Movie Reviews Revisited P.II - Tale Of The Brave (2014)

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND ARE NOT INFLUENCED FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FANBASE

TALE OF THE BRAVE (2014)

Written by

Andrew Brenner

Directed by

Rob Silvestri

Produced by

Ian McCue (HIT)

Robert Anderson & Brian Lynch (Arc)

Release Date

1/09/14 - UK

16/09/14- US

1/10/14 - AUS

Distributed by

HIT Entertainment

MY VIEWS

Honestly, this was a major improvement compare to 'King of the Railway' because there was focus on the narrative. Sure there were subplots but they all feel connected compare to the 2013 special, Thomas was curiorus about the mysterious footprint, Percy was scared by the idea of a monster and James was trying to hide his scaredy side to make himself look bigger. I will say Percy being the scaredy engine does seem to be a big depature to how the way Awdry made him but to be honest, the lead role for him feels like something for him. Percy, in the classic series, has traits similar to Thomas (cheeky, arrogant and boastful) but he had some traits that are different and they are his naiveness and scaredy trait. This is the same engine that once believed in 'backing signals', this is the same engine who got scared of a paper dragon, naughty gnomes etc in the non-Awdry stories. It seems right for him to take the lead, Percy was being naive about the idea of a monster and was scared by the idea too. Plus a role like this can be really relatable among younger kids who go through that phase of things in the dark looking scarey by the weird shape of shadows. Heck even adults can get scared of things sometimes and its natural.

I do like how Thomas was handeled in this special particulary with Percy. After Percy had dealt with James' 'scrap monster', he (Thomas) wants to believe him but he had his own doubts and Thomas has the right to have some of it because the moment he saw during that thunderstorm was just a blink of the eye and he doesn't know if it was real or if he was seeing things. Percy really didn't need to be angry with him but of course he doesn't how Thomas was thinking. I also, if I digress here, remember talking to someone years ago about the idea of the footprints, they said that it was super obvivous what it is, BUT do the characters in the film know? Had they ever seen a dinosuar before? Yes we know about Christopher Awdry's book about Thomas and the dinosuar but hardly any of his books get acknowledgement at all compare to his father's and his stand alone books from the 90's aren't canon since they were never referenced in any of his Railway Series books. When we see a movie, we don't watch through our presepective we're suppose to see it through the character's prespective. So the idea of Thomas not knowing what those footprints are makes a so much sense in them making it a mystery.

With James, I like how he was the bully to Percy, but he only did it out of fun for himself. This is James that I see from the classic series and he was like this with the likes of Edward, Gordon and the other engines with his teasing. However he learnt, although visually, that he can be scared himself and they do say that all bullies are cowards from the inside. Percy is very opened about being a coward and very vulnerable as shown in the movie and of course James sees that as an opportunity to bully him but of course he's a coward on the inside and didn't want to show it.

As with Gator, I do like the wisdom and advise he gave to Percy. But yeah why was he on Sodor? I mean sure Connor and Caitlin were on Sodor because they were on time trials but Gator was here because he was. After reading SiF's viewpoint on the movie from 2014, his reason for storytelling purposes was to be a strange looking engine that looks unusual and uncanny compare to the other engines that we normally see on Sodor. A bit like a monster. His fear of height was intriguing but we also learn from him that we have to brave even though we are scared and it's hard for somebody to get over something fearful too but we mustn't let fear enslave us in the end. Clive Mantle's voice was nice, soothing and clam.

Marion and neither Timothy had anything major to play in the film but there characters shine like Marion's talkative attitude and Timothy's gullibility. I will say Oliva Colman really shined with Marion and I can tell she was having lots of fun voicing her. She really had brought alot of warmth to her too and it amazes me on how far she had come since voicing Marion, I mean sure she had a successful acting career before Thomas but she's now an acamedy award winner now and that is something. I would love to see her again in the show. I think the only character that could've been cut and introduce later would've been Reg. He was there and that was it. I will also point out, Cranky's scene of stopping the ship was still tensed and sure while it's unrealistic, the show had never been focused with reality for quite sometime. I think I had just come to the point with it being the new norm. I also remembered someone saying they should've referenced 'Cranky Bugs' despite some complain about 'fan service' because they'd referened 'Up, Up and Away', how this is that fan service when the older fanbase despise it I will never know. But to me it wouldn't be useful and would feel shoehorned in just to please some older fans.

