DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp (1990) User Reviews

Nostalgic Feelings to the Series Override Flaws.

[GuyCC · 7/10 · 12 November 2000]

I recently watched the "DuckTales" movie again, because it was a slow evening, and I still have fond memories of the series since its inception in '86.

I think that's why I watched the movie all the way through.

Don't get me wrong, the first (and only) Disney Movietoon isn't bad as far as films go. There were just a few things that didn't sit well with me, namely the animation. It was a step beyond television animation and a step below feature film animation. The result was better use of shading and lighting, but wasn't nearly as fluid as say, "Aladdin", "Beauty and the Beast" or any of Disney's other films during the early '90's. The soundtrack didn't really detract or enhance the film, but the show's theme provided a snappy, upbeat tune to end the film with.

The story itself wasn't bad, but some of the 30-minute shows seemed to have more interesting plots and faster pacing. That, and the "wacky Genie" schtick was done much better two years down the road with Robin Williams in "Aladdin". What really pulled this film through was the voice cast from the series, as they know their characters, and that's apparent. The film wisely kept its cast exclusively to the show's main characters, the genie, and the main villain and sidekick, but I got the feeling they should have all been given more to do.

As I said before, it's not a bad film, and I don't know if this film will ever be re-issued by Disney, but the main strength of this film lies in how much you like Scrooge McDuck and company. The television show was the best of any of Disney's non-feature animation, and for that reason, it kept me through the film until final credits.

First Duck-Tale cinema adventure

[Johnny B · 8/10 · 27 October 1998]

Okay, it is true that the graphics of this movie are not as good as those of the 1990s Disney classics, but still, despite that it is a nice movie. The beginning, I mean the treasure hunt is typical of earlier Ducktale cartoons - adventures in some ancient land. The rest is a modernised adaptation of the story of Aladdin. It is quite gripping for kids, and adults are bound to like it too. The best thing about it, I think, is that the adventure starts away from home but it ends up at Duckberg. Fantasy plays a large role as with all Disney cartoons. Enjoyable.

A fun movie based on the cartoon.

[OllieSuave-007 · 8/10 · 22 December 2013]

This is a fun movie based on the Disney cartoon Ducktales, a story about Scrooge McDuck and the gang out to search for a magic lamp, with an evil wizard out to get his hands on it as well.

I remember watching Ducktales on the Disney Afternoon after I got home from elementary school, and it was one of my favorite cartoon shows. It was great seeing classic Disney characters like Huey, Duey and Louie star in a more modern show to keep up with the times, but still maintaining that special Disney charm. It's equally awesome to see the show making it to the big screen with this movie, and it brought along the show's elements: colorful animation, upbeat music, fun and daring characters and exciting adventures.

It's a little on the short side, with a running time of only 74 min. So, the movie may seemed rushed through at times. Other than that, if you love Ducktales, you would love this movie - great fun for the entire family.

Grade B+

Good animation

[russell-patrick39 · 7/10 · 17 March 2012]

I recently watched the "DuckTales" movie again, because it was a slow evening, and I still have fond memories of the series since its inception in '86.

I think that's why I watched the movie all the way through.

Don't get me wrong, the first (and only) Disney Movietoon isn't bad as far as films go. There were just a few things that didn't sit well with me, namely the animation. It was a step beyond television animation and a step below feature film animation. The result was better use of shading and lighting, but wasn't nearly as fluid as say, "Aladdin", "Beauty and the Beast" or any of Disney's other films during the early '90's. The soundtrack didn't really detract or enhance the film, but the show's theme provided a snappy, upbeat tune to end the film with.

The story itself wasn't bad, but some of the 30-minute shows seemed to have more interesting plots and faster pacing. That, and the "wacky Genie" schtick was done much better two years down the road with Robin Williams in "Aladdin". What really pulled this film through was the voice cast from the series, as they know their characters, and that's apparent. The film wisely kept its cast exclusively to the show's main characters, the genie, and the main villain and sidekick, but I got the feeling they should have all been given more to do.

