Video/DVD Review: Thomas and the Magic Railroad

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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that even though this movie is rated G, there's some violence and peril, though no one is hurt. It's also mildly troubling that the female characters are so passive -- when Lily gets off at the wrong stop, she just sits there and waits for someone to help her, and Lady, the only female train and the only train that is supposed to be powerful enough to defeat the diesel, never confronts the bully. She just runs away from him. Some children may be upset by the references to Lily's grandmother who died, and parents may get some questions about that.

Families can talk about the meaning of "the three R's" -- 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. Families can also talk about the meaning behind "little engines can do big things," and what makes some people want to act like bullies. Lily gets on the wrong train and does not know how to find her grandfather when she gets off. Families can talk about what a child should do if separated from parents.

In THOMAS AND THE MAGIC RAILROAD follows the train and human characters as they find a lost train hidden in Muffle Mountain, uncover some magic gold dust somewhere on the magic island of Sodor, defeat the mean bully diesel train, all while finding courage, magic, and a sense of responsibility within themselves. Thomas and the Conductor are faced with a lot of challenges. The big diesel train with the wicked looking pinchers is a bully who wants to take over. The only one who can stop him is a train called Lady, who has been missing for many years. The 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 for help, and Junior uses up the last of the dust. Meanwhile, Lily and Patch try to help Lily's grandfather, who has a secret that just might help.

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 Cohn and Russell Means appear briefly, but they've brought in some real Hollywood talent for the main characters to add star quality. Alec Baldwin plays the conductor, Peter Fonda is the sad man who is trying to get Lady, the missing train, back in shape, and Mara Wilson portrays his grand-daughter. All three 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 in television.