Back on May 12th 2017, the trailer had dropped for 'Journey Beyond Sodor' on the official Thomas YouTube channel alongside a Behind the scenes video for the movie starring Hugh Bonneville, who was the celebrity actor for the film voicing Merlin. But once when the trailer was released one thing wasn't met with praise, amongst older fans. The engine's bodies were moving, I'll get to that later on in the review. Pretty much after that, for the older fandom in general, 2017 for Thomas was going down south, as mentioned in my S21 review from April.
But now that the movie is nearly five years old does it still hold up despite the uproar from the older fandom? Or is it still something that haunts the memories amongst some Thomas fans from the year that was 2017? Let's find out.
But first:
THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND ARE NOT INFLUENCED FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FANDOM
JOURNEY BEYOND SODOR
Written by
Andrew Brenner
Directed by
David Stoten
Produced by
Ian McCue (HIT/Mattel)
Tracy Blagdon (Jam Filled)
Release Date
22/08/17 - US
4/10/17 - AUS
16/10/17 - UK
Distrbuted by
HIT Entertainment/Mattel Creations
MY VIEWS
We start off with the usual cold opening of the special with us being introduced to the Island of Sodor. To be honest as much as I like the opening, I feel that it could've been scrapped in favour of adding more breathing room to the story or setting up the mainland and how different it was compare to Sodor. Everyone knows about the Island of Sodor and what's there since we'd been exposed to it for years on the TV screen and it adds unneeded build up to what the special is really about as Sodor was barely in much of the special.
After Henry had his accident, we now see the two main characters of the special, I honestly feel that more could've been done with their rivalry like maybe have James being on time with his trains while Thomas was not, probably due to problems on his branch line like animals blocking the line, faulty signals or points or broken tracks. Like I feel that the rivalry they had was a bit out of nowhere in the special.
Meanwhile the Fat Controller had decided to let James take Henry's trucks to the mainland. I remember people saying that Thomas was out of character in the special thinking that he was just some whiny little kid who doesn't get everything he wants. But I seem to remember he was exactly like that in 'Thomas' Train', I mean that scene with Thomas ranting to Percy about James 9 minutes into the film feels like that scene when Thomas was being annoying to the other engines, yes I know that in S1 and 'The Adventure Begins' that he grew up but most of Thomas episodes and movies are more plot driven than character driven, sure they learn their lesson in the end but they would go back to their usual way in the end because it creates conflict and brings out more stories. I personally felt Andrew Brenner was only trying to make Thomas like this to appease the older fans who for years want the show to be like the classic series, when really it's not easy to replicate something from childhood.
The next day, James was surprised that Thomas took the train to mainland himself and told the Fat Controller crossly, however he'd decided to let James take over Thomas' branch line while Thomas was away. I honestly never liked how the Fat Controller just didn't seem too cross about Thomas taking the trucks without asking, which would cause some disruption to a railway in real life, but realism was already thrown out of the windows years before this special came out. I guess Mattel didn't like the reception that they got from parents about the Fat Controller from Lost Treasure, because they don't seem to understand that he has an entire railway system to look after while juggling with an extension and a tank engine who was causing trouble at the same time.
It seems some of them wanted him to be more of an irresponsible parent, since the Fat Controller is one metaphorically. That and years and years of stupid comparisons of him being a dictator to his engines made up by jouranlists because they don't have anything else better to do.
Meanwhile Thomas was on the mainland, for the second time following 'The Great Race'. Yes the setting of it is bare but I will give it a pass considering that Arc Productions, who were animating the special at the time, was bankrupt in 2016 and so work was halted prior to Jam Filled taking over around the same month, August and, from my memory, they lost one month of production and probably didn't have much time sprucing it all up. However I don't know why they hadn't update it for 'Thomas & The Royal Engine' in 2020? I guess they didn't want to put much work into it due to the shot being short.
