Legend of the Lost Tribe

My wife and I just ordered the new DVD with the original Robbie (Hooves of Fire) and this one on it. We have the older release with only Hooves of Fire, and absolutely LOVED that one. We were both shocked and disappointed at how bad this one is!! The story is weak, but worse yet the witty scripting from the original is completely absent. I gave it a 4 for the first minute or so of the movie - after that it's probably a 2 or even a 1.

Oh, and the "addition" of new voices for the US version is appalling! I was SO relieved when I found the audio setup item which lets you switch to the original British voice talent!! I only wish I could tell the DVD to NEVER EVER play it with the US voicing again. I actually liked several of the US voice actors, but it just seems wrong if you've seen (and heard) the original with its British cast. It is, after all, a British comedy, and I kind of expect the British accents.

Simba4 has it totally wrong! This is a classic piece of light-hearted frivolity and shouldn't just be assumed as child viewing due to animation. That said, there's no harm in kids viewing it. I'd like to at this point make clear that I watched the British(original) version and must say that Americans probably won't appreciate it. It's has multiple levels of humor including irony. (Enough said I think) I don't believe the American version will have done justice to it. Ask them to remake the Ladykillers and see what happens. Whoops! Silly me - they actually did do that. Adrian Edmondson (unlisted I notice) is excellent as EVER! Brilliant, fun, festive silliness!

Review of the British version.

I very much enjoy this "Robbie the Reindeer" film. It includes the same, good cast (plus some more characters and minus one character), more hilarious jokes and gags and a really exciting plot, probably more developed and gripping than the plot of the last Robbie the Reindeer. The new characters are also very entertaining. However, if I had to choose one to prefer out of all three films, it would be the first film. Despite the good jokes, quality and entertainment of this and the third Robbie the Reindeer, I prefer the first one. This one just feels very short compared with Hooves of Fire.

Robbie and his friends are now running a holiday company and are having quite a lot of trouble. Not only is their accommodation not very good at all, but the customers are often very annoying people and often ask for refunds. When Robbie rescues a tourist off a cliff-face, he falls down into the canyon and is saved by someone who looks like a Viking. Robbie is determined to find them. Also, Blizten, the reindeers' old enemy is back...

I recommend this to people who have watched and enjoyed the first Robbie the Reindeer and to people who like short animated films with lots of clever jokes. Enjoy "Legend of the Lost Tribe"!

They're a lot more fun. Plus, it adds a layer of appreciation if you are familiar with the voice talent. Perhaps it's because my husband is British, but I'm one American who really enjoyed this and who shudders to think of Britney Spears doing Jane Horrocks' role. I agree that it's not as terrific as Hooves of Fire, and I too noticed the absence of Vixen, but I thought overall it was very funny and clever, and my 18-month-old daughter seemed to enjoy it as well. I'd love another sequel. Perhaps I just differ from other Americans in terms of what I'm looking for -- I don't need "holiday cheer" or to be "uplifted" (although I found both here, actually) -- I just need intelligent writing and some decent acting, both of which are supplied here in abundance.

Robbie The Reindeer in Legend Of The Lost Tribe (2) (2002) -

The animation of this sequel was much better than its predecessor, even after just 3 years.

It was a slightly weaker plot and definitely more of a stretch for an idea than the original story of Robbie (Ardal O'Hanlon) finding his feet at the North Pole to pull Father Christmas' sleigh, but it was still good fun and a giggle.

It started with the reindeers failing to run a tourism business and built to a journey in which Robbie found a "Lost Tribe" of Vikings. Meanwhile the evil Blitzen (Steve Coogan) had also been freed from prison. Those events all combined for a cute climax and there were of course some great jokes dotted throughout.

The vocal acting was all done well again and I liked the use of Jeff Goldblum as the voice of White Rabbit, because the character needed to be more distinctive to stand out.

There were some obvious story similarities to 'The Simpson's' (1989-) episodes involving Sideshow Bob (Kelsey Grammar), with Blitzen out for revenge against Robbie, so it wasn't essentially very original, but I did like what they did with it overall.

Fun for all the family, but certainly not as good as the likes of 'Wallace & Gromit' (1989 - 2003) or 'The First Snow Of Winter' (1998).

637.11/1000.