As I said before, it's not a bad film, and I don't know if this film will ever be re-issued by Disney, but the main strength of this film lies in how much you like Scrooge McDuck and company. The television show was the best of any of Disney's non-feature animation, and for that reason, it kept me through the film until final credits.

Harmless fun!

[Monika-5 · 22 March 2000]

I still remember seeing this at the theater with my grandparents and two younger siblings in 1990. I liked the story of the McDucks trying to find the treasure, and I really liked the genie. I think that this is a great film for the kids to watch. Who knows, maybe you'll enjoy it too!

A quacker of a little "treasure" from Disney.

[JTurner82 · 7/10 · 20 June 2007]

While Disney has not been producing much of high quality animated films these days, few will deny that in the late 1980's and mid 1990's, the Mouse House was in its heyday. After a period of turmoil without their former founder, the company had risen to stardom with its 1989 musical, THE LITTLE MERMAID. The success of that film led to other equally acclaimed masterpieces, notably BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, which was fortunate enough to win the Oscar for Best Picture. In the period between these two works of art, though, the company released two animated features that were pleasant diversions but didn't ignite ticket sales at the box office. One of them was THE RESCUERS DOWN UNDER, a non-musical sequel to a mediocre 1970 film (which actually improved on its predecessor in many ways). The other--and even lesser known--production was DUCKTALES: THE MOVIE--TREASURE OF THE LOST LAMP.

An unashamedly small, likable film, DUCKTALES--THE MOVIE did not quack up much box office gold in its theatrical release. Based on Disney's popular animated series of its time, this theatrical feature--as you might expect--plays very much like an extended episode of the series, with slightly beefed up production values. Audiences unfamiliar with the show are most likely to be confused with its unexplained references to terms like "Junior Woodchuck"--a problem not uncommon with other theatrical spin-offs of television shows, e.g. THE CARE BEARS, TRANSFORMERS, MY LITTLE PONY, etc. The stars of DUCKTALES, which include self-proclaimed "quad-zillionaire" Scrooge McDuck (impeccably voiced by Alan Young) and his mischievous nephews, Hewy, Dewey, and Louie, are household names with many people, but their co-stars--which include bumbling pilot Launchpad McQuack and Webby (Webbigail for you completists)--are only familiar with those who have tuned into an episode or two of the show. This is probably what sealed DUCKTALES--THE MOVIE's box office fate; it caters more to fans of the show rather than a mainstream audience.

That said, DUCKTALES--THE MOVIE is a very pleasant way to spend 74 minutes. The film bounces along at a fast pace and maintains a kinetic sense of energy, particularly the opening and climactic sequences. And there's nothing at all about the film that may be deemed too unsettling or inappropriate for children (what, you expected an R-rated material from Disney?).

The best way to describe the plot is a mixture of an INDIANA JONES adventure and Disney's own ALADDIN. The first 20 minutes of the movie, in which the ducks--on a hunt for Collie Baba's treasure--find themselves braving a booby-trap infested hidden pyramid and outrunning scorpions, recall the roller-coaster excitement of the aforementioned Spielberg- Lucas series. Things get slightly slower around the middle when the ducks unleash the contents of a magic lamp containing, yes, a genie. Voiced with zest and humor by Rip Taylor, this Genie may not have the adult appeal of, say, Robin Williams' Genie in ALADDIN, but he manages to extract a giggle from the audience without being too over-the-top. His lively presence--and the nephews' dilemma of trying to keep his identity a secret from their miserly uncle--makes it easier to sit through the middle portion. The final 20 minutes of the film, in which Scrooge and company attempt to recapture their money bin from a compulsively greedy weasel, Dijon (Richard Libertini), only to deal with the Genie's former master, Merlock, a centuries old villainous sorcerer with the commanding voice of Christopher Lloyd, builds to a high-flying (literally) climax that I've rarely seen other Disney films match.