I will say the troublesome trucks bantering and teasing was fun to watch though. Later Thomas was still making his way towards Bridlington and soon we got to meet our first newbie, Beresford, not much can say about him but considering that he was a secondary character his development couldn't be that important since most secondary characters don't usually get much focus. But although he was agressive you can feel for him that he was a lonely crane and that he hasn't anyone to talk too, could've been an episode if 'Big World, Big Adventures' wasn't greenlit, not that I have anything against that era of the series.
We also got one of the songs called 'Who's Thomas'. Beresford's song didn't progress much of the story but it did give us on who he is, it was a nice way to introduce his character. After Thomas left Beresford, we now see him trundling through a forest and into a yard that introduce us to more newbies such as Lexie and Theo. Two experimental engines. Prior to that, Thomas ran out of coal. A side effect that'd started from S7's 'Trusty Rusty'. Thankfully they had fixed that in Big World. Another little nitpick that I had with the scene is that the trucks were scared by the look of the yards called a bads yard, wouldn't it better to call it a scrap yard? It has a bit of rhythm there.
Lexi is an engine who experiments with her voice for many different accents, done by the wonderfully talented Lucy Montgomery. I remember an article says that she was gender fluid and it'd caused an uproar in the fandom but honestly I don't see that myself, not that I have anything against people who are gender fluid. Lexi's name is commonly identified with females.
One example of gender fluidility in the show that I can bring is Rusty. In the books Rusty has always been a male character but when the TV series was made around its fourth season, Thomas had been getting criticism for its lack of female characters and at the time when Britt Allcroft was running the show, she was adapting the stories from the books from an era where women stay at home and men go to the office and of course by the 1990's the culture had changed since then. So Britt Allcroft's approach was to make Rusty gender fluid, given the name it can be either male or female like Red, Rain, River etc. and with the gender pronouns he was often reffered to as 'the diesel' or 'the little diesel', although as a kid I'd always assumed he was male. By S9, HIT Entertainment changed his pronouns to him/he. I don't know if any kids show had done this back in the 90's but it was a ballasy move to do that, given how many people act irrationally over gender when someone doesn't identify themselves as a male or female. If I'm straightsplaning here, I apologise and if you see Lexi as gender fluid, do it. Just like how Mark Hamill
says about Luke Skywalker can be seen gay by the LGBTI community.
Theo a shy and unconfident engine, and a subtle representation to people with autism. I'm not very familar with autism since I don't have it nor the experience so I won't say how the way Theo was written was either wrong or right. But I do like his character, he's a cynical engine based on the fact that his design was a failure since he was an experiment. After Thomas' brief visit, we then see him going to the steelworks where we meet Hurricane and Frankie with their song, which is a total banger, 'The Hottest Place In Town' introducing us to the steelworks.
Meanwhile back on Sodor, the engines were worried about Thomas as he hadn't returned from the mainland. I remember people having a problem with Percy's character, considering that after 'Tale of The Brave' he had learnt that being brave is not about not being scared it's about what you do even when you do feel scared. But I did say that most of the episodes and specials have become more plot driven. Although I think it would've been nice to see Percy help saving his friend, but then again the special was more focused as a Thomas and James special. I know that Percy was scared in 'The Great Race' but I kinda see that as natural behaviour of self doubt like Toby being worried about the dam for breaking up in 'Toby and The Flood' in S5. Sometimes being worried about things can be natural.
Next morning, Thomas was forced to work at the steelworks after Frankie manipulated him by saying that they had done his work for him and surely he should repay them for their gratitude. Their is alot of mystery surrounding Frankie and it's a shame that the show didn't do much with her afterwards, unlike Merlin, now that the original show had ended. Like Frankie says that Thomas is her favourite 'new engine' which kinda implies that their had been other engines before he came to the steelworks.
