THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE
MISTY ISLAND RESCUE
Written by
Sharon Miller
Directed by
Greg Tiernan
Produced by
Nicole Stinn
Release Date
7/9/10 - US
30/9/10 - AUS
11/10/10 - UK
Plot
A new search and rescue centre is being built on Sodor and it's made of Jobi wood, a strong sort of wood that no wind can tear it down. However Diesel lost them due to his silliness and so Thomas rescued him and as a reward, he is sent to the mainland with there rescue centre. However he landed on a strange island on his way to the mainland.
This is where the writing of Thomas & Friends went down hill from 2010-2012. There was so much rhyming. According to Sam Barlow they wanted to preserve the literacy heritage in Thomas and although Rev.W.Awdry had put some nursery rhymes as references in his Railway Series books, at least he didn't use them excessively. There are so many unexplained parts in the special and it all started at the first scene when Thomas and the Fat Controller were waiting for Harold to return with the climber.
What had happened to the climber? Where was he climbing? All we know he was saved and that's it all unexplained, it's important for a character to have a reason. Which brings my next question, why are they making a search and rescue centre? What's the sole purpose of it all? Again no explanation. Plus there's the new character, Captain the lifeboat:
Why was he there and not given a backstory or a reason? I believe the only reason, undoubtedly, is to sell toys and playsets. This the beginning of the 1st half of movie and already there are questions lodging away.
While the engines are busy working on the new rescue centre, we know what it's been made out of Jobi Wood which comes from Hiro's country, Japan, although it's not a real sort of tree. We are given little explanation on the purpose of the wood from Hiro of course and by the Fat Controller himself, the engine who's the most really really useful will take the wood to the rescue centre and Thomas hoped he would be chosen because he's the most really really useful engine. But Diesel says he's useful too and Thomas said that the Fat Controller a really useful steamie and that Diesel will never be that.
Thomas the Tank Engine, the star character that children are to look up too, talked down to Diesel by saying he would never be really useful because he's not a steam engine? Yes steam engines and diesel engines do have their rivalry, but this whole part sounds more like a racial view and that Diesel is treated he's a victim after Thomas thinks steam engines are superior towards diesels. When the Rev.W.Awdry wrote Diesel in his book 'Duck and the Diesel Engine' he made Diesel thinks he's superior towards steam engines by thinking he's a revolutionary engine but at least in the end he was punished by the trucks because of his arrogance and showing off. Here he's been treated like a victim.
So Diesel took the logs to the rescue centre to show that he's special towards steam engines and so we're given a thrilling chase between Thomas and Diesel until he lost the jobi wood and dangling over the end of the bridge and to be honest I think it was a great scene, more like the highlight of the special:
Although as a railway enthusiast I think Diesel was a wrong choice, but at that the time not many diesel engines were shown. However I don't like how they've made Diesel incredibly fast when his basis the 08 class shunter goes about 30mph whereas he goes about 100mph. I know there'll be people saying 'It's a kid show!' while it's true that Thomas is a children's show, children need to be shown some fact and logic it can't always be imaginary. There are 08 class shunters today around the railway network in Britain and various heritage railways that kids can see everyday.
So Thomas saved Diesel from certain disaster but the Jobi wood was lost forever and he felt 'badly', poor grammar much?, and so as a reward, Thomas is off to the mainland to help out at there rescue centre for making the right decision to stop and save Diesel........why is he needed at the mainland? Again a reason is very important for a character and we're given no reason what so ever. Is there collecting jobi wood over there? That's pretty much the only purpose I have in my mind.
So the next day, Thomas is heading for the mainland by ship, as if going there by rail is too good for him, Sodor and England are linked together since the Railway Series books. Spencer was being loaded onto the ship as well as he's doing work for the Duke and Duchess of Boxford. Salty came up and told the engines a story about Misty Island, an island filled with strange engines, we'll get to them later. The story was about an engine who used smoke signals to be saved from the island. Later on Diesel came to say goodbye and good luck, as if it's a punishment despite that Diesel was proving to be a really useful engine and that Thomas was one who told him down. However the boat is full and Thomas must wait for the next boat however a raft was placed at the back of the ship and Thomas thought it'll be good to be loaded onto that, despite the dock worker's worry.