I do understand that the structure of the story have been a bit all over the place but I managed to follow the story despite that.In the end, this special is great. I loved it back in 2014 and I still think it holds up. I find it a bit weird to hear Ben Small after years hearing John Hasler and while I think Hasler has done a bit better than Small, Ben had done good work into bringing Thomas' voice to life over the years, although I think HIT and Mattel could've let him stayed on as the other characters he was voicing but he wouldn't have done much given how the character he had voiced don't have much episodes or roles as they use to.

OVERALL RATING
9/10

Movie Review: Tale of The Brave (2014) - Spoilers

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

THERE BE SPOILERS DURING THIS REVIEW

TALE OF THE BRAVE

Written by

Andrew Brenner

Directed by

Rob Silvestri

Produced by

Ian McCue (HIT)

Brian Lynch & Robert Anderson (Arc)

Release Date

1/09/14 - UK

16/09/14 - US

1/10/14 - AUS

Distributed

HIT Entertainment (UK/US/AUS)

Universal (US)

ABC Kids (AUS)

2014 marks the 30th anniversary of the television series of Thomas the Tank Engine, however HIT Entertainment are more focused towards the 70th anniversary of the Railway Series in 2015 and it looks as those it'll be a memorable one, implied from Roll Along Thomas' TOTB premiere report, though mentioned briefly. After much hype, with a two month stint here in Australia's Hoyts cinemas and screenings at various VUE cinemas in the UK and soon a DVD and Blu-Ray release coming to America in a few days time, Tale of The Brave is out on DVD in all UK stores. Is this movie better then the previous? Is it great to mark the 30th consecutive year of the series? Well let's find out:

PLOT

The film opens up in a usual prologue, we see Thomas making his way to the china clay pits, though I've appreciate the continuity of the twins working at the Quarry I think it's right for the twins to work at what they were made for, the china clay pits, which is much more better in CGI compare to the one used in S2-3 of the series, although it was in S5, but it shares it set with the Quarry. The reason why Thomas was at the clay pits is because his branch line is closed due to bridge repairs, reminds me of a certain Christopher Awdry book from 1988, which I hadn't thought about it when I saw it in its cinema run back in July.

At the clay pits we see one of the new characters, Timothy. An oil burning engine that works at the clay pits alongside Bill and Ben. Of course he went through what Captain did in MIR, no reason to be here, though I've always come up with my own head canon when it comes to stuff like these, despite not being official but all part of the fun. However Bill and Ben were out of nowhere characters in the Railway Series book, 'Main Line Engines', so the same can be said for Timothy. Though his characterisation is not much like BoCo, according to some fans, his naviety and gullible nature shows in the movie, Thomas pulling trucks that he was (Timothy) coupled onto. However he just simmers down and know that the twins are just silly engines, sure that part shares the similarity of BoCo. 

Soon it started to rain and in the clay walls would unstable in the wet, so as Thomas sets out with his trucks, he noticed some footprints. Before he could get a proper look, some loose clay fell and Bill and Ben rushed to save him just in time. We then open to another great looking opening with a jazzy instrumental of 'Monsters Everywhere' with shadow selves of the characters that are in this special, with a reference from the Fat Controller of a well-known film maker. So we're then opened to the plot with some of the Fat Controller's engines lined up in the yards to hear his speech praising the twins' heroic action to save Thomas. I do love the reference that Gordon made, 'You can say that again', a possible reference to 'Wrong Road'? What I also love of the line up there was five members of the steam team and the rest were the secondary characters and that it was only some of the Fat Controller's engines rather then all of them, as of course there's a railway to run, unlike in the previous specials. 

After that, the Fat Controller had ordered Thomas to go down to the docks to work. However he was still thinking about the footprints. We then see a scene with Gator, who's not revealed giving us the feeling of mystery. Before Thomas went to the docks, he went back to the clay pits but the area where he was the day before was closed off with danger signs. This is where we meet another new character, Marion, a steam shovel who loves digging. Yes she's an out of nowhere character, bare in mind though that the clay pits haven't been seen for sixteen years, so, in your own headcanon*, you can make up your mind. (*a headcanon is like a belief, idea or aspect. Though not official info unless it's confirmed by the author) I love the little jump scare and the delivery of her dialogue was fantastic as well. Plus I love it how Marion mentioned chickens and since that this special is focused on dinosaurs I love it how there is scientific fact that dinosaurs are linked to birds and chickens are one of them and it shows the comparison, as I've been to dinosaur exhibition in Sydney back in July. 