Based on the above description of the plot, it is tempting to dismiss this movie as an inferior imitation of ALADDIN, particularly where the Genie sub-plot is concerned, but since this movie was made long before that film, it instead holds up as an original story. Technically, DUCKTALES isn't exactly on the same level as, say, THE LITTLE MERMAID or other Disney Renaissance features, but then again it was hardly intended to be. The animation, produced by the now defunct Disney Animation Studios in Paris, is appropriately matched and showcases some spectacularly exciting effects, particularly any moment when Merlock morphs into eagles, rats, bears, cockroaches, panthers, etc., and especially at the climax when Scrooge's money bin is transformed into a creepy-looking castle. Simultaneously, though, the artwork is more "simplified" than the usual Disney treatment--not that it is a bad thing for this type of feature, but it's noticeable in places.

More pleasing about the film is its kinetic musical score, composed by David Newman (THE BRAVE LITTLE TOASTER and ANASTASIA). This is one of the finest ever written for a Disney film, and it's a shame it hasn't been commercially released on CD. It should also be noted that there are no songs in this film (unless you count the DUCKTALES theme over the closing credits)--this gives DUCKTALES the distinction of being one of Disney's "songless" productions (other notable entries including THE BLACK CAULDRON, THE RESCUERS DOWN UNDER, and ATLANTIS--THE LOST EMPIRE).

Although not on par with Disney's better classics, DUCKTALES--THE MOVIE: TREASURE OF THE LOST LAMP is a breezy, fun romp that actually holds up pretty well even after its initial 1990 release. It's too bad that Disney reduced themselves to churning out direct-to-video sequels, none of which matched the excitement or energy of this film or even the heart or human appeal of A GOOFY MOVIE, another inspired by a TV series movie. Compared to most of these other pointless secondary chapters, DUCKTALES--THE MOVIE remains fresh, funny, and enjoyable, especially for youngsters and, yes, fans of Disney-cartoons in general.

A semi-spoiler about a great movie based on a Disney TV series.

[rockndaparadise · 9/10 · 29 August 2004]

"Duck Tales: The Movie" is a great movie. I've always loved it. It's basically a 74-minute episode of "Duck Tales" with some classic Disney magic mixed in. If you haven't seen the movie, I recommend you do; I find it to be suitable for kids and adults equally. If you haven't watched the movie before, then (as Strong Bad would say) I recommend the faint of heart and the faint of butt to stop reading this review, for it might spoil the magic for those who want to be surprised. The movie starts with Scrooge McDuck and his nephews along with Launchpad and Webby out in Egypt looking for the treasure of Collie Baba, a famous thieve. When they find it, they find out that their guide, Dijon, turned out to be the little sidekick of an evil sorcerer named Merlock who steals the treasure from Scrooge leaving him empty-handed. Little did Scrooge know, Webby managed to keep from the treasure a lamp, which she had mistaken for a teapot. While polishing it, she and Huey, Dewey and Louie unveiled the genie of the lamp that they become friends with, as well as his new masters. The four kids each got three wishes; Webby makes all these crazy wishes, which causes one of the boys to waste one of their wishes to wish them back. After the kids use up all their wishes, Scrooge finds out about the genie and becomes his new master. What the family didn't know much about was that the genie's meanest master was still out looking for him. Even though, it has been centuries, he's still out there looking for him due to his wish for immortality. The genie accidentally stumbles onto Dijon, who becomes his new master and wishes to take over Scrooge's money bin. Unluckily for Dijon, Scrooge knew exactly how to trigger all the alarms in his bin, so he planned to invade it with the kids. However, Merlock manages to sneak in too, and he beats Scrooge to the lamp and wishes for his money bin to transform into a sky fortress. Scrooge manages to steal the lamp back and makes his last two wishes. This was just a very well made movie. Rip Taylor did an unbelievable job as the voice of the genie. The same thing goes for Christopher Lloyd as Merlock. This film is highly recommended by me for Duck Tales fans and even Duck Tales haters! If there was a special edition DVD of this movie, I'd get it!

