
46 It's just awful
If only I had known how truly terrible this is! Of course, my 3 year old adores it, so I have seen it many times. I finally had to hide it, because I couldn't bear to watch it again. What is the point of the stupid BIRD? What is wrong with Peter Fonda? Did NO ONE involved with this actually WATCH it?
Worse yet, my husband bought him the STORY BOOK that goes along with it. So now we can even READ this ridiculous non-story on a regular basis. When my son's not looking, I skip pages hoping he won't notice.
Stick to the short Thomas videos, which have some humor and spark. Avoid this depressingly bad movie like the plague!
47 Frightening
I bought this for my 3 year old because he LOVES Thomas and has many other Thomas videos. Although he didn't seem to be that frightened when he watched it, 6 months later he still (on a daily basis) talks about how Diesel 10 (the villain) scares him. While he only watched it twice, he still thinks about and has dreams about Diesel 10. Each night asks me to make sure Diesel 10 won't "get him" (he's very aggressive in the movie). He's never reacted like this with any other movie.
48 Horrific
How they got Alec Baldwin to do this movie is beyond me. From the terrible, overly complicated, disjointed script to the high school film class direction to the wooden acting this is a dog from start to finish. That said, my three year old loves it. No accounting for the tastes of a toddler.
Peter Fonda appears heavily sedated throughout the film. The character Junior (who for no apparent reason seems to be an Aussie surfer dude) is energetic but lost to the pathetic script and direction. Alec Baldwin plays the conductor with a wide eyed exuberence that nearly rivals Barney the purple dinosaur for sheer annoyance.
I actually enjoy many of my three year old's favorite films (Monsters, Inc., The Wizard of Oz, Stuart Little) but this film is unbareable from start to finish.
49 Sparkle, Sparkle, Sparkle!
My 3 year old son loves this movie. He was so excited to see Thomas and Percy and "REAL people" all working together to keep Lady save from Deisel 10. He loves the part where Lady and Thomas run away, and Deisel crashes and gets caught by a boat. He thinks that will "get Deisel out of his bad mood!". We had never seen the Shining Time series, so those people were new to us, but my son was able to follow the story with no problems. I do have to say I think "Grandpa" is a bit too depressed as well. My son wonders why he is not happy to see his grand-daughter and never gives her a hug or smile. But we love Mr. Conductor and Jr. and Patch and everybody else. I see/hear funny new things in this film each time we watch it.
Wish they would make another! Peep Peep!
50 Thomas in his first movie
Guess what? Thomas the tank engine has preformed his very first movie! The island of Sodor is very busy until something bad happens. Diesel 10 returns to scrap the engines with the help of
his sidekicks, Splatter & Dodge! Even Mr conductor (Alec Baldwin) is loosing his sparkle! Lily (Mara Wilson) is on her way to visit her Grandpa (Peter Fonda) until she meets Thomas &
she & her Grandpa help. Soon, Diesel 10 hears about the magic railroad & the buffers, but fails & then comes the happy ending
51 Great Movie!
I bought this movie for my two-year-old who is enjoys trains having never seen the other Thomas videos, and he is obsessed with this movie. Everyday he asks to "watch Choo-Choos". Although it seems as though Diesel 10 would be scary my son loves it and carries his Diesel 10 train everywhere. However, now that this movie was the standard, he won't watch the narrated videos.
52 Great Movie!
My four year old son LOVES this movie. He practically has it memorized. All his little friends love it too, most of them own a copy. I recommend it to any parent whose child is into Thomas the Tank Engine.
53 Great Movie!
My four year old son LOVES this movie. He practically has it memorized. All his little friends love it too, most of them own a copy. I recommend it to any parent whose child is into Thomas the Tank Engine.