At Brendam docks, Thomas set to work. If you look really closely to the sky you'll notice that they're moving, like real clouds. I also love the dock workers talking in the backgrounds making the scene more realistic. Percy was wondering about the footprints from Thomas but thought they must be from a monster, despite Thomas and Cranky saying that there's no such things as monsters. As Percy left with a goods train to Vicarstown, a fog rolled in, if you've read on SiF's blog in 2012, the Isle of Man is prone to fog obscuring the view of the island and since Sodor is near there, the same can happen over there, so it was nice research put in there, like they've done with…Misty Island. 

Percy spotted a strange looking engine coming down the track and thought it was a monster. After Percy's 'encounter' with the 'monster', it turns out to be an engine, another new comer, called Gator. I will get to his characterisation soon. Later at night, Percy was taking the mail train and through the song, 'Monsters Everywhere' performed by Robert Hartshorne, the series' composer, we see many buildings and thing shaped into monsters, which was brilliant done by Arc Productions.

The next morning, Thomas went to the clay pits again. He met up with Timothy, while Marion was digging more rock from the landslide, and was tricked by Bill and Ben. At the docks, Percy was collecting trucks, albeit tired. After bumping into some trucks he ran away thinking it to be a monster. Back at the clay pits, Thomas was still looking for the footprint. But he thought it was a storm playing tricks on him. But after seeing Bill and Ben he thought he might've played a track, though the twins thought the landslide was a trick, providing a little bit of comedy from Bill. 

After that he went to the sheds and saw a nervous Percy. He asked Thomas to take the mail, due to him being scared, despite James thinking it's funny. The next day the branch line was fixed and Thomas collected his coaches, Annie and Clarabel, meanwhile James was heading for the scrap yard to collect scrap from new comer Reg, which was unfortunately short. But I hope he has some proper development in the upcoming Christmas episode, hopefully. He created the scrap monster. 

Percy met up with Gator once again at the docks, as he missed his ship. Gator told Percy that he must collect some trucks, don't know why they've kept the term 'cars' in the UK dub, from Duck's branch line, GWR fans rejoice of a mention thinking it's the best ever, tonight. Percy was worried that he might be scared of monsters but Gator told him that monsters would be afraid of him which lead Percy thinking Gator's brave and so we're given a flashback of Gator's past, in a remarkable cut out style flashback, feels very picture book style. The flashback provides the highlighted moral about bravery, 'being brave isn't the same as not feeling scared, it's what you do even when you do feel scared'. A great moral telling kids that you can be brave and still be scared of it. So Percy decided to be brave, with a reference to a ghastly S15 episode and take the mail train for night. While James was to take the Flying Kipper, while Henry goes to the mainland with a goods train, an engine getting its comeuppance is great to see again, teaching kids that teasing and bullying can lead to karma. 

So after James got a fright from Gator, he fell off the line and into a pond. The other engines' thought it was funny when he returned at the big station the next day. Now everyone thinks he's the 'scaredy engine'. So he decides to get Percy back by shunting the scrap monster into the middle of the main line to scare Percy so he can be the 'scaredy engine'. After Percy's encounter with it, all the engines laughed and Thomas didn't believe him, in an honest way, leading Percy to give Thomas the cold boiler (pun intended). Percy was sad that no one believes him and after meeting with Gator with a beautiful 'Our Tale of The Brave' song by Sam Blewitt, and Thomas had learned that James was the one who did the joke and told James to find Percy and apologise for his action, Thomas talking down to James? Haven't seen that in a while. When Thomas came to the big station, he told Percy but Percy was still cross with him. 

You could say Thomas was being made as a villain in the story. But to me this is Thomas trying his best not to make an assumption about the whole monster thing, but trying hard to be honest, when you look at the latter, he was having a difficult time for both sides. Unlike what he did in the previous specials from the Miller/Barlow era. But Percy wants Thomas to believe in him and to be honest it's Percy that should be blamed here. He's blaming his best friend for not believing in him because he wants to be right (Percy). It maybe hard to understand but that's how I interpret it. So Percy thinks about going to other railways to prove that he's brave. However later that night at the docks, Gator told Percy that 'running away from your problems is not very brave'. Another good moral. Meanwhile Thomas and James were heading for the clay pits, after a little funny scene prior, thinking that Percy would be there, but after a ships horn blared, Thomas knew were Percy would really be. So he raced to the docks as the ship left the port. Resulting Cranky to grab the ship with his hook, unrealistic yes but I like it because it's needed. 

