Search - The Pebble and the Penguin - Family Fun Edition on DVD

Jennifer H.
Reviewed on 10/31/2009...

It has a lot of songs in it which makes the movie also interesting to little children.

Excellent.... but it can be improved.

05/02/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"An excellent movie. One of the best kid's movies i have seen. People complain of the storyline as being bland, stupid... keep in mind that this is a good kid's movie and that good kid's movies shouldn't have intricate twists, thought provoking events, and unsolved mysteries.This is a good storyline, plain and simple, it is about a penguin named Hubie who is seeking the love of the beautiful Marina. However, Hubie is not the only one after Marina, the egostistic penguin Drake also has his eye on her. Drake is a large strong penguin who always gets his way. He casts Hubie out to sea and in a race against time Hubie must make it back before the full moon ceremony, which is where each bachelor penguin proposes his love to the lady penguin he most adores - if she accepts they are coupled forever. An EXCELLENT storyline to create a brilliant movie BUT..... Don Bluth has made his movie fall much short of what it could've been. If he had of spent more time making the film it would be as famous and unforgettable as the Lion King, A Bug's Life, and The Jungle Book. It appears Bluth rushed the movie. Hubie, his friend later in the film Rocko, Marina and Drake are extremely easy to recognise. The bulk of the other penguins are drawn virtually the same and play almost no role what so ever. What Bluth should have done was introduce other characters into the story and give them a life, have some recognisable large penguins friends or subordinates of Drake. Marina should also have a large circle of friends which we are introduced to and see what happens to them later in the film. More characters = more interesting and appealing to larger range of audiences. Hubie could've been one main character of several bachelors trying to win the love of the ladies they most adore. Each bachelor/lady penguin experiencing a different crisis when trying to find their love, Hubie being just one of them. Bluth should have built off of this good storyline into something much much better. The songs suit the movie very well, more could've been added if the storyline covered other penguins. This movie is quite a unique one, and having the voices of Martin Short as Hubie, Annie Golden as Marina, the one and only Tim Curry as Drake, and last but not least James Belushi as Rocko, no other actors could've played the characters better. Another small annoyance, in the background you may see penguins not moving, not doing a thing, just being ornaments. This once again indicates how rushed the movie was and it would be better (but this would take up more time) to give them life. Running for a small 76 minutes once again it would run longer if the storyline was built on. If Bluth did improve his movie as talked about i would buy it in a flash. Bluth could've done so much better, it appears he is falling in reputation with his movies not being up to scratch. THIS FILM HAS THE MOST POTENTIAL I HAVE EVER SEEN IN A FILM. So much could've been done to make this movie a world class masterpiece. Don Bluth was slack with it though and threw it on the market as quickly as he could, no doubt to get cash from it as soon as possible. Now then, i have finished talking about the ups and the potential this movie had to become something indifferent to brilliant. if only it was worked on more. Who knows, maybe Bluth will improve it later in life, i hope he does but for now we can watch this excellent movie and enjoy it as is. I enjoyed this movie and believe it as a must get for the kiddies. It doesn't get 5 stars because of its minor glitches and sadly ignored potential... I hope you found my opinion useful."

We loved it!

DMS Weston | 08/17/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I would recommend this video especially for families with a 3, 4, or 5 year old. It was our most frequent video rental when my son was 4, and I'm looking to purchase it now that my neice about the right age. I understand that it's not the greatest animated film ever, but it is cute and, yes, heartwarming. It has good messages and the kids don't have to have everything explained to them as they go. Some questions or discussions may come up, but not because the movie is too confusing. Also, it works well as a "quiet-time" movie, doesn't keep them up half the night trying to resolve new issues. I make it sound boring, but it's not - it's just a nice change of pace from some other great movies. It inserts messages and images of love, commitment, acceptance, and perserverance in a gentle manner. And although the younger kids love it, the rest of the family doesn't mind watching it!I can't really address, or remember, all the complaints listed but I would like to mention that IT'S A CARTOON - Marina can have a flower on her head - Rocko can learn to fly. Yes it wanders a little, but it's fun. It's not intended to be the next Lion King, but it does a good job in a smaller scale. And Don Bluth isn't always just aimimg for Disney clones to have to be measured in terms of how well his films "compete" with theirs - if he thought he was just like Disney, wouldn't he still work for them?All in all, I think if you take this film as a small pleasure, a treat for the kids and the adults who watch with them, you won't be disappointed. You might enjoy it, and your kids certainly will."

This is one of the best animated films that I've ever seen.

DMS Weston | London + Antigua | 08/18/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I began to watch this film without expecting much. Admittedly, it does not feature the best animation, but that is not the most important feature in an animated film. It's not the 'Lion King' or 'Dinasaur', but I don't think that it was meant to be. The story is about a love triangle between a good-guy penguin named Hubie, his sweetheart Marina and the egotistical and pompous Drake - this penguin is willing to stoop or bully his way to any level to marry Marina, who is not very interested in him. Hubie must beat the clock to find the most precious pebble and make it back in time, braving all kinds of weather and challenging situations in order to wed Marina. This love-triangle theme of the film was not too 'grown-up', was handled well, and is suitable for children of all ages.The film is both sad (without being too over-the-top) and funny. The dialogue between the characters is both original and hilarious, and the film in general is very wacky, as were some of the songs. Drake's over-the-top rendition of "Don't make me laugh" had me splitting my sides. James Belushi's characterization of Rocko was perfectly fitted to his natural humour and temperament, and Tim Curry did a great job of Drake. This film is the perfect example of not expecting much from a film, but getting everything. If you like a lot of fun, you will probably love this film."