First off, the blatant...controversy surrounding this movie and how allegedly 'dark' and 'scary' it is. I agree it is darker and edgier than other Winnie The Pooh movies, but it's by no means as scary as people say it is. According to these people, I must have been the bravest three-year-old ever, because I was never scared of this movie. It shares the number one place in childhood classics with Basil The Great Mouse Detective, and if you know of Jellyjammfan on deviantart, AKA KoalaJ (me), you'll know how much that means.
I doubt that these same people who say it is dark and scary have seen the film in it's entirety, because they would see that none of this so-called scariness actually happened. There's even an entire song about how everything is right now, and it's all going to be fine. In my opinion, a film should be based on animation or music, or characters or acting instead of how scary it is. While this makes me somewhat of a hypocrite, because I don't watch The Black Cauldron anymore because it was frightening, I agreed a while back to watch it with my friend Ty Larkin, and this year after I have watched it I will review that film too. I would have no problem with people disliking Pooh's Most Grand Adventure if they didn't like the music or animation, or anything else a film is known to have, but most, if not all the reviews of this film I have read emphasise that it is scary and not for small children. If small children can't watch this film, then who will? Besides, I think three years olds are old enough to distinguish a frightening noise from a stomach growling, as the 'Skullasaurus' sounds are later revealed to be. So, if you're going to judge this movie or have already, then I ask you to watch it again with an open mind and pay attention to the songs, music, animation, voice-acting and characters before deciding whether you dislike it or not. If you do, then feel free to continue disliking it if you don't like the animation or whatever, but don't dislike only because you find it 'dark' or 'scary'.
Now, for the film itself and my actual review. I watched this film just last night on a whim, with my friend Ty joining me via Internet and we both decided we would change people's minds on a film from our childhood.
Animation: While it's no Lion King or Beauty, the animation is decent for 1997, with subtle changes in the background that caught me and Ty's attention, thinking it looked quite good. Other than that, another significant piece of animation was Owls song, a Disney Acid Sequence if I ever saw one, but it really does look good with its interesting visuals. Of course it's no masterpiece of animation, but not all films can look absolutely amazing.
Songs/Music: Where to begin with the songs? My favourite would have to be either 'Forever And Ever' or 'Wherever You Are', both of which are about Pooh's friendship with Christopher Robin, and wanting it to last Forever And Ever. Though as mentioned above Owl does get one heck of a Disney Trip in his own song 'Adventure Is A Wonderful Thing'. Cue me and Ty rocking out to it. Then there's Rabbits song 'If It Says So' which was just so...upbeat me and Ty were trying not to sing along. Then came the song at the end, appropriately named 'Everything Is Right', about how everything is OK because they were never in any real danger, and the gang including Christopher Robin go back home together. Overall, the songs have stuck with me for a long time since.
Everything Else: Overall, this is childhood to me, a film that I agree is dark, but is in no way frightening or scary when you see the end, and realise that all those 'scary' moments never actually happened. The music is just what you'd expect, mostly upbeat but also somewhat melancholy, and in some places it actually works. The characters are just as they always are, with Piglet being scared or worried and Tigger being funny like always. Also, how can you not like the message this movie has as it's Arc Words?
'You're braver than you believe,
Stronger than you seem,
And smarter than you think'
It really is worth checking out if you haven't already. I'm not expecting people to love this movie, and I'm not expecting people to change their minds about it. I simply want people to give this film and a chance for what it is. A film for kids, with an adventure and good songs, about friendship, and if you can't see that then you probably shouldn't watch films intended for children in the first place.
'Adventure Is A Wonderful Thing'.