Well everyone, we’ve begun to near the end of the line. Today, we are going to review the last of the films that either Tom & Jerry made cameos in, or the duo got to have a major role in. Today’s movie review falls in the latter category. Go figure! Today, we review the first of, what is so far, two of Tom & Jerry’s own two feature length films that were released in theaters. Released as a world premiere in Germany in October 1992, as well as in the USA & Canada in July 1993, the movie is Tom & Jerry: The Movie.
Plot: After recently losing their owners, and becoming homeless following unexpected circumstances, Tom (Richard Kind) & Jerry (Dana Hill) stumble upon an orphan girl named Robyn Starling (Anndi McAfee), who has been running from her mean guardian Pristine Figg (Charlotte Rae), and her lawyer, Lickboot (Tony Jay). Sometime later, it is discovered that Robyn’s father, who was presumed dead, is discovered to be alive somewhere in Tibet. With the help of Tom and Jerry, can Robyn find her father before Figg, and Lickboot take her back into custody?
Now, I believe I watched this film once, or twice as a kid, and maybe liking it then. However, watching it again years later, it’s not all that great anymore. I mean it has a little bit of charm to it, but not all that much. First off, there were quite a few plot holes in this film. One most notable example is in the beginning, when Tom & Jerry are basically silent characters. Then, when stumbling upon new characters, they discover that they can speak? What on Earth!?! How do they not know that they can talk before? Pretty strange, wouldn’t you say? Also, there were quite a few scenes, particularly in the beginning, that seemed to act more like fillers for the movie, and were there either just to keep the plot going, or to make sure that this film would in fact stretch into a full-length movie. Yeah, when you have to do something like that, shouldn’t that be a sign that either a movie shouldn’t be made into an hour and a half long film, or something like that? Next, there’s the songs. They’re not exactly horrible, per se. However, aside from one of the beginning ones being surprisingly somewhat catchy, the songs in this film are generally forgettable. Not to mention that there’s one song that involves the two villains singing by a fireplace, and almost acted like a Hellfire wannabe type of song. Okay, not to try to spoil the film, to a degree. However, I mainly bring this number up because of how, one, Tony Jay was one of the villains, as well as was singing in this number, and two, to point out how the villain song, Hellfire that was sung by Judge Claude Frollo in The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (another animated film, in which Tony Jay voiced a villain, and his villain character was singing by a fireplace) was done way, way better when that film was released later in that decade. Additionally, most of the characters in this film, besides Robyn, her father, Tom and Jerry, and one, or two animal characters that the mouse and cat duo meet, are downright cruel, and mean. One thing that’s really despicable about this film is that there’s this doctor who sings about “God’s Little Creatures,” and then turns on Tom and Jerry, and imprisons them shortly after. Okay, I understand that this is a film that’s aimed more for younger kids. Still, did it ever occur to the filmmakers that maybe even kids might be turned off by Christianity after listening to the hypocrisy in such a song? Okay maybe there weren’t as many Christians working in the film industry back in the 1990s, but still. What’s worse is that this film seems to either intentionally, or unintentionally, seems to teach kids that if adults are your parents, or family members of yours in one regard, or another, they’ll be kind to you, and maybe even to others. If not, adults will treat you with disrespect, and probably even destroy your self-esteem in the long run. Also, at many points in this film, it’s almost like this film also seems to tell kids that most adults are cruel, and greedy, and will almost never choose to do what’s right, but only care about money. Yes, it’s good to learn that there are plenty of selfish, and greedy people that live in the real world. But come on, there are plenty of kind, caring, and selfless people out in the real world too. Oh, and let me say something else in regards to this whole aspect of this Tom & Jerry movie. I’ve heard a lot of people who said that they hated say Dumbo because of how Dumbo was treated with cruelty, or the Disney version of The Hunchback Of Notre Dame because the people of Paris started off treating Quasimodo horribly, or instances with movies like those. Well, those instances were tragic, make no mistake. Still, after rewatching Tom & Jerry: The Movie just recently, I will say that people should see this movie, despite how not so great it is. Why? One of the main reasons being is because one of the main differences between Tom & Jerry: The Movie, and Disney films like Dumbo, or The Hunchback Of Notre Dame is that, while the main characters in those films started off not being treated too well, at least there was more hope for them, and the characters in those films learned to appreciate characters like Dumbo, or Quasimodo for who they were on the inside, and not just for their “strange looks.” All to say that if one were to watch Tom & Jerry: The Movie, and then go and watch Disney films like Dumbo, or The Hunchback Of Notre Dame after that, people who hated Disney films like those before may have more of an appreciation for them afterwards.
Well, if there is any saving grace to this film, there is at least one, or two areas where that is the case. One is how Tom & Jerry bring in their magical charm at quite a few points in this film. Not to mention that it’s cool to hear Tom and Jerry speak at least for this time around. Second, it’s also nice to see cameo appearances of characters like Droopy, and maybe some other Hanna-Barbera characters as well.
And that’s my review for Tom & Jerry: The Movie. I may have liked what I remembered if it as a kid. However, after rewatching it again, it’s not a movie that I would watch again all that much anytime soon. Kids will like the moments where Tom and Jerry have their charm with their personal comedies. Beyond that, however, I don’t know if you would want to really see this film, or see it over, and over again, you know? My recommendation would be that if you’re a hardcore Tom & Jerry fan, then go ahead, and see it. Otherwise, go ahead, and skip it! Well, here’s hoping that people don’t have to worry about feeling the same way about the new animated/live-action Tom & Jerry movie that was just released as of recently.
Final Grade: D
Matthew’s Animated & Live-Action Movie Reviews 