If you asked kid me if she preferred this or that weird obscure Tom Thumb and Thumbelina film, she would've said this. But now? Looking back, I'd say Tom Thumb and Thumbelina is slightly better just for having a more active protagonist (can't believe I'm saying this that movie was actual torture and had a lot of the same problems as this one).
This isn't as bad as Troll in Central Park, but you can clearly see a lot of the same problems that have plagued Don Bluth films back then. Like Troll in Central Park, it's random, with weak characterization, conflict coming out of nowhere, and a sugary-sweet Disney ending.
The liveliness and quirks of some of the characters will entertain children, but that's just it. There's nothing else to these characters, this is a common thing where you can really tell it was made solely for kids. The supporting characters does jack crap to help our protagonist. The antagonists all want Thumbelina's tail, but with no rhyme or reason.
If there was any praise to give this film, it would be for the technical aspects. The animation is the weakest in this department because it can get janky and some of the designs look weird, but it's mostly competent and the movements felt natural. Thumbelina, especially, looks like how ladies looked back then.
The music is also good if you ignore the context of the story. Let Me Be Your Wings is clearly a rip-off of A Whole New World, though. And, I think the voice actors did an excellent job at bringing their characters to life, especially Jodi Benson, who has amazing range. The Beedle's voice was a bit annoying, though. I get what the actor was going for, but maybe he should've had a bit more range?
It's sad that I haven't seen any Thumbelina films (to my knowledge) that are actually great. Despite the controversy, I think the story has potential to be updated in a way that can suit modern audiences. Like, I think the original story was supposed to be more of a coming of age, where Thumbelina has to figure out who she wants and how to fit it in the world. Both this and Tom Thumb and Thumbelina clearly had potential to be something more than they were. We haven't had a Thumbelina adaptation in forever. I hope they go back to the story and give it the proper adaptation it deserves.
This isn't as bad as Troll in Central Park, but you can clearly see a lot of the same problems that have plagued Don Bluth films back then. Like Troll in Central Park, it's random, with weak characterization, conflict coming out of nowhere, and a sugary-sweet Disney ending.
The liveliness and quirks of some of the characters will entertain children, but that's just it. There's nothing else to these characters, this is a common thing where you can really tell it was made solely for kids. The supporting characters does jack crap to help our protagonist. The antagonists all want Thumbelina's tail, but with no rhyme or reason.
If there was any praise to give this film, it would be for the technical aspects. The animation is the weakest in this department because it can get janky and some of the designs look weird, but it's mostly competent and the movements felt natural. Thumbelina, especially, looks like how ladies looked back then.
The music is also good if you ignore the context of the story. Let Me Be Your Wings is clearly a rip-off of A Whole New World, though. And, I think the voice actors did an excellent job at bringing their characters to life, especially Jodi Benson, who has amazing range. The Beedle's voice was a bit annoying, though. I get what the actor was going for, but maybe he should've had a bit more range?
It's sad that I haven't seen any Thumbelina films (to my knowledge) that are actually great. Despite the controversy, I think the story has potential to be updated in a way that can suit modern audiences. Like, I think the original story was supposed to be more of a coming of age, where Thumbelina has to figure out who she wants and how to fit it in the world. Both this and Tom Thumb and Thumbelina clearly had potential to be something more than they were. We haven't had a Thumbelina adaptation in forever. I hope they go back to the story and give it the proper adaptation it deserves.