The Magic Roundabout DVD Review:

Dougal (Williams) loves sugar but it is about to get him and his friends into serious trouble. Accidentally crashing a sweet trolley into the roundabout, Dougal releases the evil Zeebad (Baker) who had been trapped for 10,000 years. Now that he is free, Zeebad wants to continue his diabolical scheme to freeze the world and even Zebedee (McKellen) can’t stop him. Its up to Dougal, Brian (Broadbent), Ermintrude (Lumley) and Dylan (Nighy) to find the three diamonds that will trap Zeebad again and save the world.

Anyone from the UK or France, over the age of twenty-five will remember a stop-motion animated show about the adventures of a floppy haired dog and his friends but can this computer animated update recapture the elements that made this such a children’s classic?

The adventures of Dougal, Zebedee, Brian, Ermintrude, Florence and Dylan mean so much to a generation and now they can introduce their favourites to the next generation. All their favourite characters are back and beautifully realised using the latest computer graphics. The character design is absolutely first rate, with each one capturing the essence of the original and taking it to the next level. The world they inhabit is also a visual feast, filled with exuberant colours and beautiful designs. It is just a shame that the story doesn’t really match the care and attention that has gone into the design.

Like many big screen adaptations of small screen animated hits, extending the storylines to eighty plus minutes can be very difficult. While there are some very entertaining set pieces, amusing dialogue and good character development, the central plot is far too over the top and not very well realised. Zeebad makes a good screen villain and nemesis to the Roundabout gang but we never really find out his true motivation for turning the world into ice. This might not be the biggest problem for the film’s target audience but for the adults and old fans that are watching it with them, this is slightly confusing.

It is the characters that draw you into the film and the vocal performances that bring them to life. Unlike many animated movies (with the exception of those produced by Pixar), the celebrity vocal cast actually give a performance and not just use their normal voices. Robbie Williams is fantastic as Dougal. You would never guess that this is the extravagant UK pop star. Tom Baker revs it up as the evil Zeebad and really has fun with the character. Joanna Lumley and Jim Broadbent bring warm and humour to Ermintrude and Brian. Bill Nighy is hilarious as hippy rabbit Dylan and Kylie Minogue is good as Florence.

‘The Magic Roundabout’ captures the essence of the characters for the cult children’s TV show extremely well. While the story might be slightly too over the top for adult audiences, kids will love the adventures of Dougal, Zebedee, Brian, Ermintrude, Florence and Dylan and they will treasure the characters as much as you did, all those years ago.

Star Rating = * * *

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in Widescreen 1.85:1 Anamorphic with Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, the transfer is extremely good, as you’d expect from a direct digital transfer.

BONUS FEATURES

Single Disc Version

Magic Mysteries Quiz Game
Answer interactive questions during the movie that allow our heroes to progress on their adventure.

Our Heroes and Villains
Find out the height, weight, bravery, speed, brainpower, cute factor and likes and dislikes for Dougal, Zebedee, Brian, Ermintrude, Florence, Soldier Sam, Zeebad, Train and Dylan.

Magical Voices (21.16 mins)
Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Tom Baker, Bill Nighy, Ray Winstone, Joanna Lumley, Lee Evans, Jim Broadbent and Ian McKellen talk about if they were fans of the original show, their favourite character, the character they play, what it was like starring in the film and using only their voices and what it was like working with the all-star cast.

The UK Premiere (1.48 mins)

Behind the scenes images from the London Premiere of the movie and the after show party

Screensavers and Wallpaper

Insert the DVD into your PC and you can access exclusive DVD ROM material from ‘The Magic Roundabout’.

Trailers

Previews of ‘Asterix and Oberlix: Mission Cleopatra’, ‘Robots’, ‘Bratz: Rock Angles’ and ‘Strawberry Shortcake’

OVERALL

The single disc version of ‘The Magic Roundabout’ offers just enough extras to keep the youngsters amused. With a good interactive quiz and interviews with the cast, there is enough her for those who just want to watch the film and not know how it was made. Fans however should buy the 2-disc DVD set, as it offers better value and everything you need to know about the film and your favourite characters.

Disc Two:
The Sound Of Magic, Trailers and TV spots, Re-imagining the magic, Storyboard gallery, Cast and crew biographies, Music Of The Magic, Classic black and white TV episodes and Origins of the Magic



Jamie Kelwick