I usually get comments on why I don't like some of the unnecessary action, like in S5. I don't mind the action unless it is needed rather then just being there. This is needed to showcase, I believe, Cranky's bravery for stopping the ship, despite that he might've plunged into the sea. When I first saw the movie in July, this actually let me tensed and worried. But in the end, it turns out Percy was already unloaded half and hour ago, is it me of does Cranky just love that hour of time, as he says it in some S18 episode. So Percy was at the clay pits, with James catching up, with some funny moments from Bill and Ben and a reference to a S2 episode. 

James arrived and after being scolded by Percy, he dared him to head into the landslide area show his bravery. However James' echoing was causing a landslide and after seeing skeletons of something, he thought it a monster and rushed away whistling loudly which is causing another landslide, as the walls are unstable. Anyone noticed Mark Moraghan's little gasp? James' wheels slipped on the rubble and so Percy decides to be brave, prior to that Percy discovered the footprint. 

The climax was needed here especially to showcase Percy's decision to brave and his character development during the film. The climax has great suspense and the music really sets the danger mood. I do see more as S3, maybe because it reminds me of a certain episode that is set a the clay pits or quarry. As Percy was gathered up by the rubble, a skull came down and Marion grabbed it just before it hit Percy. I do have one nitpick is that how does Marion know Percy's name? Probably a script error, I have that problem before when writing episodes.

It turns out to be fossils of dinosaur, with Marion reciting a bit of Hamlet. At the Steamworks, Percy was cleaned out with all the dust and Thomas and James apologise for their action, though James would've mentioned that Reg did it as well, the scrap monster. So at the town hall, it was Megalosaurus, a British dinosaur I might add. After hearing that Gator is leaving again, Percy head towards the docks to say his farewell, which gives such a bittersweet but happy ending with another moral from Percy that we sometimes have to be brave to say goodbye to someone and we've all been there before. We're then given the final song which 'Let's Be Brave' from EggPlant Studios, while yes a generic pop song it's very catchy and can grow onto you. While the song is playing in the background we're then given the voice actors and the characters that they've voiced, which is rightfully deserving. 

OVERALL

To me this is better then King of The Railway, Blue Mountain Mystery and probably every previous Thomas special so far. Its story has more emotion, more appealing characters and it has that theatrical style cinematography and music. The new characters are great, minus Reg. Gator feels very much like a big brother to Percy with his wise words of wisdom about bravery, Marion is all bubbly and fun and Timothy has his gullible side, hope it's not a running trend for all characters though in the series and specials, Reg though was there for a few seconds, but he was there more as a plot device for creating the scrap monster, plus his persona has stand out as well, his sarcastic humour reminds me a bit of John Lennon, to be honest. The morals are much stronger and easy to understand for a child to learn from and can help kids that are in real life situations. 

I will admit that Marion and Timothy didn't add much to the special but there personalities have shone through for a few minutes. Plus yes they don't have a reason to be on Sodor unlike other characters, but as I said in the review, their have been other character that had that treatment too such as Bill, Ben and BoCo and yet they're pretty well beloved characters ever since. I like to see characters given reason to be on Sodor and I wish they did that for those two. Some say Gator didn't have much purpose on the island, but to me he did. He came to Sodor to be transferred by boat to another country, however I think more should've been added to that. Like maybe have the Fat Controller introduce him to the other engines and telling them why he's here. 

Andrew Brenner and his team behind Thomas & Friends are really bringing back for what the series were used to be. There'll never be anything like the classic series or the Railway Series ever again, unlike some who can't let go of the past and need to appreciate the effort of the new, but I'm fine with that. As long as any special or episode has a good well written story with morals that are valuable rather then to make money by using it as an advertisement for the toys, which by the way this really didn't have the feeling of a toy commercial, I understand that some fans don't like that but as SiF says, the toy line is the lifeblood of the show. But as long, as I've said before, as the specials or episodes have a good story, put much realism as possible in the stories and making it as entertaining as they could, I'm happy that kids are getting good entertainment from someone who knows and respects the franchise rather then junk they see with no effort put into it.

