I really enjoyed this special when I was little, and revisiting it again after, ooh, six years I loved it as much as I did even then.
The only minor quibble I have is that sometimes the pacing is a tad too slow, but because I enjoyed Olive the Other Reindeer so much I was past caring.
The computer animation is highly imaginative, and does have this sophisticated look. Plus it stayed true to the illustrations of the book it is based on.
The music is just as delightful. The incidental music is lovely and fitting with every scene and the songs themselves and there are only a few are well above average.
The writing is also spot on, and the writers certainly did their homework by allowing the hilarious puns to come thick and fast. And I loved the sweet and heart warming story That just leaves the voice acting. It was marvellous, Drew Barrymore gave a very expressive and heartfelt voice to Olive, who is plain adorable and spirited. Joe Pantoliano was hilarious as the penguin Martini, and Edward Asner is suitably merry as Santa. The villain is a postman bent on ruining Christmas; he isn't the most sophisticated villain ever but he is a funny one. As usual, Dan Castallenetta was great.
All in all, an unexpected Christmas cracker. 9.5/10 Bethany Cox
The only minor quibble I have is that sometimes the pacing is a tad too slow, but because I enjoyed Olive the Other Reindeer so much I was past caring.
The computer animation is highly imaginative, and does have this sophisticated look. Plus it stayed true to the illustrations of the book it is based on.
The music is just as delightful. The incidental music is lovely and fitting with every scene and the songs themselves and there are only a few are well above average.
The writing is also spot on, and the writers certainly did their homework by allowing the hilarious puns to come thick and fast. And I loved the sweet and heart warming story That just leaves the voice acting. It was marvellous, Drew Barrymore gave a very expressive and heartfelt voice to Olive, who is plain adorable and spirited. Joe Pantoliano was hilarious as the penguin Martini, and Edward Asner is suitably merry as Santa. The villain is a postman bent on ruining Christmas; he isn't the most sophisticated villain ever but he is a funny one. As usual, Dan Castallenetta was great.
All in all, an unexpected Christmas cracker. 9.5/10 Bethany Cox