Was very fond of Woody Woodpecker and his cartoons as a child. Still get much enjoyment out of them now as a young adult, even if there are more interesting in personality cartoon characters and better overall cartoons.
That is in no way knocking Woody, because many of his cartoons are a lot of fun to watch and more and also still like him a lot as a character. He is fun in 'Everglade Raid', but he isn't the manic persona that he wasn't originally, Woody became increasingly toned down over the years to either a hero, a fun enough but more crafty out-witter than manic pest and then in other cartoons he could be a jerk. He is in the second category here.
He has had far better foils than All I.Gator too, foils that are better contrasts, are more formidable and more entertaining (like Wally Walrus or Buzz Buzzard). Found that All I.Gator had a few amusing moments and was well voiced Daws Butler but also more dumb and easily fooled than intelligently crafty and not particularly well drawn.
It is the animation that fares least in 'Everglade Raid'. Time and budget constraints shows in some of the animation, which is a little rushed looking in the drawing and detail wise it's on the simplistic and careless side like many of Woody's cartoons from this period continuing through to the 60s. Some of the action is very predictable and typical Woody Woodpecker.
On the other hand, the music however is bouncy, energetic and very lushly orchestrated, not only synchronising and fitting with the action very well but enhancing it. The whole cartoon goes at a lively pace, especially in the second half.
Most of the gags, while never hilarious, are amusing and timed well. Particularly liked the sequence when Woody is in the inside of All I.Gator and starts making himself comfortable inside that makes the gator uncomfortable.
The voice work is solid, with Grace Stafford continuing to prove why she was the best voice actor for the character and the one that understood him the most. Daws Butler is reliable as ever.
Overall, not bad at all but not great. 6/10 Bethany Cox