54 Not like the original--at ALL!!!!!!
Although I understand the story all right, it looks like it would be confusing to very young children considering that it needs gold dust to get into the Island of Sodor. Compared to the original Thomas, this is a horrible movie. If you are considering getting it, I recommend that you get one of the original Thomas videos because I believe your child will enjoy that much more. Although some kids may like it, I personally don't like it at all. It takes ideas away from the original Thomases and it has real people which makes them become the stars and not the trains. The Diesel 10 guy wants to bite up all the steams engines with his pincher claw--and that would be scary to little kids.
55 Not like the original Thomas--at ALL!!!!!!!
Although I understand the story all right, it looks like it would be confusing to very young children considering that it needs gold dust to get into the Island of Sodor. Compared to the original Thomas, this is a horrible movie. If you are considering getting it, I recommend that you get one of the original Thomas videos because I believe your child will enjoy that much more. Although some kids may like it, I personally don't like it at all. It takes ideas away from the original Thomases and it has real people which makes them become the stars and not the trains. The Diesel 10 guy wants to bite up all the steams engines with his pincher claw--and that would be scary to little kids.
56 The Kids Love It
Even though some adults may think otherwise the kids love it. Any film that can make them calm down and stay out of trouble for a while......it's this one.
57 MY SON LOVES THIS VIDEO
This movie is great. My son is two and loves Thomas the train. He loves this movie. I think the animation is great. It is not a cartoon and that is what he really loves. I saw other reviews on this site and I think they are rather harsh. Remember that this is a movie for children. Adults are not suppossed to love it..kids are! I would buy this video for any child. It is adorable, fun and amusing for the little ones. I give it 5 stars!!!!!!!
58 I rented this video, and want my 0.49 cents back!
This video was a great disappointment for my 4 year old Thomas fan. Mommy, what was the point?
Exactly. There didn't seem to be a very clear connection between the Conductor and his Cousin who used up all their golddust and Thomas and the Island of Sodor. So these two have used up all their gold dust, and when it's gone, can no longer connect the world of England with the world of Thomas. Why should Thomas care? Why do they need "Cus" and "Mr. C" in the first place?
A very slow moving movie with no real point.
The annimation of Thomas and his friends is very nice, well done, and of the quality one expects with Thomas.
59 What?
As an adult I would like to write a horrible review of this movie, but for some reason my kids like it. This was the reason I bought the DVD, but man this is hard for a grown up to sit through!
60 "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"
If you are a 2 year old, chances are you will love this movie.
Unfortunately, the movie's script is awful. The acting is bad, but to be fair I'm not sure how much of this is due to poor direction/script writing? Consequently, as an adult you will most likely find this flick very annoying (unless of course you value the "quite time" from your child being glued to the screen).
The 3 stars is reflective of this mixed review, perhaps a more accurate rating would be 1 star for adults and 4 ? stars for young children.
61 Alec Flips the Bird!! No one ever noticed before?
Alec baldwin, while in the jaws of the diesel bully, in a close up of his hand grapping for his cutters, very clearly flips everyone the bird. He extends his middle finger in reaching for the tool, and pauses a second. I'd go so far as to call it flagrant. Of course, my two year old has no idea what it means, but I had a good laugh. I wonder though, what older kids (and their parents) might think?
Anyway, my son loves Thomas, and loved the movie. I thought there were so many holes in the plot that you could drive several steam engines through them side by side. I actually found the plot difficult to follow at times. There are many better kids movies than this.
62 Cheesy!
This movie is as cheesy as anything I've seen in my life! That being said, my 3 year old can't get enough of it. Its everything we've come to expect from Thomas--great values & a happy ending. Thomas fans who are kids will love this movie. Alec Baldwin is great and convicing as Mr. Conductor.
63 The Magic Railroad
This movie has been enjoyed over and over by my 2 and 3 year-olds. Also my 10 year-old enjoyed it, as well as mom and dad.
64 Thomas is still TOPS!
This has got to be one of the best kids movies ever made about a little blue train. Diesel 10 is an interesting character, he has never been in the series before, and brought in like we already knew him. That claw on his back really added terror. But enough about him, the movie was good, especially the chase scene at the end with the viaduct crumbling and Diesel getting his comeuppance. Britt Allcroft better be making a follow up to this fantastic movie, and explaining where Diesel 10 and Lady came from in the first place! Maybe the 2nd one could have the Fat Controller in it, instead of Mr Conductor and Junior running the show. Thank you for reading my inane drivvel and god bless you all.
