Hey gang, Valkor here. It's nice to take a look at a Tom and Jerry adventure that's not a box set of shorts that have already been released over and over. This round we're getting an all-new, original film with more of them on the horizon. For now, let's dive into "Tom and Jerry's Giant Adventure" Blu-Ray Combo Pack.
Giant Adventure puts a modern take on a classic fairy tale and if you're familiar with the story of "Jack and the Beanstalk", then you already know where this is headed. In this tale, there once was a dreamer named Joe Bradley who created an amusement park called "Storybook Town" that prominently featured some of the most popular fairytales come to life in the form of rides and attractions. But due to his passing, the park was left to his wife Violet (Grey Delisle) and son Jack (Jacob Bertrand) and things started to deteriorate; customers stopped visiting and with no money coming in, the rides were in disarray, until the park was complete mess. And the only major attraction it had was a high-diving cow named Hermoine and… well Tom and Jerry. Worse, the mortgage is all but due, with only one day to pay it off or else "Strip mall King" Mr. Bigley (Tom Wilson) takes over and builds another strip mall.
With no other choice, Jack, Tom and Jerry are off to sell Hermoine to a circus; instead they sell the cow to a guy named Farmer O'Dell for some magic beans. As the story goes, Mom is ticked but Jack plants the beans anyway. As it grows, it takes Jack, Tom and Jerry into the heavens where they arrive into a real life version of Storybook town that's inhabited by fairytale characters lifted from past Tom and Jerry stories as well as Tex Avery shorts including Spike and Tike, Droopy (Joe Alaskey), Screwy Squirrel (Paul Reubens), and sexy Red (Delisle) among others. Things aren't going well for this version of Storybook Town either as the people are bullied by the Giant named… well Ginormous (Wilson), who robs them daily. The fairy Red has the power to stop the giant, but Ginormous has stolen her magic harp. And it's up to Jack, Tom, Jerry and the people of Storybook Town to come together, get the harp back and stop Ginormous once and for all. And if you know the story, you'll know that this one will end happily ever after.
Tom and Jerry's Giant Adventure comes in the form of a Blu-Ray Combo pack – you get the Blu-Ray, DVD, as well as a digital copy to play wherever (tablet, PC, phone, etc). There's no additional features save for a trailer for future film "Tom and Jerry: Robin Hood and His Merry Mouse". Now I really, REALLY enjoy T&J's classic shorts, but the more recent stuff (such as Tom and Jerry's Tales) are good but lack the charm of the older stuff. So I went into this latest film with much hesitation.
The Good:
I'll be honest I enjoyed Tom and Jerry's Giant Adventure more than I expected. Yes the film has its hiccups (explained in the next section), overall it was entertaining and fun. The story stays true to the source, while doing enough to make it its own. Plus the inclusion of Tex Avery characters – including Red, was an unexpected surprise… but I do miss their off the wall antics. I mean there's some here and you even get the sexy Red dance, I just wish there was more. Give me a Tex Avery Box Set please! What really shines about this Blu-Ray is the hi-def animation as the colors practically leap off the screen; so bright and bold which such clarity as to make out every detail. It's eyepoppingly gorgeous (yes eyepoppingly is a word… I made it up myself... maybe). Kudos on the voice casting as well bringing in on the action such favs as John DiMaggio, Paul Reubens, Phil Lamar, and Tom "Biff From Back to the Future" Wilson. In the end, I enjoyed this latest Tom and Jerry outing, while still longing for a return to their classic form; at least this adventure was definitely worth watching.
The Bad: Tom and Jerry's Giant Adventure is also a musical, but the songs featured in it are rather corny save for Red's "Tell me a Bedtime Story"… but the pervert in me appreciates it because of the little dance she does. Ahem. I think the film would have ultimately been better had they not included the music at all. I mean it's really corny (again save for that one song. Ahem).
The Ugly:
N/A
Tom and Jerry's Giant Adventure is available now and if you can make it past the corny songs then I think you'll be in for a treat; it's a solid story packed with antics that'll make you laugh. And out of TOV 5 stars, taking into consideration the good and the bad, I give Tom and Jerry's Giant adventure a 3.5. It's been a real treat and I hope future films follow the same suit.