A disappointing final to a classic series

[MissSimonetta · 6/10 · 2 May 2017]

The 1987 DuckTales was one of the most iconic and entertaining series of the 1980s. Its run concluded in 1990 and was followed up by a theatrical feature, DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp (1990). With a greater budget and more screen-time, this could have been a grand finale to the beloved television show. What we got instead was a lackluster wasted opportunity.

The plot lacks any kind of structure or drive, and can be divided easily into three disparate parts: 1) A scene in Egypt where Scrooge and co. find the magic lamp, 2) Back to Duckberg where the plot completely stops. The genie is unleashed and the kids try to hide him while they waste wishes on frivolous things. Scrooge finds out and takes the genie to an explorer's gathering, 3) The genie is stolen, Scrooge loses his fortune, the heroes gather to steal the lamp back from evil Christopher Lloyd wizard and save the day. Firstly, I am disappointed the writers felt the need to include a genie as a big part of the plot, since an episode of the show already covered that kind of plot. Secondly, as I mentioned before, the movie stops and starts constantly. The middle act is flabby, wasted on extended comic routines that aren't too inspired.

You would imagine with a wider canvas, the writers would have had a field day with locations, but for most of the movie, we are restricted to interiors in Duckburg. You would imagine they would have had a field day with all the different kind of colorful villains that had dominated the series, but instead we get the generic Merlock, who lacks humor or menace, and is therefore forgettable. Depending on your temperament, you may find the genie annoying or tolerable; he's pretty much the early 1990s in a single character.

The animation is pretty strange. Though it is of a higher quality than what was seen on the television show, it is erratic. Characters move constantly, twitching and exaggerated in a way that's too much even for a Disney cartoon. Everyone seems hyped up on caffeine or something, an effect I don't think the animators were going for at all.

A common adjective you hear to describe this movie in most reviews is "harmless" or "good enough for kids." Harmless it may be, but that doesn't make the film particularly good. Of course, it isn't a bad movie either and does have some good moments. The first twenty minutes are adventurous and possess atmosphere, and the voice actors are in great form, especially the late and great Alan Young. But it doesn't save the film from mediocrity. It leaves you wishing about what could have been.

I like this movie!!!!!

[sethn172 · 10/10 · 29 August 2006]

After the series has come to an end, Disney found it so successful that they have made a movie version of it; it is called "DuckTales: The Movie - Treasure of the Lost Lamp," and it was an animated film made in 1990 from Disney MovieToons, a very short lived division of the Disney company (at least for its time; there, of course, was "Teacher's Pet: The Movie," but it is nothing as good as this!!!!!)

Here, our adventurous gang of Scrooge, Launchpad, Huey, Dewey, and Louie fly out to the desert to find a pyramid, filled with traps and treasure; one of which holds the lamp of the genie!!!!! After they reach home, Huey, Dewey, and Louie are friends with the genie and the fun begins!!!!!

I've rented this and seen this on the Old Disney Channel as a kid. Then this was released on DVD in Europe, Australia, and Latin America, and finally, in March or April of 2005, the BAD Disney Channel, for some reason, decided to show this movie. What a treat!!!!! Oh sure, it's on DVD in America now, but only if you're a member of the Disney Movie Club!!!!! Hey, at least it's in 16x9 widescreen!!!!!

"DuckTales: The Movie" is a great way to wrap up the series; much better than that "Lizzie McGuire Movie," in my opinion!!!!!

10 stars!!!!!

When Disney was Disney...

[Atreyu_II · 7/10 · 15 April 2008]

This is the first movie based on the memorable TV show "DuckTales". Is it as good as the popular TV show? Not in my book, but it remains faithful to the spirit of that great TV show. Plus, the movie is fun, entertaining and enjoyable enough.

This came out in 1990. At the time I was in the kindergarten. However, I know I saw this in a cinema I'd go many times during my elementary school days. I went to see it with my elementary schoolmates and teacher (and the rest of the school). I'm pretty sure it was in 1992, when I was in elementary school and when it was re-released and its tape came. Not to forget that I saw this countless times as a kid.

