One of the reasons this special exists is because Thomas has been "losing steam" in recent years. Gee I wonder. Another reason it exists is because of some kid who said "Trains go to places. Thomas is a train, but he never goes anywhere.", giving Mattel the idea of Thomas going around the world.
Now, time to delve into this year's Thomas movie.
Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the image
14. Big World! Big Adventures!
Written by: Andrew Brenner.
Released: AUS: 5 September 2018. UK: 12 November 2018.
A racing car called Ace inspires Thomas The Tank Engine to become the first engine to travel the world, so Thomas sets off on an adventure which takes him to five continents, across deserts, through jungles and over dangerous mountains. On his journey Thomas meets Nia, an engine who teaches him that everyone needs a little help from their friends.
Animation:
I would like to say that Jam-Filled did wonders with the animation for this movie. With all the bright colours and all.
New characters:
Ace: I will admit, this Australian racing car seemed like a friendly racing car at first, especially when he encouraged Thomas the Tank Engine to travel around the world, but he was later shown to be a jerk near the end, making Thomas the Tank Engine trick Nia, making the orange African engine cross with him. Although, props to Peter Andre for voicing this yellow racing car. You can tell it's Peter because of the accent he has.
Nia: Now first off, all I have to say is, Nia is an interesting tank engine. The first African engine in the series. Bright orange, number 18, referencing this year, and she's voiced by a real Kenyan, Yvonne Grundy, and she does wonders with Nia's voice.
Kwaku: We now go to the first Garratt locomotive in the series. He's already an interesting locomotive.
Ace's friends: All I can say is these cars were just...... there.
Beau: We now go to an American engine who looks very similar to one of the locomotives at Disneyland. And his Wild Wild West accent is spot on, considering Kerry Shale voiced him. However, Beau was an asshole, saying that they let engines stay in the sand and rust away.
Natalie: This American Dart recolour was helpful at least.
Nia: Now first off, all I have to say is, Nia is an interesting tank engine. The first African engine in the series. Bright orange, number 18, referencing this year, and she's voiced by a real Kenyan, Yvonne Grundy, and she does wonders with Nia's voice.
Kwaku: We now go to the first Garratt locomotive in the series. He's already an interesting locomotive.
Ace's friends: All I can say is these cars were just...... there.
Beau: We now go to an American engine who looks very similar to one of the locomotives at Disneyland. And his Wild Wild West accent is spot on, considering Kerry Shale voiced him. However, Beau was an asshole, saying that they let engines stay in the sand and rust away.
Natalie: This American Dart recolour was helpful at least.
Chinese Diesel Shunter: Nothing to say about her, except she's got a great design.
Emerson: This Brazilian aeroplane did nothing but help Fat Controller get to California to look for Thomas the Tank Engine.
Multiple cranes: Nothing to say about them either, except I did mistake the American one for Colin.
There are so many other new characters, like recolours of Edward, Henry, Diesel, Oliver, etc. Although there was a Brazilian Class 08 who helped Fat Controller.
Multiple cranes: Nothing to say about them either, except I did mistake the American one for Colin.
There are so many other new characters, like recolours of Edward, Henry, Diesel, Oliver, etc. Although there was a Brazilian Class 08 who helped Fat Controller.
Songs:
Where in the World is Thomas?: My favourite song of the special. It's got references to Thomas and the Special Letter, Down the Mine, Percy Takes the Plunge, The Sad Story of Henry, Thomas Comes to Breakfast, The Great Discovery, Toby's Discovery, Misty Island Rescue, Percy Gets it Right, Thomas and the Magic Railroad, Tale of the Brave, Journey Beyond Sodor,Hero of the Rails and Thomas' Shortcut. It also had funny moments like Dowager Hatt saying "He wouldn't last an hour!" after Fat Controller mentioned Antarctica, Thomas "saying Hi! to a Moai!" to which the Moai said "Hi!", and when Fat Controller mentioned a gondola in Italy, to which Dowager said "Don't be preposterous! He's a tank engine! He can't fit on a gondola!". Feels a lot like Where oh Where is Thomas? from The Great Discovery.
Wake Up: Everybody's wiggling! Oops! Sorry! Wrong preschool series! This song, sung by the Kenyan Troublesome Trucks and Nia had some African words, and it felt very much like a song from The Lion King.
Wake Up: Everybody's wiggling! Oops! Sorry! Wrong preschool series! This song, sung by the Kenyan Troublesome Trucks and Nia had some African words, and it felt very much like a song from The Lion King.