65 For the Love of Thomas
We first viewed this movie by renting it. My 2- (almost 3-)year-old was petrified by Diesel 10. We had to turn the movie off until he went to bed so our 4-year-old could watch it. After reading the stories of the Magic Railroad and playing with the Diesel 10 and Lady toys, our 2-year-old is insisting we buy this for his birthday. I think Diesel 10 is a little frightening for younger children, but it is a refreshing change for mom and dad to have more than just animation in it. And mom doesn't mind Alec Baldwin either!! The movie does show how bullying does not get you anywhere, so it is a movie we like to watch to also teach our children something valuable. Thomas Rules!
66 Thomas' first film the best
Thomas and the Magic Railroad is the best movie. It is one of my favorite movie. Must get this on video and dvd. I don't even like Diesel 10. He wanted to destroy the railway. That's not nice. But luckly Thomas saved the lost engine from him.
67 Thomas' first film the best
Thomas and the Magic Railroad is the best movie. It is one of my favorite movie. Must get this on video and dvd. I don't even like Diesel 10. He wanted to destroy the railway. That's not nice. But luckly Thomas saved the lost engine from him.
68 This movie stinks
This movie stinks. The story stinks, the writing stinks, and the characters stink. The Thomas stories, while presenting conflict, are essentially good natured, but the villain in this one was so scary that my toddler ran out of the room when it came on. My toddler loves to play with his trains and can't get enough of the "Thomas" videos, but this movie was a complete failure. Go with the story collections: they're short, but they're not scary.
69 Remember, it's for kids
As a parent this vidio gets 5 stars, a half star for each time my four-year-old daughter has watched it -- and she's not board yet! Thomas and the Magic Railroad is her number one request, even though she has a number of Disney options to choose from.
If you are parent, watch it once with your child. You will not ask for a repeat showing. You'll be thinking, "The acting is realy bad and the plot line confusing." (Russell Means puts in about the only credible performance and it is brief.) But wait, your youngster is facinated and having a great time. And after all, that's what it's all about!
70 Great film
I like this movie. Thomas The Tank Engine is not nasty and mean. If you think he is nasty and mean, you are nasty and mean. Thomas and the Magic Railroad. If you think they say cornogolly lines. You say those cornogolly lines. I think Thomas is better than Barney. I am a Thomas fan, and I love this movie. I recommand you to see this film; if you are intrested in Thomas The Tank Engine.
In this movie A Diesel wanted to destroy the magic railroad's harmony and the lost engine and Mr. Conductor lost his sparkle, and it is up to Thomas The Tank Engine and his Friends to save the magic railroad and bring back the gold dust before 48 hours is finished. When you THINK action, when you THINK adventure, when you THINK journey, when you THINK trains; THINK Thomas.
71 Too Bad...
My son loves Thomas, but it is too bad everything they put out is so mean and nasty.
72 Ack!
The worst Thomas movie ever. Even my Thomas-fanatic son will not watch this one. Alec Baldwin is enjoyable but Peter Fonda is horrible. Storyline is confusing and illogical beyond belief.
73 some very scary scenes for your toddler
Like all Thomas videos the characters do not model the best behaviours and Diesel 10 in this one is particularly scary. At least, other than the villains they seem to have made the behaviour of the characters milder and more pleasant. I give it a four since I can sit throught this one with my son -- more of a semblance of plot and so on. We usually end up using the sing-along portion of the video. So *do* buy it on DVD.
74 How can something kids love so much be SO BAD?!
My 2-year-old loves this movie, and subjects us to it once a day. Normally I can overlook the bad parts of a child-oriented movie, but this one has SO MANY! I think the reason is has struck such a bad cord with me is that the other Thomas videos are so GOOD! I really have to say that Peter Fonda's performance in this move was just plain HORRIBLE! I mean, really, just BAD! The plot was terrible, and the cast (other than Baldwin, who tried really hard) held all the charm of manequins.