In this story, Scrooge McDuck takes Donald Duck's nephews (Huey, Dewey and Louie - and Webby) to Egypt with his clumsy pilot Launchpad McQuack (the movie actually beginning with some crazy but hilarious acrobatics with the plane - Launchpad even confesses that he never went to a flight school). Being as greedy and obsessed by money as Scrooge is, of course that this trip could only be for something that had to do with money. Scrooge never misses a chance to find something that can make him even richer than he already is, so this time his goal is to find the lost treasure of Collie Baba (a mockery on Allie Baba).

As an irony of destiny, the ducks find a magic lamp and after rubbing the lamp, a genie comes out of it. They have great fun together and become great friends. After all, the genie is a little kid (or duck, in this case), just like them. The genie's friendly personality makes him cool. However, the genie knows about the ambitions of the evil sorcerer Merlock and he's deeply afraid that Merlock might find him someday. Merlock wants the magic lamp, so that he can have as many wishes as he wants and, with them, take over the world.

Kleptomaniac Dijon, despite being Merlock's sidekick, isn't any scary and he's not really evil. I don't see him as bad enough to be a villain. Dijon is more of a comic relief and shakes with fear over Merlock.

Overall, not a super animated movie, but a likable and nostalgic one. It brings back the fun, amusement, adventure, danger, darkness, good artwork, good soundtrack and great main characters (the ducks) from the TV show "DuckTales".

This is one of those cartoons from a time when Disney *really* was Disney. Plus, it's a reminder of the best times of many of us. Ah, the early 90's...

DuckTales: The Movie - Treasure of the Lost Lamp

[jboothmillard · 5/10 · 13 July 2005]

If you have ever seen the animated series starring Scrooge McDuck and his nephews Huey, Dewey, Louie and Webby ducks, then you'll love this film. tom thumb's Woody, Alan Young as Scrooge McDuck is really good at the Scottish accent, and being a grumpy type of character. Basically Scrooge and the gang are looking for a lost treasure. The only bit they manage to recover (after finding it) is a lamp. This lamp contains a genie. The three nephews and Webby keep Genie (Rip Taylor) secret, but there is both Scrooge, and villain Merlock (Christopher Lloyd) wanting him. A very good cartoon when I was a kid, I used to love the TV series a bit too. Worth watching!

DuckTales the Movie Triumphs

[Hollywood_Yoda · 10/10 · 18 May 2010]

In this tale, which is roughly based on Ali Baba lore, we find Scrooge McDuck and his nephews on the trail of a magic lamp. Also on the trail is Merlock the Magician (voiced by Christopher Lloyd of 'Back to the Future'.) The film has a slight resemblance to the likes of Indiana Jones and Disney's own later film series of 'Aladdin' and 'Aladdin and the King of Thieves'. Based primarily on the television series of the same name, 'DuckTales' and created by the brand new (at the time) Disney Toon Studios and released theatrically in 1990, this is a timeless film that children and adults will both enjoy. The only downfall for those who love this film is that the only DVD release (so far) has been through the Disney Movie Club. So delightful, I gave it 10/10!

Good job!

[m-conway50 · 7/10 · 25 February 2012]

I know I used to watch Duck Tales as a child because I found myself humming along absentmindedly to the theme music but I cannot remember much more than that. This was not a problem though as I only watched it to act as a bit of a trip down memory lane for me. The plot is OK for this sort of thing and allows plenty of silly antics as well as just doing enough for the duration to actually give the film somewhere to go towards the end to create a certain amount of actual drive for the antics. This is not to say it is a great affair because it isn't, but under tens should enjoy it enough to distract them for just over an hour.

The animation is colourful and, even if it is uninspiring it still does the job and never feels cheap or rushed out. The voice work is pretty good but I, like many others I think, found the voices of Huey and crew to be rather annoying even if one must give Taylor his dues for doing several voices. Young does a simple job on Scrooge, Taylor is fun as the genie and Libertini is quite fun as the comic relief. Lloyd is a nice addition for adults and he has a great presence thanks to his distinctive voice work but he has little to do and, to be honest, the voice work doesn't really stand out that much.

