I have been thinking about Thomas the Tank Engine a lot lately (for some reason almost certainly connected to writing a 12-15 page essay on the topic) and so I thought to rewatch and review this favorite childhood movie of mine to catch everyone up on what makes this film so interesting.
“Thomas and the Magic Railroad” came out in the summer of 2000 and was the first feature-length movie in the Thomas the Tank Engine franchise. It is also, to date, the only live action “Thomas” movie, featuring starring performances from some surprising actors like Alec Baldwin and Peter Fonda (in his last live action role). For a variety of reasons that I will not get into, this movie also ushered in a brand new era for the franchise and has been cited among fans as a leading cause of the show’s eventual downfall in quality. The movie, despite this, is very nostalgic for many such adult fans of “Thomas,” myself included, who see it as a historical record of a better era of the show, while accepting it as a pretty subpar movie.
The story sucks. There’s no other way to say it. “Thomas and the Magic Railroad” suffered from being a passion project of “Thomas and Friends”’ showrunner Britt Alcroft who both cared deeply about the franchise and was far too ambitious in terms of how much she thought she could fit in the movie. For one, the movie functions largely as a crossover movie between the original British series “Thomas and Friends” and the American marketed reboot “Shining Time Station.” This crossover leads to there being too many characters and plots in the movie and the complicated intersecting storylines get lost in each other. While the inclusion of “Shining Time” allows for the inclusion of live action aspects of the movie, far too much focus is spent on the character development of these new characters, than on the animated title character, Thomas, let alone all the rest of the characters in his world.
Speaking of this world, “Thomas and the Magic Railroad” retcons all of the previously established significance of the setting. The infamous talking trains are located on the Island of Sodor, an island intended by Reverend Wilbert Audry, the creator of Thomas, to seem as real as possible, with the only exception being the talking trains. In the show’s canon, the island is located in the Irish Sea, nestled in between northern England and the Isle of Man. In “Thomas and the Magic Railroad,” the “magical Island of Sodor” can only be accessed via interdimensional portals or by utilizing the movie’s macguffin, gold dust. Part of the appeal of Sodor to both young and old fans is its realistic setting, but by having it being in another dimension, that appeal is lost, leaving the viewers less invested in the stories and lives of the trains.
One of the certain highlights of the movie despite this is the music. Composed by the same two men who composed the infamous Thomas opening theme, which is so often meme’d about today, Mike O’Donnel and Junior Cambell, the soundtrack is mature for the movie, with full songs and repeating character themes. “I Know How the Moon Must Feel,” the best song on the soundtrack, manages to capture the grandness of the story and I must admit made it into my top 100 songs this past year according to my Spotify Wrapped. As a whole, part of the reason the movie succeeds, when it does, is that Alcroft and her team do not talk down to the movie’s intended audience, kids. While its complexities can sometimes be a detriment, there is a reason the movie is still talked about by fans of all ages today, though it flopped at the box office. There is a lot to talk about, both with its insane production (look it up) and with its mature story that manages to appeal to all ages. Though part of its appeal will always be its nostalgic vibes and associated memories, there is enough of a legitimate movie to enjoy even without acknowledging the significant role it played in the history of “Thomas.”
Even if you are not a current fan of the “Thomas” franchise, I encourage you to watch the movie for yourself and form your own opinion. It’s a wild movie with some solid worldbuilding and a well defined mood. Plus it has Alec Baldwin playing a tiny magic train conductor. “Thomas and the Magic Railroad” is available to stream on Peacock and Amazon and there are dozens of Youtube video essays about it as well if you are interested in learning more.
