The “Thomas the Tank Engine” books have been delighting children everywhere since they first came on the scene in the 1980’s. I guess movie makers felt they had a surefire hit on their hands when they decided to make Thomas into a full-length feature film, but I think the poor producers were a little bit deluded in their dreams of grandeur.
In “Thomas and the Magic Railroad,” Mara Wilson stars as Lily, an eleven-year-old who is going to visit her grandfather (Peter Fonda). Taking a wrong turn along the way, she ends up in the town of Shining Time, and there meets Mr. Conductor, who is played by Alec Baldwin. That was some really weird casting, if you ask me. Mr. Conductor is just not the type of character I’ve ever pictured Alec Baldwin playing. I mean, he uses magic flowers like a telephone. But moving on . . .
You can only get to the Island of Sodor, where Thomas the Tank Engine lives, by using magic dust. Mr. Conductor goes back and forth between Sodor and Shining Time in this unusual fashion. But trouble is afoot – there’s a renegade engine on the loose (I can’t imagine anything worse!) and Mr. Conductor needs help getting everything under control. But he’s running out of the magic dust and if he can’t get more, he’ll be stuck in Shining Time and won’t be able to help Thomas on the magic railroad.
In the meantime, Grandpa has an old engine in his barn at home, and it just may be the missing Lady engine that the conductor needs. But Grandpa is grumpy and doesn’t want to help. Can Lily help Grandpa get over his grumpiness? Will Mr. Conductor get more dust? And can they stop the renegade engine?
Children may just love this movie to pieces and want to watch it over and over again, but parents will probably want to hide in the other room with pillows over their heads. I’m sure you’ve guessed I didn’t enjoy this film very much, but then, I’m not a member of the target audience, which is ages 3-7. For that age range, it’s entertaining. For me, not so much.
This movie is rated G.
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