Overall this is OK fare for under tens but I must admit that it is unlikely to draw any audience other than that. Those seeking childhood memories may enjoy it and be glad to find that it is quite well made even if it is unspectacular but it is not worth watching if you have not experienced it before now. Tape it off TV and you'll find it useful enough to keep young children happy but I doubt many adults find it useful in any ways other than a babysitter.

Childhood memories

[tushargupta-27286 · 5/10 · 6 November 2021]

Duck tales cartoon is one of the best Cartoon it's one of my favourite cartoon repeat child hood memories but movie is ok .

Cartoon it's more good and nice.

Saw this in the theater and loved it

[justin-fencsak · 7/10 · 14 September 2018]

This was DuckTales at its peak. Animated by Disney's tv animation departments around the world, this film draws inspiration from the more mature indiana jones movies in the 80s and makes it suitable for kids of all ages.

A fair conversion from TV

[datautisticgamer-74853 · 6/10 · 5 November 2017]

I want to begin my review with a disclaimer; I have never seen any episodes of the 1987 DuckTales. As such, there may be some things I cover in this review that may confuse me or the general film viewer but would be understood by DuckTales fans. Anyway, the VHS of this movie was one I purchased alongside All Dogs Go to Heaven last Friday. I decided to spend this afternoon watching this, and...

For an extended TV series episode, this one worked out fantastically, but as a general film it's just a tad better than ho-hum. The animation was made by a French studio affiliated with Disney, and since it isn't WDAS, the quality overall is more akin to a Disney TV series (if slightly better) than The Rescuers Down Under. It does have some surprisingly effective... well, effects, with the fire shooters in the pyramid being a personally prominent moment. The animation also presents the frenzied moments, especially the sentient toys scene, with the necessary ridiculousness to make it amusing, though serious action shouldn't bring high expectations. It was probably just my VCR acting weird, but the animation has one very distracting snag; the lighting in a lot of scenes flickers and acts up when it shouldn't, even in more static scenes where the lighting required no adjustment. As I said, it's probably either my PV-9451 or the tape itself, but the lighting in some scenes felt rather sloppy and could have used one final check by Disney before they released this, in the event that this happens on different tapes. I have to admit that the story impressed me for a simple extended TV episode, but its twist in not having the heroes achieve their goal first already felt like it was done, better, in other movies in Disney's animated canon. That's not to say Merlock succeeding in his goal first was an awful twist, especially considering DuckTales is one of Disney's pre-Renaissance highlights next to The Fox and The Hound and The Great Mouse Detective. As for each character, I already had a sense of who they would be from viewing fan material (the Disney Wiki in particular) and the extended Disney shorts universe. Christopher Lloyd did enough work to make Merlock the villain one would love to hate, which is important considering that Merlock is otherwise forgettable. For most of the other important characters, they're basically the same as in the show, so it's up to you if you want to know their personalities by watching this or the series.

If you are just a regular film viewer, I would be sort of torn on recommending this movie, however I would lean towards doing so just for a few laughs over 74 minutes. It's a guarantee that you will enjoy this film, however, if you are a DuckTales fan or someone who watched DuckTales in their youth. It's not even a mediocre film, but likewise it's not close to stellar.

A treasure, with a lot of fun

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 4 February 2010]

Okay to start things off, after rewatching this again after 4 years, for DuckTales:The Movie-Treasure of the Lost Lamp isn't as good as the show it derives from. The show "DuckTales" is one of my favourites, it is funny, wonderfully animated and has such an irresistibly catchy theme tune, so this movie had a lot to live up to. Really, this is a treasure, that is a lot of fun and I think it lives up to the show very well. My only complaint though is that the movie is too short, if it had been 5-10 minutes longer, I would've liked to seen more of the villain and one or two more of the secondary characters. That said, the animation is very well done, colourful and pretty fluid. And I loved hearing the irresistible and upbeat theme tune playing over the end credits and the orchestral score is nice too. The script is often hilarious, Launchpad I have always found funny but there were times when Scrooge said something that was hysterical. The characters are still their fun and engaging selves, Huey, Dewey and Louie are fun and Webby is adorable. Scrooge and Launchpad both have their inspired moments, and the genie is a nice character. I liked the villain Merlock as well, while gruff and undeniably powerful he is also pretty humorous. The plot was well constructed, reminded me of the early "DuckTales" episodes, and the voice acting is excellent, not only from Russi Taylor, Alan Young and Terence McGovern, but Christopher Lloyd stands out as well as Merlock. Overall, a hugely enjoyable film, not as good as the show, but a worthy spin off movie. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Great!

