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Parents' Guide to

Thomas and the Magic Railroad

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Will please its many fans, but plot might confuse kids.

Movie G 2000 85 minutes
Thomas and the Magic Railroad Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 4+

Based on 10 parent reviews

adimn
adimn Adult
February 3, 2021
age 5+

I THINK TATMR IS GOOD FOR WHAT IT IS.

To be completely honest I personally don't think Thomas and the Magic Railroad is bad as people say it is. Plus I grew up with this movie. It was a big part of my children and I liked it as much as I loved the TV series, I do not care what those dumb test audiences had to sat about it, So despite it's flaws I still think the final cut for this film is good for what it is. It's not the way Britt Alcroft originaly wanted it be, but at least it still has it's good moments. And believe me I would love to see the directors cut.
Cozymonster Bigman
Cozymonster Bigman Adult
January 12, 2018
age 5+

I thought it was my personal guilty pleasure. Just saying.

I do not care what the other people say about this movie. I thought, looking back at this movie, it was amazing, due to the fact that it pays homage to the "Thomas" series that I grew up with, not the cheap cash-grab CGI look of the "Thomas" series. Little kid me was like "I love this movie", and I still love it today. So yeah, you guys can rant about this movie all you want. But for me, I enjoyed it a lot, for nostalgic reasons. 5/5, is my rating.
See all 10 parent reviews

What's the Story?

THOMAS AND THE MAGIC RAILROAD follows train and human characters as they find a lost train hidden in Muffle Mountain, uncover magic gold dust somewhere on the magic Island of Sodor, and defeat a mean bully diesel train, all while finding courage, magic, and a sense of responsibility within themselves. Thomas (voiced by Edward Glen) and Mr. Conductor (Alec Baldwin) are faced with lots of challenges. A big diesel train with wicked-looking pinchers is a bully who wants to take over. The only one who can stop him is a train called Lady (Britt Allcroft), who's been missing for many years. Mr. 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 (Michael E. Rodgers) for help, and Junior uses up the last of the dust. Meanwhile, Lily (Mara Wilson) and Patch (Cody McMains) try to help Lily's grandfather (Peter Fonda), who has a secret that just might help.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (10 ):
Kids say (24 ):

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 Conn and Russell Means appear briefly, but the filmmakers brought in some real Hollywood talent for the main characters to add star quality. Baldwin, Fonda, and Wilson all 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 on television.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the meaning of "the three Rs" -- 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.

  • How does this Thomas movie compare with others? How odes it compare with the TV show?

  • Families can also talk about the meaning behind "Little engines can do big things," and what makes some people want to act like bullies.

  • How do the characters demonstrate courage? Why is that an important character strength?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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