 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Thomas and the Magic Railroad
- Review Date: May 18, 2003
- G
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2000
Common Sense Media says
Will please its many fans, but might confuse kids.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that even though this movie is rated G, there's some violence and peril, though no one is hurt. It's also mildly troubling that the female characters are so passive -- when Lily gets off at the wrong stop, she just sits there and waits for someone to help her, and Lady, the only female train and the only train that is supposed to be powerful enough to defeat the diesel, never confronts the bully. She just runs away from him. Some children may be upset by the references to Lily's grandmother who died, and parents may get some questions about that.
What's the story?
In THOMAS AND THE MAGIC RAILROAD follows the train and human characters as they find a lost train hidden in Muffle Mountain, uncover some magic gold dust somewhere on the magic island of Sodor, defeat the mean bully diesel train, all while finding courage, magic, and a sense of responsibility within themselves. Thomas and the Conductor are faced with a lot of challenges. The big diesel train with the wicked looking pinchers is a bully who wants to take over. The only one who can stop him is a train called Lady, who has been missing for many years. The conductor is running out of the special gold dust that enables him to go back and forth between Shining Time Station and the Island of Sodor. He goes to his surfboard-loving cousin Junior for help, and Junior uses up the last of the dust. Meanwhile, Lily and Patch try to help Lily's grandfather, who has a secret that just might help.
Is it any good?
The beloved PBS series about the little blue train and his friends moves to the big screen with a story that will please its many fans, though they might find it a little hard to follow. Even adults may scratch their heads at the plot.
Series regulars Didi Cohn and Russell Means appear briefly, but they've brought in some real Hollywood talent for the main characters to add star quality. Alec Baldwin plays the conductor, Peter Fonda is the sad man who is trying to get Lady, the missing train, back in shape, and Mara Wilson portrays his grand-daughter. All three give great, sincere performances that help make the story seem real. And the producers wisely stay away from high-tech special effects so that the trains look just as they do in television.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the meaning of "the three R's" -- the conductor and the trains must all be responsible, reliable, and "really useful." Family members can give examples of how each tries to accomplish those goals. Families can also talk about the meaning behind "little engines can do big things," and what makes some people want to act like bullies. Lily gets on the wrong train and does not know how to find her grandfather when she gets off. Families can talk about what a child should do if separated from parents.
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
A hit with my 3 yr old
It's a cute movie for the family. The only "scary" part is with Diesel chasing down some of the trains with his claw, but my 3 year old handled it surprisingly well. He said that Diesel is a mean train, and that in the end he winds up in a ditch.
It has some cute moral lessons about responsibility, families sticking together, and Peter Fonda is wonderful as the gruff, reluctant grandfather. The little girl is adorable, and all of the human characters are cute. My son had no trouble following the plot - and I welcomed a slightly complex plot from a kids' movie. Fine for 3 +.
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AGE
OK
Well, all I have to say was bad about this movie was when Diesel 10 threatened to destroy Lady. His behavior may be badly exampled for kids.
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AGE
Scarier than you might expect
My 4 year old loves to play with the Thomas trains and so I took him to see this movie. It was way too scary. Diesel has a menacing, chomping steam shovel to chase Thomas and his friends with. He's also got a really scary laugh. Too much emphasis on scary bullying and there isn't really a clear lesson or message from the story. Definitely don't make this among the first feature films for your preschooler to see.
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AGE
My son loves this and I do to
I really like this movie. My son loves Thomas and this is our favorite. Diesel can be a little scary and there is one scene where Percy gets scared in the dark. It did not bother my son who usually scares very easily. I love the people in this movie, I actually remember when Shining Town was on PBS and wish they would rerelease those shows.
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AGE
Terrible
This movie is awful. It is so absolutely bad, I can't even begin to describe it. Alec Baldwin is completely miscast. Peter Fonda is terrible. It's just complete rubbish.
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AGE
Great for all ages
From birth to age 6, Thomas was my all-time favorite kid's series, but after that, I started to mature. I started to find it boring, with very lame acting. But then I was introduced to this movie, and I thought it was a HUGE improvement. I really hate to admit it, but I still watch it. It is the only Thomas movie that, in my opinion, all kids can enjoy. It has a good message and mild violent content that will please older kids. It does, however, have a VERY complicated plot that will have adults desperately trying to figure it all out, even though the young kids won't mind. Adults will, however, find pleasure in the fact that Alec Baldwin and Peter Fonda play the leads, and I love the character Junior. I am also a huge fan of Diesel 10 and his claw, to the extent that in 2nd grade I dressed up as him for Halloween, with a plastic robot claw as pinchy. A very good movie!
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AGE
Learning about sadness
One of the themes is sadness - and how to respond to it with kindness. This provides an opportunity for parents to talk with their preschoolers about this emotion. The mean behavior displayed by Diesel isn't over-the-top. It's helpful for children this age to know that "bad guys" exist on the planet.
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy, adventures, trains |
| Studio: | Columbia Tristar |
| Director: | Britt Allcraft |
| Cast: | Alec Baldwin, Didi Conn, Peter Fonda |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 85 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | July 26, 2000 |
| DVD release date: | October 31, 2000 |
| MPAA rating: | G |
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