[MadNapo · 1 November 1998]

This movie is great if you are a fan of the series, as an 80's and 90's child, I grew up with "Ducktales." This movie is no exception in being great, it has an awesome sense of adventure. The beginning of the film has such great animation it looks real. Great film for all ages!!!!

Aladdin meets DuckTales

[r96sk · 7/10 · 13 June 2020]

Aladdin meets DuckTales.

I've always been aware of the popular television show, with its cracking theme song, but never really got into it when I was younger, so this is my first proper taste of this particular Disney world - a good one!

The animation of 'DuckTales: The Movie - Treasure of the Lost Lamp' isn't the grandest, but seeing the characters of Scrooge, Huey, Dewey and Louie put into the folk tale of Aladdin is entertaining; even if it is predictable, more so if you've seen the famous exploits of Prince Ali Ababwa from two years after this was released.

Russi Taylor does a fine job voicing the well-known duck trio, while Alan Young suffices in his role as Scrooge. The others don't majorly stand out, though it's cool to hear Christopher Lloyd as Merlock.

Nothing special, but an enjoyable little adventure film - surprised it didn't do well enough for a sequel.

Not as great as the series, but it is still pretty good

[Rectangular_businessman · 8/10 · 19 June 2012]

While this movie feels most like an extended episode from "Ducktales" (Only with better animation) that's fine for me, mostly because I love "Ducktales" and even when this isn't at the same level of the animated masterpieces done by the Disney company in the nineties (Such as "The Beauty and the Beast" or "The Lion King") it was certainly something very entertaining and enjoyable to watch.

The plot from this movie is very simple, but also funny and very easy to follow, respecting most of the dynamic existent in the characters from the original series, though it is not necessary to watch any episode from "Ducktales" to enjoy this.

This "Ducktales" movie is a perfect complement for the series, and it offers a decent entertainment for the whole family. I highly recommend it.

Duck family version of Aladdin

[Bored_Dragon · 7/10 · 5 December 2017]

When I was a kid this was one of my favorite comic-books. I think I still have it somewhere. Story is variation of Aladdin, objectively, far below Disney classics, but it doesn't make this movie any less fun. Just relax and enjoy the ride with Scrooge, Huey, Dewey, Louie and Webby. <3

7/10

As good as the show, but no better

[cactusjac2000 · 5/10 · 24 August 2021]

Coming back to this as an adult, the notice in the TV versus movie production quality is noticeable. This was handled by the direct to video unit and it's noticeable right away. The story is very slight and far too reminiscent of Aladdin to be memorable. DuckTales is great but I got bored quick (especially after just being enthralled by The Little Mermaid, which absolutely deserves credit as the beginning of the Disney Renaissance). It's also a shame they couldn't work The Beagle Boys in here somewhere.

even better than the series

[andre-71 · 10/10 · 19 May 2000]

As a big fan of the fantastic adventures of "Duck Tales - the series", I liked the movie even more. A few of the jokes have been made in the episodes before, but generally the quality of the movie is higher. The music has more variety and so do the drawings. If you happen to own a good VCR, try to step through the single frames. Lots of very funny pictures can only be noticed that way, whereas they will disappear in the flow of the running animation. The story itself is again a mixture of a few ancient legends, which is so funnily put in the world of the McDucks that you cannot help loving it.