While Thomas was at the steelworks, the Fat Controller began to worry about Thomas for not returning home. However I find it odd that Percy was more worried about Thomas being delayed than lost. But from looking at the scene of the Fat Controller having a hard time with Thomas being away and dealing with engines doing other work, it was nice to see him acting as a railway controller and I remember people had a problem with BWBA not showing that, despite that Thomas hadn't apologised to the other engines for leaving behind his work based on a cheeky idea and James as well for thinking more about himself by being a hero for finding Thomas, but I think from watching this special we could get the idea of what a railway without Thomas would be like, despite that the Thin Controller was in charge in the latter special.
Back at the steelworks, Thomas was tired but Frankie and Hurricane were pleased with his help, although it was done by force. But from looking at Hurricane, I feel that he was more genuine when it comes to Thomas' help. He feels like a friendly giant. He was more concerned about Thomas whereas Frankie was more stern and forceful towards him.
Meanwhile we got another song, 'I Want To Go Home', which was a beautiful song and was sang well by John Hasler. I think nowadays the song does kinda hits home considering that we are in a pandemic and although some countries have been vaccinated, and you should too without listening to all the BS from social media from anti-vaxxers, some countries, as of writing this post, like us here in Australia are in lockdown because of the delta-variant of COVID-19. We all like to be at different places but we just want to come home and be with our family and friends as they are important but sadly some can't unless they have a reason to come home.
Also during the song it does kinda show Thomas going through hard manual labor and considering that so many people interpret Thomas is under some tyrinncial ruling on Sodor kinda showcases here hard on the mainland when on Sodor it's hard work but the Fat Controller is more of a kind and worriesome father figure.
The scene with James and the sheep though does kinda show that patience is virtue, even though some members of the fandom don't even learn that. After James went off to the mainland to find Thomas, really to be a hero, Thomas had decided to escape the steelworks, although he was found out by Frankie and Hurricane. I love how the scene had no dialouge nor narration for a bit and it gave off a very 'show don't tell' way of what Thomas is doing. As Thomas ran away and hid in some bushes, we then meet, although off screen, the last newbie, Merlin, although you can see him for a split second when Frankie and Hurricane came by again.
I will say I love Hugh Bonnieville's acting as Merlin and you can tell he had so much fun voicing him. It was interesting to hear Merlin talking about being a stealth engine as his experiment, based on his real life basis, was during war time as he was given three funnels so that the steam can block the engine from any potentail bombers during WWII, although it was a failure.
Next morning Thomas was looking for Merlin. I like this scene as you have the sounds of nature, no music to set the mood as the silence is the mood. It was nice and calming, feels like something from an anime that doesn't require too much music. Meanwhile James arrived at Bridlington to look for Thomas, however none of the engines hadn't even seen him. Although it was great seeing the EWS diesels, considering that their livery is the same as their basis' livery, it just seems odd to see a British built engine having an American accent, although the steam team and some secondary characters have that in the US dub, it just feels strange since they'd never done that previously, same can be said with the trucks. No offence to American fans but I just much prefer the UK dub.
Meanwhile Thomas had returned to the experimental engine's yard, much to the excitment of Lexi and Theo. But Thomas was downtrodden because he'd lost James' trucks, although he was told they were delivered but I think because of how Hurricane and Frankie treated him he probably have some doubts, and had no sense of direction for his way home that he felt useless. The experimental engines told them that they had the same problem but Thomas thought they were amazing and that leads us to the song 'We Can't Do Anything' which ties itself to the plot and love how they'd showcased the different dynamics of the experimental engines with Theo and Lexi being the cynics and Merlin being the more confident one. This is where we see Merlin for the first time in physical form. The music was good too.
After Thomas left the yards, since the experimental engines couldn't help him to find his way back to Sodor, although Merlin wanted to give it a try, Thomas arrived at the canal despite Beresford catching him with his hook, Colin Mcfarland did a really good job at voicing him. While Thomas was telling Beresford that he shouldn't force someone to be their friend and to stay, you have to be nice to them. Meanwhile Hurricane and Frankie were passing by with James, while Thomas was hiding away. Thomas wanted to save him and, with Merlin, following suit, by his side, he decided that he and the experimental engines help Thomas to rescue James.
