Thomas & Friends: Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure

Thomas & Friends: Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure is a 2015 CGI-animated children's epic fantasy adventure action musical film and the 9th feature-length special of Thomas & Friends.[3]

Thomas & Friends: Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure
Directed byDavid Stoten
Produced by
  • Ian McCue (HiT)
  • Jennifer Hill (Arc)
Screenplay byAndrew Brenner
Starring
Narrated byMark Moraghan
Music by
  • Robert Hartshorne
  • Peter Hartshorne
Edited byMatthew Ahrens
Production
company
  • Arc Productions
  • HiT Entertainment
Distributed by
  • HiT Entertainment
  • Universal Studios Home Entertainment (US)
Release date
Running time
  • 60 minutes (UK)
  • 63 minutes (US)
Box office$3.4 million[2]

The film stars the voices of Joseph May and John Hasler as the voice of Thomas in the US and UK dubs respectively. It stars the voices of Olivia Colman, Keith Wickham, Tim Whitnall, Rob Rackstraw, William Hope, Kerry Shale, Christopher Ragland, Glenn Wrage, Joe Mills, Teresa Gallagher, Jules de Jongh, Steven Kynman and Tom Stourton.

Eddie Redmayne, Sir John Hurt, Jamie Campbell Bower and Nathan Clarke join the voice cast, while Rex, Bert and Mike, the Arlesdale Railway Engines, also the central characters of the Reverend Wilbert Awdry's book, 'Small Railway Engines', made their first appearance in the TV series in this production, having only appeared in the Railway Series so far, until now. It also features a special cameo appearance from Wilbert Awdry himself in CGI. Chronologically, the film takes place between the nineteenth and twentieth seasons of the series, but was released during the nineteenth.

The film received a theatrical release in the UK during July 2015.[1] It was met with mostly positive reviews from critics who praised the direction and solid plot though critical of the film's somewhat dark undertone.

Plot

Thomas is racing on his branch line with Bertie the bus. When Bertie gets stuck behind an excavator on the road, he complains about all of the machines working on the new branch line, which concerns Thomas' coaches Annie and Clarabel. Marion the steam shovel meets Oliver the Great Western engine and his brakevan Toad at Arlesdale junction where she sees Mike, Bert, and Rex, the miniature engines for the first time. They are delivering ballast in preparation for the new branch line. The next morning, Thomas causes an accident at Knapford Junction. The Fat Controller sends Thomas to the construction yard to work on the new branch line, while the new engine, Ryan, is given Thomas' job of pulling Annie and Clarabel.

At the building site, part of the land subsides underneath the new track. When Thomas arrives, he does not pay attention to the danger signs and falls into a cavern housing a pirate ship. After being lifted out, the pirate ship is removed and put onto display at Arlesburgh Harbour. After being repaired, Thomas meets Sailor John and his boat Skiff, which has been fitted with wheels that allow him to move on the rails. Sailor John explains that he is looking for treasure, but is hesitant to give Thomas any details.

As Marion is digging into the side of a cliff in preparation for the rerouted track, she finds a treasure chest full of gold and jewelry. The Fat Controller decides to donate it to a museum. Thomas meets up with Sailor John on his way back to Knapford, who reveals that the treasure Marion had found is the same one he had been looking for, and angrily demands for it to be given to him. Thomas says that The Fat Controller has the treasure, and refuses to help Sailor John take it.

That night, Sailor John breaks into the Fat Controller's office and steals the treasure chest, using Skiff as his reluctant getaway. Thomas chases them down the line and sees that Sailor John has rigged Skiff to the pirate ship on wheels, speeding down a hill. The chase goes through Arlesdale Junction where the miniature engines slow down the ship by knocking their ballast trucks over the rails. A loose rope attached to the ship gets stuck on Ryan, derailing it and leaving Sailor John with only Skiff to take him away.

At Arlesburgh Harbour, Thomas tries to knock Skiff off of the rails, but to no avail. They all end up at the rail-boat launch ramp where Sailor John rows skiff out towards the sea, and Thomas ends up partially submerged under water. With the help of a large wave, Skiff knocks Sailor John and the treasure off of him. The treasure sinks to the bottom of the harbour, and Sailor John is arrested by the police.

When the branch line is finished, the Fat Controller gives Thomas his old job back, and lets him cut the ribbon to the new line.

Cast
Actor/ActressRegionRole(s)
Mark Moraghan UK/US The Narrator
John Hasler UK Thomas
Joseph May US
Keith Wickham UK Edward, Henry, Gordon, James and Percy
UK/US Salty, Bert, Bertie, Sir Topham Hatt, Sodor Brass Band leader, a policeman, a diver, some workmen
Rob Rackstraw UK Toby
US James
Christopher Ragland Percy
William Hope Edward and Toby
Kerry Shale Henry, Gordon and Kevin
Teresa Gallagher UK/US Daisy, Annie, Clarabel and some children
UK Emily
Jules de Jongh US
Glenn Wrage Cranky
Matt Wilkinson UK Cranky and Kevin
David Bedella UK/US Victor
Steven Kynman Duck
UK Jack
David Menkin US
Jonathan Broadbent UK/US Bill and Ben
Joe Mills Donald, Douglas, GWR Oliver and Toad
Tim Whitnall Mike and Oliver the Excavator
Tom Stourton Rex
Nathan Clarke Browne Alfie
Olivia Colman Marion
Eddie Redmayne Ryan
Sir John Hurt Sailor John
Jamie Campbell Bower Skiff

Reception

Box Office

The film grossed $889,927 in the UK, $72,928 in Hong Kong and $2,510,062 in China for a total of $3,472,917 worldwide.[4]

Critical

Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure currently holds an 80% "fresh" approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 5 reviews.[5]

Andrew Pulver of The Guardian gave the film a 3/5 stating, "Like Tale of the Brave, Lost Treasure jams locomotive action together with a pop motif supposedly beloved of kids: Brave had dinosaurs, Treasure has pirates."[6]

References
  1. Stuart Heritage (4 June 2015). "Thomas and Friends: Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure trailer – steamy stuff". The Guardian. London, England. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  2. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/releasegroup/gr3143848453/
  3. "ALL ABOARD FOR NEW THOMAS & FRIENDS® FEATURE LENGTH MOVIE 'SODOR'S LEGEND OF THE LOST TREASURE'". 26 February 2015.
  4. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/releasegroup/gr3143848453/
  5. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/thomas_and_friends_sodors_legend_of_the_lost_treasure/
  6. Pulver, Andrew (16 July 2015). "Thomas & Friends: Sodor's Legend Lost Treasure review – pirates on track". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
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