I've seen the US version of the dub and while I do like the US voice cast, well some of the voices that they've provided, they seem to lack emotion in some scenes. The climatic scene of Thomas at the docks and the second landslide at the clay pits, shows not much emotion. Ben Small did it brilliantly. In the UK dub he sounds like he's really in panic mode whereas Martin Sherman, whom I know has left the series and that his last contribution is next year, as said by SiF themselves, has lack that and he made Thomas sound like it's a normal thing. Plus how the way the actors deliver the lines in the US dub is like something you hear out of a cheesy 80's or 90's sitcom. Kerry Shale's panic mode for James sounds very shallow and bland whereas Keith Wickham gave James, like Ben Small, a more serious panic voice. Sherman's delivery of lines for Percy lacks emotion as well. The scene with him and Gator saying their farewell's lacks sadness, whereas the UK dub made Percy sound like he's about to cry and you can share that sympathy with his sad emotion because we've all been there before. 

I sometimes can't stand the US voice for Thomas, James and Percy and at other times I'm fine with them, so it's most of a love/hate for them. But I really hate the voices provided for Henry, Toby (despite not being in the special) and Edward, they sound terrible and nasally. Emily and Gordon's US voices I can tolerate as they sound very normal. Yes I know the UK dub has its own flaws too as well. However I hope the US actors improve the voice acting someday in future.

The animation from Arc Productions is spectacular. The design of the clay pits is much better then the one we've seen in classic era. I actually love the detail of the rain water over Thomas' face, it looks very real. Plus there cinematography is great too. The music, I'll say this, why can't HIT Entertainment release the soundtrack of their specials?! Hartshorne's music is just amazing and it feels more cinematic, especially the one during the clay pits climax. That music would leave you tensed. 

Tale of the Brave is definitely my number one favourite Thomas special as of now and who knows what 'Legend of the Lost Treasure' would bring next year. 

Rating: 

9/10

   

TALE OF THE BRAVE

IS OUT NOW IN STORES IN THE UK AND US

COMING SOON ON OCTOBER 1ST IN AUSTRALIA

NWR Editorial: First Thoughts on Tale of The Brave trailer

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND ARE NOT REFLECTED FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

NWR EDITORIAL:

FIRST THOUGHT OF TALE OF THE BRAVE TRAILER

The second special by Arc Productions and the second written by Andrew Brenner. King of the Railway had proved successful last year with its writing and character development as well as S17 with some its classic series story lines (e.g- Bill or Ben? and Thomas' Shortcut) so how would hold up? 

The story so far seem to take place, possibly, at the China clay pits, since that Timothy's yellow lettering on his boiler does stand out 'SCC'. Meanwhile a monster is presumed by Percy, with the discovery of footprints. We then meet new characters such as Gator, Timothy, Reg, Marion. And we see some old favourites who make there debut in a DVD special such as Duck, Bill and Ben and of course: 

When I first saw the trailer, I was of course excited to see the GWR 14XX pannier tank engine in full CGI. This is the first time that Oliver is seen the series since season 12 in 2008. Looking at the design of the character, he looks very detailed. However I'm not expecting him to land a big role in the special, maybe minor. But he might have a role in S18 like Duck in the previous series. However despite his return, I'm expecting a great story rather then a character return. 

Looking at the new characters, Gator seems likeable and is voiced by Clive Mantle, who played Simon Horton in 'The Vicar of Dibley'. The voice sounds very good in my opinion. Some might say that his basis looks 'weird' or a 'mega Scruff'. He is however based on the Colombian Steam motor locomotive that happen to be built in Britain for Colombia. Despite that this is a trailer, the other characters look good as well, including Marion: 

When I first saw the book cover last year, I thought it was Ned from the Sodor Construction Crew. But I did have doubts about it and after looking at the basis I knew it can't possibly be him as it runs on rails. But the design for Marion looks excellent. 

In my final thoughts, the trailer had left me more impressed then KOTR's trailer that was seen back in January for the UK. The movie looks very promising and looks to be even better then King of The Railway, in my opinion. I remember some people were saying that at the time, 'Monster of Sodor' which it was originally called, was 'going to be bad', 'Percy and the Monster of Brendam the extended episode' etc. despite that people can judge, I think they need to give things a chance. We weren't impressed with KOTR at first and look how much it was praised with its writing, Railway series and classic series references. I may sound a bit harsh or aggressive here but I'm just stating that we shouldn't judge things quickly here. 

TALE OF THE BRAVE

COMING SOON TO HOME ENTERTAINMENT