Weaker than certain other Disney animations from around the same time, but decent enough entertainment for the family

[Beta_Gallinger · 7/10 · 1 March 2011]

This is a movie based on the "DuckTales" TV series. I'm not sure if I ever saw any episodes of that show as a kid, but the show did introduce Launchpad McQuack, a character who would later appear in "Darkwing Duck" a show I remember seeing a lot of as a kid in the early 90's, so I remember him from that show. I did see this film probably about six years after its release, and I may have thought it was pretty good at the time, even if I couldn't remember very much of it afterwards. I couldn't even remember the title, even though I could remember that it featured Huey, Dewey, and Louie and their Uncle Scrooge McDuck, all characters introduced decades before this movie and the show it's based on were made. After watching this movie for the first time in probably about fifteen years, I would say it's still not bad.

Scrooge McDuck, nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and niece Webbigail Vanderquack all go to Egypt with Launchpad McQuack, the clumsy pilot. The six of them are here to find the treasure of Collie Baba and his Forty Thieves! However, what they don't realize is that during their search, the evil Merlock is searching for one treasure in particular, and he sends his not so bright assistant, Dijon, to pretend to help the six treasure hunters find what they're looking for! After they find it, Merlock takes the treasure and tries to make sure Scrooge, Huey, Dewey, Louie, Webbigail, and Launchpad don't make it back outside alive! The six of them manage to escape, but end up taking nothing back to Duckberg with them except for a lamp, which they think is an ordinary oil lamp. However, this is actually a magic lamp with a genie inside, and the one treasure Merlock was looking for! As this genie grants the four duck children wishes after they discover him, Merlock and Dijon are now searching for him in Duckberg!

With the six ducks flying to Egypt and Launchpad doing a clumsy job flying and landing, the film is off to a fairly amusing start. The Egypt adventure that starts the film off is pretty entertaining, with action and more humorous parts, some involving Dijon angering Merlock. Throughout the film, there's a lot more humour, and it's not usually hilarious and may rely too heavily on sight gags, but some of it certainly did make me laugh, such as some of the wishes the Genie finds himself granting the young ducks. The Genie in this movie, voiced by Rip Taylor, can be an amusing character, though he's certainly no match for the Genie in Disney's "Aladdin", voiced by Robin Williams. The plot of "DuckTales: The Movie - Treasure of the Lost Lamp" perhaps didn't turn out to be as consistent as I could have hoped for, and may not be as appealing to adult viewers as it is to many kids, but I definitely didn't exactly find it boring, just a BIT underwhelming. The animation here is decent as well, with some colourful backgrounds, and I have no complaints about the voice acting.

This movie based on a popular Disney TV series is certainly no classic piece of family animation, but overall, it still works as the kind of film it is. Since it came out the same year as Disney's "The Rescuers Down Under", I will say that I think it's definitely not as good as that one, but better the original "The Rescuers" from 1977, even if most would disagree. "DuckTales: The Movie - Treasure of the Lost Lamp" left me with the slight feeling that I should rate it six out of ten, but I think seven is more accurate to the way I feel about the film, even though I've given the same rating to certain films which I've found to be more entertaining. I can't say how this movie compares to the "DuckTales" TV series, since I don't recall ever actually seeing any episodes of it, and even if I did remember seeing any of the show as a kid, it obviously wouldn't be the same if I saw it now. Still, this 1990 animated feature is probably good entertainment for kids, and for adult fans of this type of film, it's not a must-see, but you still might enjoy it.

Tales of misplaced nostalgia?

[Mr-Fusion · 5/10 · 25 September 2017]

My kid's been singing the new "Ducktales" theme song for the past two weeks (GoNoodle, of all places), which is the primary motivation for digging up the original show. "The Movie" is the easiest thing I could get my hands on (plus, it's got Christopher Lloyd, which even back when I was 10, perked up my ears). Turns out, it wasn't the best move, and I swear it's not because I'm a Disney cynic. But the kid really liked it.

It's mostly the writing; the story oddly fell somewhere between "Aladdin" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark". But nothing really worked for me; the voice work, the low-level animation, the grating genie-turned- hip sidekick. I don't mean to be overly negative with this, but this is just about as anemic as it gets.

5/10