For 2-year-old child, this movie is fine. However, if you're a parent who will be forced to watch this move OVER and OVER and OVER again, PASS ON IT!
75 How can something kids love so much be SO BAD?!
My 2-year-old loves this movie, and subjects us to it once a day. Normally I can overlook the bad parts of a child-oriented movie, but this one has SO MANY! I think the reason is has struck such a bad cord with me is that the other Thomas videos are so GOOD! I really have to say that Peter Fonda's performance in this move was just plain HORRIBLE! I mean, really, just BAD! The plot was terrible, and the cast (other than Baldwin, who tried really hard) held all the charm of manequins.
For a 2-year-old child, this movie is fine. However, if you're a parent who will be forced to watch this move OVER and OVER and OVER again, PASS ON IT!
76 Five Stars for all Little Train Lovers
I don't know why all the bad reviews? I didn't buy the movie for myself, but the three-year old absolutely loves it! Where else can you see REAL people in the island of Sodor. Don't think like a movie critic when you get the movie. It is great fun, and if your little one is a Thomas fan, he will love this feature length movie. If they come out with another feature length movie, I'm sure I'll stand in line for that one. I am on my second video (the first one wore out.) As for scary? The three year old was more disturbed when Mufasa in lion-king died than in D-10. D-10 is scary, but he is also "dumb" He is a bully, but well, the movie deals with bullies in a good way. Great train movie for the kids.
77 Garbage, by any other name, is still garbage
Yes, it is for children. No question. But this movie in nothing more than a waste of time and brain cells. Britt Alcroft hit a goldmine with Rev. Audrey's stories, and now thinks she is capable of reproducing it. I have a feeling she meant well, but there is no rhyme or reason to this movie.
Here are the first 15 minutes - A Diesel is terrorizing the trains. No, it's about a girl in the city with a stuffed bird. No, it's about an old man with an engine in a cave. No, it's about Mr. Conductor losing his gold dust. No, it's about Mr. Conductor's nephew who is a beach bum. At this point, my three year old demanded we leave the theatre.
Even though it is for kids, it should have a story that can be followed - logically. But instead, random events and explantions occur, and you must accept it. If there were no people in it, it would be far better. When the engines are on screen, it is very good. But the acting is horrendous - especially Peter Fonda. The trains have better facial expressions as well as personality.
My son, now 4, received the video for his birthday. As a kid who watches Nickelodeon and PBS, he has been brainwashed by corporate tv. He watches this video constantly. I believe kids just love trains, especially Thomas, and will watch anything to do with the Thomas franchise, no matter what the packaging. The appeal for parents is that there is always a quick moral or story for the kids in a standard Thomas vieo, which is lacking from this movie.
Skip this and buy the short videos.
78 Good for Thomas fans...otherwise, pass
My son,who is 2, loved this movie (which we rented first), but mainly because he is crazy about Thomas. My daughter, who is 8, always enjoyed the Shining Time Station show, which used to play on PBS. She also enjoyed the movie, but thought it was (in her words, "kinda cheesy!" The story is sort of ridiculous, and I wondered how they got Peter Fonda and Alec Baldwin to sign on for this, but since my son loves it so much, I have to give a 3 star rating. It does keep the kids enthralled, and there is enough of the train parts, (not the live actor parts), to keep my son from getting bored. All in all, I would say, that if your child is a big fan of Thomas, the movie is a must-have.
79 A MOVIE!!!!! MAKE ME GAG A LITTLE
I use to watch this show every Sunday morning ever since I was very little now I'm 14 and when I watched this movie it was very disapointing the person who did Frenchy on Grease on this hasn't changed a bit since I watched this on t.v. when I was little Mara Wilson is one of my favorite actors but I don't like her in this I liked her in Miracle on 34th Street,Matilda, Balloon Farm and a Simple Wish this one is just disapointing it may be okay if you were 6 or 1 but not for teenagers like me. you can get this for your 6 or 1 yr old but not for teens like me.
