Movie Thoughts: Woozle and Pip in the Search for the Scallywagger (2016)

 

• Released: January 20, 2016
  
• Directed by: Patrick Raats
• Running time: 1h 10min
• Rating 3/5

Synopsis

Woozle and Pip are tasked with hiding Wise Fern's birthday present. But when it gets stolen, the duo and their friends set up a plan to capture the presumed culprit: a sly creature known as the Scallywagger.

My Thoughts

I watched this movie because I wanted to see a Dutch animated movie from the past decade (sadly we barely make any) and this one popped up on my streaming service. Obviously this is a movie for very young children, but honestly that does not mean it's bad. Simple? Yes. But also quite charming and fun to watch. The characters are basic but enjoyable and the story also works well enough, especially for the target audience.

If I do have a criticism it's that the animation really isn't all that movie-worthy. It feels more like a cheaply produced TV show. I know that this is a movie based on a TV series, but usually movie adaptations have slightly more polished look to them compared to their shows, but it's barely the case with this one. The animation isn't too stiff, but it's not completely fluid either and the posing and expressions on the characters are rather limited. That said the art direction still is nice, with this very simple cute style that's appealing to look at.

The moral, while simple, is also good for young children to learn. And while obviously this is a movie for young children I won't say adults can get nothing out of it. If you want a cute movie to watch with your kid I guess there's nothing wrong with this one.