What I don't like here is that the dock worker was all OK with Thomas' idea of going on the raft as he makes 'good decisions', he's an authority figure and it wouldn't hurt if he said to Thomas that he must be patient for the next boat, but if we have that then the movie would be over quick smart. So Thomas was on the raft and head straight for the mainland however, the rusty chains broke and Thomas was drifting away in the middle of the sea and this is where our adventure finally begins on Misty Island.
As the sun comes up Thomas landed on Misty Island and while he puffs around the mysterious island he hears whistles and wheels rattle and so he ran away and met up with these three:
Also known as 'The Logging Locos' or as many fans would say 'The Logging Idiots'. These three have no potential whatsoever and the two smaller engine Bash and Dash shared the same trait as Bill and Ben, a pair of cheeky twins. Ferdinand sharing BoCo's traits? That's very undoubtful.They are bland and annoying and Ferdinad's annoying 'catchphrase' "That's Right!' that's been said 17 times! Another thing is there purpose on Misty Island, yes they were sent there as punishment for being silly but Misty Island is more abandoned and forgotten and so what's there purpose of loading logs when not many may've known of its existence?
So while Thomas rested as it was getting dark, the Fat Controller got the word that Thomas hadn't arrived on the mainland and that he was missing. Meanwhile back at Misty Island, Thomas woke up and decided to ask the locos for their help for which they've declined because they are busy loading logs which turns out to be the rare Jobi wood.
Then we get this very strange and pointless scene, Gordon and the Fat Controller arrived at the waste dump and told him that Thomas is missing and told Whiff to be with Gordon for the search. This scene didn't go anywhere and it lost potential as a good subplot to teach kids about equality between glamour and mess.
Back on Misty Island we discover that the logging locos burn on oil, due to the fact that they were in a fully enclosed forest area to avoid fire, which lacked the logic of Thomas running there as he's a coal burning locomotive.
Later we see Thomas and the logging locos going over the 'shake shake bridge'. This was actually a mistake on Nitrogen Studio's part while making the film. According to Sharon Miller they've wanted a suspension bridge and yet we've got this hazard. This is the scene were Thomas shows some logic about that the bridge isn't safe then it threw itself out of the window as Thomas said 'Perhaps I was wrong to say no for so long.' after he crossed the bridge that looks like it's about to break anytime now.
We then meet two cranes such as Hew Haw and Ol' Wheeze that used up all their oil, which is later on in the special. After all the logs were loaded, they set off for Sodor through the tunnel.
Some fans were saying that this is unrealistic, however there is an underground tunnel between England - France under the English channel and that steam locomotives over 150 years have travelled under the London Underground, they've had Metropolition 1 running through the London Underground system for the 150th last year. The tunnel was blocked with rubbish and the loco's oil all ran out suddenly there was a hole in the tunnel roof and Thomas used smoke signals like in Salty's story and Percy discovered it, though how would they know it's Thomas? There was never any clue or hint towards them at he was at Misty Island and they've could've doubted it, but in the end we want to see a happy ending. Whiff, according to this special knows all the tracks despite he was a new engine three years before, and Percy travelled to save Thomas and Edward, Gordon and James went to the island to find Thomas.
Whiff and Percy saved Thomas and the Logging locos by bashing into the rubbish, when really four steam engines might've done the job more better and it could've damaged them severely. Then Thomas went back to Misty Island by boat to get Edward, James and Gordon. So in the end, the rescue centre was built and all the engines giggled and jiggled with the logging locos welcomed to Sodor. Meanwhile upon the hill we get this unexpected surprise forshadowing the next DVD special:
DIESEL 10
This special has a full amount of flaws and bad writing (rhyming and alliteration) that it's easily one of the worst things I've seen, but compare it to 'Thomas and The Magic Railroad', Misty Island is more logical and realistic towards that abomination. It has a good moral about that we can't always be right, but they've showed visually the wrong way such as Thomas going over the bridge because the logging locos persuaded him. The only good that have come out it was the visual animation of Misty Island, which is based off the highlands of Scotland and the logging station, American, the Thomas and Diesel chase and Diesel 10. However those wouldn't save the movie and I don't know why four years ago I've said that this was a great movie, probably I was blinded by the action and wasn't thinking about the story. In the end, it's not the best but compare to TATMRR it's more logical and realistic.
RATING
2/10