80 Great for your toddler.
I am thirty years old, but I really do enjoy watching the animated Thomas and Friends videos with my three year old son. This video however, was more difficult for me to get into and hasn't grown on me over time. Now the animated scenes are delightful as usual, but when the film goes to the live-action scenes, things begin to deteriorate. Most of the acting is sub-par, especially Fonda and Means, although Baldwin does act enthusiastic in his role as "Mr. Conductor." There are also some areas of the film where the storyline seems disjuncted, hopping about without a clear line of progression. There are also a few scenes that can be frightening to very young children. My son seldom fails to hop on my lap when the "Bad Engine," as he calls it, appears on the screen.
Recommended for your diehard three year-old Thomas fan.
81 Very scary compared to the other videos
I have a two year old and rented this video when I saw it at our local store. Our son was generally puzzled and bothered by the live action sequences when he just wanted to see the trains. Additionally it had several scary sequences including the Diesel Engine grabbing and suspending the conductor in his construction claw over a chasm. I had to sit close to him during the entire video to reassure him that things would get better. Possibly a better video when he is older, but at 26 months it wasn't the best video for him.
82 Only Your Toddler Will Appreciate It
Our 2 year old loves this film (and I use the term loosely). He also happens to have the Thomas and the Magic Railroad coloring book, and I sadly report that the coloring book makes more sense than the movie.
It seems as though this was to be a longer film and large chunks of the plot have been cut to pare it down to kiddie-flick size. The end result is that story makes no sense to anyone over the age of five.
Nevertheless, as incoherent as this story may be, the 2 year old loves it. Viewing it seems to have had no adverse effect on his development. In all, it is safer and more enjoyable than that horrib purple dinosaur, who shall remain nameless.
83 Excellent adventure for young Thomas fans
My 3 1/2 year old son has been very excited to see this movie since he began getting into Thomas and Shining Time. We rented it and watched it several times over the weekend. He loved it! I think parents should keep in mind that it's obviously meant for very small children . . . Peter Fonda acts the way he does so young children can understand him! Also, the story does a great job tying together Shining Time Station with the Island of Sodor; it's been years since the TV show was actually produced. For all the people who ask why Diesel 10 is "mean"; the Diesel characters have been featured on a number of the Thomas videos, and they've always been mean! Look at the number of reviews here where parents say they didn't like it but their kids loved it . . . well, who's it supposed to be for?
84 Great for Thomas fans only
I just purchased this video for my son's 3rd B-day as he is a Thomas junkie. He absolutely loves it. It has been the number one request for the last month. He really enjoys acting out the scenes from the movie with his trains. However, I wouldn't recommend it for older children unless they are Thomas fans. The plot is pretty bad with very choppy story telling. The acting is even worse. I've watched is quite a few times with him and I can't help feeling that they just didn't even bother trying to write a coherent script. I keep picturing the writers going "ah, it's for a bunch of kids, who cares". So, definately buy it for your Thomas fans but not as an introduction to Thomas for an older child. Thomas the Tank Engine is an absolutely wonderful world for children to play and learn in, I would hate to turn a discriminating child off by watching this first.
85 What a mix of fantasy and reality!
Thomas and the Magic Railroad is a wild mix of fantasy and reality. My 4 year-old son asked so many questions about what was going on that we could not concentrate. He did insist on watching it over and over because he found the confusion and excitement intriguing. I do have to give credit to Alec Baldwin. His role as "Mr. Conductor" is the highlight of the movie. If you plan an evening with this flick, make sure you are awake! It takes a lot of concentration for a kids movie.
86 Not for kids used to the TV series
This movie is quite a departure from the TV series. What is all this magic railroad stuff? Too scary, too much of an exercise in 'that sounds good, let's put it in the movie'. Stick with the TV series........
