Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Rails

5 Comments

1. Adam Razak says:

   January 23, 2010 at 12:12 pm

   Adding CG effects to make the characters faces move kills the general idea of the magic that this series is supposed to bring. The new voices for the characters are awful, and the narrator gets on my nerves quickly. Whoever took over the Thomas series needs to make it the way it was in the beginning. Having Ringo Starr narrate, not hiring voice actors for the engines, and adding more action and thrills to the show. They should not be afraid to show some dark situations in Thomas. The original British Thomas children books had some dark situations in it and it sold extraordinarily well. The series has turned into a disgrace.
   Rating: 1 / 5
2. J. Johnson says:

   January 23, 2010 at 1:57 pm

   I agree totally with the other 2 reviews I read.. one of the reviews said:

   “There were no grating characters or voices”.. I couldn’t agree more.. they should have just had one great voice do all the engines b/c there was no variety?

   Also I was not sure about the full animation either.. but stellar!!

   Hiro and the story is great, and yes they hit on teamwork, but so does every episode!!

   I so want to give it 5 stars but can’t.. it just didn’t blow my mind.. but it was great and you kids will adore it
   Rating: 4 / 5
3. pearleyed says:

   January 23, 2010 at 3:49 pm

   If you don’t like the CGI versions, skip this. However, my 2-y/o loves every incarnation of Thomas the Tank engine he’s ever laid eyes on, CGI or no, so no regrets re: this purchase. I myself prefer the pre-CGI episodes narrated by George Carlin, but I didn’t buy this for me, ha! Though it ain’t Pixar, the movie’s CGI quality is above-average compared to CGI used in many kids’ TV shows. The colors are nice. This movie still has the familiar narration of Michael Brandon; however, the characters are voiced by other individuals, which in my opinion, is a very welcome change. Mr. Brandon is not very consistent in how he voices the characters on the show, which annoys me. Also, it’s nice to hear the female characters speak with a feminine voice for a change!

   In addition to Hero, there are two other new characters who work at the Sodor Steamworks, Victor and Kevin. Kevin doesn’t really add much to the storyline, but Victor is a nice addition to the franchise. It’s not the strongest of stories, but in my opinion there isn’t anything disagreeable or offensive for my toddler, so I would say it’s a worthwhile purchase if your little one is a die-hard fan.
   Rating: 4 / 5
4. J. Dougherty says:

   January 23, 2010 at 5:50 pm

   I purchased this video for my nephew for Christmas. He loves Thomas. This is one of his favorites. He is 4 years old.
   
   Works great and comes in shrink wrapped package in great condition. Good Value.
   
   Rating: 5 / 5
5. khead43 says:

   January 23, 2010 at 6:04 pm

   Keeps our grandson occupied as he loves Thomas. DVD was exactly as described, and shipping was fast.
   Rating: 5 / 5