Thomas and the Magic Railroad

Name: Thomas and the Magic Railroad
Genre: Fantasy, Family
Released: July 26, 2000
Duration: 85 min
Rating: 19
Cast: Alec Baldwin

2000

METASCORE

Overwhelming dislike based on 23 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 34 Ratings

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5.8

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5.8	Your Score
5.8	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 34 Ratings

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Thomas And The Magic Railroad (20th Anniversary Fathom Events Trailer)

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Movie Details & Credits

Destination Films | Release Date: July 26, 2000 | G

Starring: Alec Baldwin

Summary: A magic journey happens when a young girl visitis her grandfather and finds herself on a special train pulled by an engine named Thomas.

Director: Britt Allcroft

Genre(s): Fantasy, Family

Rating: G

Runtime: 85 min

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Critic Reviews

Loren King

A train worth catching. Read full review

Wesley Morris

An archaic rail-ride into the heart of boredom. Read full review

Bob Graham

This land of sweetness and light may appeal to many, but to some it is going to seem like living hell. Read full review

Kevin Baxter

Skip the movie and pick up the videos at Toys R Us. Read full review

Film.com John Hartl

Only very small children are likely to be satisfied. Read full review

A.O. Scott

Mr. Baldwin's attack -- there's no better way to put it -- is unforgettable. He's the first shrunken narrator with a serial killer's swagger. Read full review

Lou Lumenick

Skin-crawlingly awful. Read full review

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User Reviews

pixaryesdorano

May 29, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends are being threatened by diesel engines like the surly Diesel 10 and his sidekicks Splatter and Dodge. Even the magical Mr. Conductor, who has always traveled between the train world and the human world of Shining Time Station, is losing his powers and sparkle. In the middle of this crisis, Lily meets up with Mr. Conductor on the way to visit her lonely grandfather Burnett Stone. Brave Thomas reminds them all that "even little engines can do big things."I Love This Movie And I Am A Fan OF Thomas, this movie rocks, HIGHER THE RATING!!!!!!… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

TTWR

Apr 20, 2013

It's good overall, but it has many plot issues, considering the fact that the introduction to the engines is bad, leaving firs-timer Thomas and Friends watchers having to stop and watch the TV show before they can understand what's happening. 8/10

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

NicolasRubio09

Oct 1, 2022

I Liked TATMR When I was younger but now, I think it's ok. Of course I grew up on Thomas but this lacks on sodor scenes.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ThisIsSparta666

Nov 27, 2016

Thomas The Tank Engine has been known for being the most popular TV show made for children of all ages and it goes on for generations ever since, and for some reason, it was based on the Shining Time Station TV show (the only show that I've haven't watched). I have one question before IThomas The Tank Engine has been known for being the most popular TV show made for children of all ages and it goes on for generations ever since, and for some reason, it was based on the Shining Time Station TV show (the only show that I've haven't watched). I have one question before I start reviewing this movie that was based on the show: Is it fair to make fun of a movie you like from your childhood? Hardly, but I've got no time to waste. Time to review. The story focuses on Mr. Conductor as his magic gold dust is running low. Desperate to find it in order to get back to Shining Time, he embarks on a journey to Sodor to find the magic gold dust there. Meanwhile, Thomas the tank engine tries to find off the attacks of the evil Diesel 10 before he finds the lost steam engine and destroys it. Getting all the help from his cousin, his new friend Lily, and her grandfather, Mr. Conductor helps find the engine that has been hidden for years in order to find all of the magic gold dust that has also been hidden. What's so bad about this movie? The storyline was inconsistent, in my opinion. It had a lot of flaws and plot holes I don't even know how many they were. The storytelling was very poor, and even the script was so bland. What's so good about this movie? The cinematography was creative, the acting wasn't half bad, the pacing was good, the visuals were great the music score was very good, and most of all, it had the potential of the TV show despite the fact that the critics said it got americanized. Thomas and the Magic Railroad isn't good nor horrible either. It's a very mediocre family movie, but at least they brought the TV show to life on screen. It's worth a watch on VHS and DVD only. 5/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Striking4gold4

Jul 11, 2016

This would have to be one of the worst Thomas and Friends features ever put on screen. And judging from Misty Island Rescue, Calling All Engines, and The Other Side of the Mountain, that's saying a lot. Thomas isn't funny. Heck, you can't even relate to him. And speaking of Thomas, for hisThis would have to be one of the worst Thomas and Friends features ever put on screen. And judging from Misty Island Rescue, Calling All Engines, and The Other Side of the Mountain, that's saying a lot. Thomas isn't funny. Heck, you can't even relate to him. And speaking of Thomas, for his first feature film, he's barely in it! The film just centers on a young girl, an out of his mind conductor and a depressed Peter Fonda. Now I know I should give it credit for having Peter Fonda...BUT THE SHOW ITSELF HAS EDDIE REDMAYNE! Yeah, no kidding! I think I said enough.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

jbb9601

Aug 30, 2013

This is the worst movie I've ever seen in my life! The acting sucks, the editing sucks, the direction sucks, the new characters suck, and its story and setting just flat out insult both the Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends and the Railway Series books.

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

HunterZero

Jan 21, 2015

This is a horrible misuse of the much loved series of stories about every child's favourite tank engine. For a start, it appears to have been written by someone who has never had anything remotely to do with the original stories and TV shows. The world realised in this movie is nothing likeThis is a horrible misuse of the much loved series of stories about every child's favourite tank engine. For a start, it appears to have been written by someone who has never had anything remotely to do with the original stories and TV shows. The world realised in this movie is nothing like that in the original material. For some reason this film tries to explain why the tank engines are alive. The island of Sodor is some parallel magical dimension model railway, with magical special coal and magical gold dust for teleporting around the place. Flowers act as telephones, magic vegetables inexplicably hang by cloths pegs, and magic buffers act as a gateway to a conduit between worlds. In the original stories you just accepted the engines had personalities, and it needed no explanation. Then there's the cast of characters. Rather than have the engines as the main characters and stars of the story, and have the Fat Controller, they had to introduce a cast of completely new human characters. All of them look like they are lost as the film staggers between poorly disjointed scenes and plot points, and all of them have been given positively terrible dialogue to deliver that wavers from putrid to cliched to saccharine sweet. Why has a Moondoggie clone been added to this film? What is the purpose of the native American Indian character? Peter Fonda looks particularly lost in his role. Most of the characters act in silos, there is little meaningful interaction between them at all. Worst of all is the antagonist that has been created for the film - Diesel 10. In all the original stories, all the engines are inherently good and well-meaning, but many have character flaws and they make poor decisions through bad judgement. Throughout the stories, the engines receive their comeuppance, learn valuable lessons, and redeem themselves. Diesel 10 however is unique in that he is the only truly psychopathic character in the Thomas universe. He is the clear stereotypical bad guy, and all his intentions are deliberately evil. He is pugnacious, and violent, and wilfully tries to harm other characters for his own means. He has no redeemable qualities whatsoever. This is an example of the clear Americanisation of this film, where there has to be a clear bad guy who everybody fights against and the audience can hate. Plus they had to add in a pair of brainless stooges for him as well, in classic gangster tradition. To top it all off, the pacing of the film is dreadful, and the direction non-existent. If I had to say something positive about the film, my 2 year old loves it, but then again that could be a negative because it means I have to sit through this awful film multiple times.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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46	#46 Most Discussed Movie of 2000
28	#28 Most Shared Movie of 2000