Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys (2001) starring Richard Dreyfuss, Jamie Lee Curtis, Rick Moranis, Kathleen Barr, Scott McNeil, Garry Chalk directed by William R. Kowalchuk Jr. Movie Review

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys (2001)   2/52/52/52/52/5


Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys (2001)

Red Nosed and Red Faced

I've never watched the 1998 movie "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie" but it is very obvious that coming just 3 years later the stupidly long title "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys" is an attempt to capitalize on the popularity of both the movie and of course Rudolph. Sadly "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys" is not a good movie with a list of issues from dodgy CGI animations, a meandering storyline and songs which feel like they are more appropriate to a children's TV show being just a few. Of course this movie isn't made for an adult audience, it is obviously aimed for a very young audience with a happy ever after, sweet tale but with so many great CGI animations made for younger audiences, the simplistic CGI which fills "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys" is a problem.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is struggling with his new found fame and jumps at the chance to go with his friend Hermey to the island of the misfit toys where the King Lion has a roaring toothache. But when they return they discover that Santa's warehouse has been hit by the mysterious toy taker and so has Castaway Cove where Queen Camilla repairs damaged toys. With no time left to replace the missing toys before Santa is due to make his annual rounds, Rudolph and his friends decide to try and trap the mysterious toy taker so not only can they discover who he is but also recover the lost toys in time.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys (2001)

As already mentioned it is very obvious that "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys" is made for very young children. The story is the sort of simplistic, sweet tale which wouldn't feel out of place in any Kiddy TV show. In fact the whole way the story is delivered from the character of Scoop the Snowman working as a narrator through to its very segmentalized chaptering almost feels like that "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys" was originally meant to be for a TV show. As such this story of Rudolph basically saving toys from a mysterious toy stealer is both sweet and charming with the expected happy ever after ending so that no one gets any nightmares. It does meander, spending a lot of time throwing up little sub stories before finally settling to the main storyline but it works, or at least works for a young audience who may not understand it all.

But whilst the storyline is sweet it has to be said that "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys" is an inferior movie, most notably the CGI animation is rudimentary. When you think that Pixar make great CGI animations full of attention to detail a young child who ends up watching this may find the simplistic animations and characters rather cheap. And that is a huge problem because whilst it does have an inoffensive sweet tale the whole cheapness of it all, which extends to some annoying songs pulls it down.

Even with a few well known names such as Richard Dreyfus, Jamie Lee Curtis and Rick Moranis providing voices for various characters it struggles to get over the whole cheapness. Although in fairness the amusing voices do provide a pleasant distraction even if some of the characters and the way they move ends up quite creepy.

What this all boils down to is that "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys" is not a good movie and whilst the story has charm the whole cheapness of the effects really pulls it down. It will probably amuse a very young child who is plonked down in front of it but even then I am sure even the youngest of children will find the simplistic animation a little bit cheesy.

Tags: Christmas Movies


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