Meanwhile James was at the steelworks while Hurricane and Frankie were singing to him. However James wanted to know where Thomas is. However they told him that Thomas was gone and may've been going to 'see the world', a subtle foreshadow for BWBA? And told James he could be back, which is a way to keep him and force him to do the work.
Back at the yards, Thomas and the experimental engines had decided to save James, with Theo being worried. You could see a bit of growth from Lexi, although she doubts herself into doing something she wants to help no matter what. And so a plan was made, Theo and Lexi created a diverson so that Thomas could go in and get James, while Merlin sits back and keep watch, although maybe he could've gone and help Thomas anyway but was probably done so that conflict can be made.
Meanwhile Thomas was in the steelworks to try and find James, but the plan was foiled as Merlin was spotted pulling into the steelworks. Thomas had found James but soon the chase was on to try and escape the steelworks. Although how Thomas had fallen from the magnet was a bit silly as he was flung round like a toy but like I said before, realism is not really a necessity in the show at this point of the series. However when the slag was spilt over, Hurricane came to Thomas' rescue, as I said before, it shows that he does care for Thomas' safety and he was not evil at heart. However the slag caused his wheels to melt and of course inoperable.
Frankie began to cry since now she was left to do the workload, since Hurricane's wheels had melted and the other engines were to head off. I remember some people had a problem with the ending thinking that Thomas was throwing the experimental engines under the bus since both her and Hurricane had held Thomas and James against their will. But I think with Frankie admitted everything and Thomas knowing that Hurricane had saved him, he probably doesn't see them as bad engines and admitted their fault and so recommended the experimental engines to help out, despite some demure from Lexi and Theo thinking they can't do anything but with Merlin telling them that they can try and do the work. I don't think the ending was bad to be honest.
In the end, Thomas and James head back for Sodor and apologised to each other for their behaviour and so we were given our final 'The Most Important Thing Is Being Friends', a typical friendship song but not a bad song though.
OVERALL
In the end, the special wasn't really that bad. Like I said in my review for S21, when you remove all the BS that was 2017 in the Thomas fandom, it's really not a bad special. There were a few flaws but some were minor to me really and I kinda like this better than 'The Great Race', even though I don't think that was bad. There were some decent characters and songs and the plot was good too. I do remember parents, particulary from Amazon, at the time of the movie's release had complained that the movie was 'too dark' but honestly their are many kids movies that have some dark elements but they always tend to have a happy ending, like Don Bluth's films such as 'The Secret of Nimh'. Heck even some Disney films like 'Bambi' and 'The Lion King' had some dark elements. Even 'Mewtwo Strikes Back' from Pokemon, both the original and the remake. But, in common with each other, they all had happy endings indicating to the child that their can be a light at the end of the tunnel.
I understand that parents don't want their kids to be scared but we live in a world where their is conflict, dark stuff and people who love to do terrible things. You can't wrap them up in cotton wool and expect them to learn all this stuff when they're older. That's disrespectful to the mind of a child.
I remember the 'controversey' amongst the older fandom when it comes to the bouncing and I will say this, I still standby that it brought in much more expressive movement to the character. Yes they are suppose to be locomotive but like I said time and time again about realism, it had been thrown out of the window since the fifth season. I remember the fandom being OK with all the other unrealistic stuff years prior to this movie, heck I remember people liking Kevin's movement in 'Snow Place Like Home' from S19 and yet when everyone bounces some people had lost their minds. In the end, kids did like bouncing and it was left intact until the end of BWBA last year. The movement in this special was alot of subtle.
So that's my re-review done and I think this special was good overall. Maybe next year I might do 'Big World Big Adventures' again, can't make any promises.
OVERALL RATING
8/10
