Les aventures des enfants du chemin de fer

Having seen the original Railway Children numerous times since it was first released in 1970, I had high hopes for this film, on the basis that Jenny Agutter had agreed to appear in it. However, I was sorely disappointed, as historical inaccuracies and retrospective applied politically correct ideas totally ruined the film for me. To give just a few examples:

The film is based on children being evacuated from Manchester in 1944 in response to a renewed German bombing offensive. While such an offensive did occur (and was known as the Baby Blitz) it was largely concentrated on London and the south east of England.

Bobbie's grandson, Thomas, had a far too broad Yorkshire accent for someone from a middle-class family.

Lily would not have been detained for a prolonged period by the American MPs, but would have been handed over to the British police at the earliest opportunity.

The British policemen would have been wearing helmets and not flat caps.

Lily seeking to hide Abe's army uniform by giving him civilian clothes is completely ludicrous, as he would have been immediately identifiable by his skin colour (or perhaps color).

A young man with Down's syndrome would not have been employed as a telegraph boy at that time.

The American general at the end of the film would not have been black.

This whole film is a quite weak. The story is really unbelievable, the acting isn't great and it all gets ludicrous.

It's hard to know who this film is aimed at, who will see it and even why it was made.

Where to start :

Good points : none

Pointless sequel, yet another example of the talentless chimps beating on keyboards to produce an awful script for a shameless money making grab on the back of a classic

I hope they paid Jenny Agutter a lot of money for her short appearances.

Absolute rubbish, full of 'woke' B. S.

If you have fond memories of the classic original don't waste your money.

I gave up half way through & I rarely do that, some part of me has faith that things will improve, they really didn't!!!

I can't remain PC & give this my honest opinion, but do anything with your time rather than spend it watching this!!

It does of course have Jenny Agutter, but she should not have lowered herself to be involved!!! Lionel Jeffries would be turning in his grave.

I'd watch the original any time, but not this ridiculous pile of ****!

Didn't even see much in the way of actual trains or railways to be honest, just some carriages in a siding!

I wanted it to relight the childhood feelings that the original did, I wanted it to be at least watchable & ideally good, alas no!!!!

Do yourselves a favour and don't bother!!

Who is the audience supposed to be? I thought this would be a family movie, and expected a weak version of the original, but the writers have ruined a wonderful original tale and filled the film with unpleasant characters, racism, bigotry and bad mannered children.

Yes, the issues of racism do need to be told and historically remembered, but this is not the film for it. The Railways Children was a lovely, charming and heartfelt story of a family in crisis and how loving children helped their mother and each other. This is not the platform for a socially conscience lesson.

Write a new movie if you want that; don't leach off a gentle story.