87 An 10 Year Old viewer
Well I seen this movie 3 times because I like everything that has to do with Thomas. When I got the video & dvd. It was fun. I think Thomas and Chuckie Finster are the best film and TV charcters on this planet. Even best I have Thomas The Tank Engine videos and I want to try Shining Time Station videos also. I love G RATING MOVIES BECAUSE THEY ROCK!!!
88 Thomas has lost his touch
Well, two of my cousins saw this movie and enjoyed it because they like anything to do with Thomas. Well, I saw it on video and I was disappointed. I think Thomas and Barney are the worst film and TV characters on this planet. Even worse, this film had an utterly vague concept, and I couldn't even follow it and I'm 11 years old! Even worse, it has corny lines. This film nearly destroyed my intellegence! I will NEVER EVER SEE ANOTHER G-RATED FILM AGAIN! TAKE YOUR TODDLER TO GO SEE THE MATRIX!
89 Mixed from our household
Took my kids to see this at the theater when it was first out. Of course we had to see it, my son has been a huge Thomas fan for 12 years. Both he and my 10-year-old daughter loved the film, though we were all disappointed that the familiar music themes had been abandoned for this movie. I wasn't particularly disappointed with the film, as I had expected it wouldn't prove to be as magical as the "real" Thomas videos are. I was amazed at what a poor actor Peter Fonda showed to be in this role. Oh my! He and the young boy both seemed to be so stilted. Thank goodness for Baldwin as Mr. Conductor, the guy in the Mr. C Junior role, and Mara Wilson for bringing some energy to their roles.
90 A bad movie for Thomas fans
My (bright) 6-year old thought the new Thomas movie was confusing-- he was right. The traditional Thomas videos are simple, straight-forward stories about the well-known trains who try to be useful and suffer from various amounts of pride and other foibles.
The new Thomas movie has an evil diesel engine as a main character. "Why is he so bad?" Both my 6 and 9-year-olds asked me. I could only answer, "Just to make a story, because the writers couldn't think of a real story."
It's true. They added some interesting magic and the human characters are nice, but it doesn't make sense. Plus it doesn't fit with the rest of the Thomas stories.
This video will teach your young kids that some (people) are evil for no reason and should be destroyed. Unless you want to train your young kids to like pointless violence, avoid this movie!
91 Definitely magical!!
Wonderful movie! Bought it on pay-per-view to see if my nieces and nephews might enjoy it. I will buy the DVD for myself and the video for them.
Despite what many of the adults (who reviewed it here) think, it is a very easy plot to follow and has a wonderful message. I guess that I like children's stories whether in books or movies.
Burnette Stone (Peter Fonda) should be depressed. He almost destroyed one of his best friends (who was placed in his care) and was unable to repair her without his grand-daughter's help!
P.S. I am 40 years old.
92 Little boys love trains...and this movie!
My 2 year old son loves this movie, so I am giving it 4 stars.
But I'm a little more critical. The animation is good and true to the books; but it is not great. The trains' facial expressions seem artificial and limited. And of course their movement is limited to the tracks.
The acting isn't great either . I like Alec Baldwin, and I commend him for taking on a children's classic. He's good, but the material probably isn't that compelling to bring out the best. And Fonda...hmmm...not so good. The child actors are good though.
The strength of this movie is the same as the books...trains just seem to connect with little boys. And so does this movie. So if you have a little son, ignore my critique...he'll love this movie.
93 This movie is for kis who cares what the critics say
Well my 2 year old son loved it and loves anything to do with Thomas. We rented the movie through pay-per view and he sat and watched it all the way. he loved it so much so we bought the tape for him. He loves it and even thou the critics gave it a bad review my son likes it and that what's matters.
94 Yuk!
No one in our family liked this movie. My boys love the Thomas videos and trains. But this movie was a bomb.