Enda Ulale: Just a song to calm a bull pachyderm about to charge at Thomas the Tank Engine, and funny how it roared like the elephant that appeared in Henry and the Elephant.
We're Friends: This song feels very carnival-like, with a little bit of a Lion King touch. Too bad it's too short.
Free and Easy: Now this is a song worth listening to! Peter did a grand job singing this, as did Carl. And Carlos making an appearance was unexpected.
Sometimes you Make a Friend: This is a pretty emotional song. Almost as emotional as I Want to Go Home.
We're Friends: This song feels very carnival-like, with a little bit of a Lion King touch. Too bad it's too short.
Free and Easy: Now this is a song worth listening to! Peter did a grand job singing this, as did Carl. And Carlos making an appearance was unexpected.
Sometimes you Make a Friend: This is a pretty emotional song. Almost as emotional as I Want to Go Home.
Final thoughts:
UPDATE: 3/03/2019
Well, I've been revisiting this special, and...... I've realised I was too generous to it. I mean, Ace was a complete law breaker! Almost killing Reverend Awdry like that! And Thomas saying James was supposed to take the fish trucks? Where was Henry during those events?
Also, why was the ship Ace was supposed to catch in Sodor? Why wasn't it on the mainland somewhere? And furthermore, why was Ace training on Sodor? And he even kept saying there were no railway tracks on the sahara. Well what was Thomas the Tank Engine travelling on in Africa?
Also, while I will admit, it was generous of Thomas to offer Nia a home on Sodor, despite him saying in No Help at All, "Another engine, sir? But you already have so many!", Nia didn't even say why she doesn't have a home anymore. I mean she could've asked the workmen in Africa to build her a new one.
Also, the way Ace made Thomas abandon Nia like that in America was just..... ugh! And Beau was very disrespectful, lying that there aren't any breakdown cranes in America.
So bottom line, this is by far the worst special of Thomas the Tank Engine since........ ever! Yes, I now despise it more than The Terrible Race. There was so much in this special that Thomas did that was nonsensical, and the ending where Fat Controller and Ace were on a ship just stopped there.
The only good things to come out of this movie were the songs and Thomas' cheekiness.
I was too generous to this movie when I first watched it, and looking back on it, it's an even bigger mess than The Terrible Race. Looking back, it made me realise that I should've stuck to what I intended on doing when I heard the news about this mess and stayed off of future episodes. And it further proves that Mattel doesn't have to keep making specials every year! The model series never did that!
So yeah, that's my revised opinion on Big World! Big Adventures! I thought it was a meh movie at first watch, but after rewatching it, it's a big mess that makes Day of the Diesels and Misty Island Rescue look like The Adventure Begins and Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure.
Also, why was the ship Ace was supposed to catch in Sodor? Why wasn't it on the mainland somewhere? And furthermore, why was Ace training on Sodor? And he even kept saying there were no railway tracks on the sahara. Well what was Thomas the Tank Engine travelling on in Africa?
Also, while I will admit, it was generous of Thomas to offer Nia a home on Sodor, despite him saying in No Help at All, "Another engine, sir? But you already have so many!", Nia didn't even say why she doesn't have a home anymore. I mean she could've asked the workmen in Africa to build her a new one.
Also, the way Ace made Thomas abandon Nia like that in America was just..... ugh! And Beau was very disrespectful, lying that there aren't any breakdown cranes in America.
So bottom line, this is by far the worst special of Thomas the Tank Engine since........ ever! Yes, I now despise it more than The Terrible Race. There was so much in this special that Thomas did that was nonsensical, and the ending where Fat Controller and Ace were on a ship just stopped there.
The only good things to come out of this movie were the songs and Thomas' cheekiness.
I was too generous to this movie when I first watched it, and looking back on it, it's an even bigger mess than The Terrible Race. Looking back, it made me realise that I should've stuck to what I intended on doing when I heard the news about this mess and stayed off of future episodes. And it further proves that Mattel doesn't have to keep making specials every year! The model series never did that!
So yeah, that's my revised opinion on Big World! Big Adventures! I thought it was a meh movie at first watch, but after rewatching it, it's a big mess that makes Day of the Diesels and Misty Island Rescue look like The Adventure Begins and Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure.
My rating: -7/10.
(It really is that bad looking back)
(It really is that bad looking back)
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