The Worst Film Ever

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

The Robbie the reindeer specials produced by BBC are made using stop-motion--much like the much more famous and higher quality Aardman productions (such as Wallace & Gromit or Shaun the Sheep). I liked the first Robbie the Reindeer show. It was a very sweet Christmas special and has a lot to recommend it. While there are plenty of jokes in LEGEND OF THE LOST TRIBE, however, this second installment is pretty weak. Sure, it's watchable but much of the sweetness of the first film has been replaced by goofy situations--too goofy. In fact, this film looks like they tossed a bunch of random plot elements together and had little regard for the spirit of the first.I knew something was amiss when the show began. You aren't sure exactly where the action takes place, but it doesn't seem like the North Pole. Instead, the ground is a bit bare and it looks more like rural Scotland or Canada. And, there really is no Santa and these reindeer seem to have forgotten how to fly. Instead, they have built a vacation resort that is failing miserably (a vacation resort?!). Soon, Blitzen the evil reindeer is released from prison for good behavior and he returns to his old friends--supposedly a changed deer for the better. However, he and his evil bunny henchman turn all the reindeer into robots and torture them. So, it's up to a group of pacifist Vikings to come to the rescue! As I said, this all seems amazingly random as well as 100% un-Christmasy. Sure, there are some funny jokes and all, but in only its second installment, it looks like Robbie has "jumped the shark". In other words, the series is in panic mode with the crazy plot devices and it's lost its way.

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.

I read one of the user comments in Hooves of Fire and saw the 8 out of 10 rating and got my hopes up for this one. I can't begin to explain what a bad movie this is. It's certainly not for kids. And it's a waste of good clay too! The version I saw had Britney Spears as the girl reindeer (with breasts, no less). The story line is awful...renegade reindeer gone bad who comes back and imprisons his fellow reindeer by cruelly tricking them. Two of them escape and enlist the help of a long-lost tribe of tiny Norsemen. This is a holiday show?? This is good cheer?? Yikes...I couldn't turn it off fast enough. My 7-year old didn't like it either and said take it back to the video store.

Some time has passed since the race in `Robbie The Reindeer' and the group of reindeers have set up a tourist business offering guided tours. When an accident occurs on one such tour Robbie believes he was saved by a long lost tribe of Vikings - supposed to have been wiped out years ago. No one believes him and they are more concerned with the business losing money. When the evil Blitzen is released from prison 50 years early he promises to help them turn things around but double crosses them with the help of a master of disguise rabbit. Robbie escapes and goes to the Viking tribe to help him and his friends overcome Blitzen.This programme will need to work hard to build the same Christmas anticipation as Wallace & Gromit did. On several occasions the BBC's big thing was the newest W&G short to be shown. Last year Robbie The Reindeer was the next shot at a clever comedy animation and it hit big with clever jokes and good voice work. Here the bar has dropped a little but it is still worth a look. The plot is a little more floppy and doesn't work as well and the jokes are funny if not hilarious.The makers have tried to recreate the same magic but it doesn't always come off. It's telling that the sports commentators from the original, Des Yeti and Alan Snowman, have a brief cameo - they were the best bit of the last one. However it is still funny and has plenty of surreal moments and a funny (if straightforward) movie pastiche of Return of the Jedi's forest chase on Endor.The voice work again is of an excellent calibre and you almost wish the animation had made better use of them. O'Hanlon is again good as a slightly more aware reindeer version of his Father Dougal. Coogan is great in a few roles and Horrocks et al do well in support. Alistair McGowan is again on hand for some brief impressions and a strange but enjoyable role is available for an instantly recognisable Jeff Goldblum (who is noticeable absent from the booths in the final credits).This series needs to get better for next Christmas if the BBC want it to compete with W&G as the most anticipated Christmas animation, but aside from that it is well made, different and funny if not as funny as you'd want. Overall a quality animation to raise the mood after the Queen's speech.