95 Good God, What Happened Here?
As the saying goes, if it ain't broke...why anyone felt the need to mix and match live action with the Sodor characters is anyone's guess, but the way it was handled here makes me wonder if the film was put together by five different people who mailed in their ideas which were then assembled by a committee. My daughter, who worships the short videos, was soon fiddling with a case of milk instead of watching the story, while I was nearly reduced to making a flow chart to try and figure out what the heck was happening and why. And I'm not really ready to accept Peter Fonda as "grandpa" - especially this Fonda who spent most of the time looking like he had Post-Traumatic-Stress disorder or was having trouble remembering his lines or perhaps where he had put the keys to the car. Alex Baldwin seemed to connect better to the story simply because he's narrated them before. But the rest is an unholy mess. Plus, Mr. Diesel seemed unnecessarily cruel and almost spiteful with a hyena-like laugh. Such typically cruel meanness is a normal facet of badly made American cartoons but it was never a part of the original U.K. series. Ugh all the way around.
96 Coma-Inducing!
Our two boys love this film; they love Thomas, trains, etc. No matter that the film does not make sense and is poorly made. We took them to see this in the theater and thought the misery would never end.
The purpose of this video would be solely to entertain your little ones; and indeed it will. However, be prepared to suffer the agony of watching it over and over again. The writing is poor, the acting is terrible (including Peter Fonda, who seems to be sleep-walking through this role, and Alec Baldwin, who is capable of much better), and the story is impossible to follow and veers off into imponderable riddles. There is something to be said for mindless entertainment, but I would much rather my children watch something of quality which makes sense.
If you can possibly avoid buying this for your children, do!
97 My daughters love it!
My daughters, 6 and 3, love this movie! The elder likes magic, the younger likes trains. What more could you ask, other than a movie that combines both.
Some of the acting is pretty mediocre, but that has never deterred young children from liking a movie. They focus on what they do like- talking trains, big, beautiful steam engines, little girls having an adventure, gold dust, miniature people, the triumph of good over evil. (I can't imagine complaining about the character of the nasty diesel engine- without conflict, where is the plot?!) Better child actors would have improved the movie a lot- seems like they didn't rehearse much and their expressions seem a bit wooden.
As an adult, I was a little confused at the absence of people on Sodor, but my daughters haven't commented on it. I wondered where the rest of the little people like Mr. Conductor and Junior have gone- how will they get their gold dust refill?! And what was Junior thinking, just frittering it away? How did Lady disappear? What the heck was Mr. C doing with the ball and bat? Where can I get a pajama outfit like he was wearing then?
Alec Baldwin is easy on the eyes of a mom who watches too many children's movies, so that's a nice touch. :-)
98 Families Will Love It
Some love it; others hate it. This is good for families. It also has theatrical trailers: The Magic Railroad, Muppets in Space, Jumanji, and Madeline. Great flick.
99 Not made to please adults!
This little film was made to enchant SMALL CHILDREN -- and judging by the other (even the harshest) reviews it has overwhelmingly accomplished its mission.
I really don't think we ought to examine it as if it were Elia Kazan's "On the Waterfront". Admittedly adults can see that morose Burnett Stone shouldn't be allowed to purchase weapons or any more railroad collectibles -- the man appears to harbour perhaps an unhealthy love for the steam engine named Lady -- but I don't think it matters a whit. The 2 to 5 set absolutely adore this film and I believe that was its entire intent.
100 OK for a 2-year-old (but that's it)
First, the positives: my two-year-old son who is a major Thomas fan absolutely LOVES this film! It's a cute little film for little kids. If you're an adult, however, get ready to be confused and disappointed. The plot is virtually non-existant and the direction is poor. Conductor (Alec Baldwin) is far too over-the-top in his role, while Grandpa Stone (Peter Fonda) is so depressed I don't think even prozac could help. Most of the numerous other "live" characters that pop up (Billy, Patch, Stacy Jones, etc.) serve only to confuse the story. Thomas and the other trains actually seem to take a second-hand role, being supplanted by all the "sparkle". This film is definitely NOT in the same class as the Thomas Videos which are gems- So why did I give it two stars and not one? Because my son likes it and that must count for something.
