With successive direct-to-video releases, Tom and Jerry have convincingly proved that they can support and enhance plots that last more than five minutes. However, "Tom and Jerry: The Lost Dragon" (hereafter "Lost Dragon") really puts even our energetic duo through their paces. Seeing the DVD cover, one might conclude that Tom and Jerry only have to worry about taking care of a baby dragon that hatched from a missing pearl-like egg (and has imprinted upon Tom) until they can return it to his frantic, ferocious mother. Ah, but the plot is more involved than this.
"Lost Dragon" actually begins in a medieval elf village where the Gandalf-like wizard Kaldorf (voice of the dependable Jim Cummings) bans the sinister, threatening witch Drizelda (voice of Vicki Lewis) from the town. Drizelda tries to entice her niece Athena (voice of Kelly Stables) to follow her into exile, but the tender-hearted girl prefers to stay with Kaldorf and the elves. Of course, Drizelda vows revenge.
In spite of her good nature and love of animals (including Tom and Jerry), the elf citizens, especially the vain, shrewish Elf Elder's wife (voice of Lauraine Newman), who loves hideous hats, prejudicially distrust Athena. Therefore, with Tom and Jerry (mostly Jerry) as assistants, Athena retires to the woods and runs a sort of animal menagerie hospital/refuge. Athena tries her best to win over the townspeople, and is on the verge of doing so, but you-know-who (plus a manic warthog) keep messing things up.
Meanwhile, Drizelda has sent her henchmen (henchcats) Tin (voice of Greg Ellis), Pan (voice of Jess Harnell), and Alley (Richard McGonagle) to steal the pearl/egg from the forbidden, treasure-filled mountain lair of a fire-breathing dragon. She seeks the pearl-egg to increase her magic power. They succeed but the mother dragon gives chase and makes them lose the pearl-egg, where Tom and Jerry find it floating down the river.
So as I said before, taking care of a mischievous, flying, fire-breathing dragon that thinks the lazy, kinda-chicken Tom is his mother is just the beginning of the duo's adventures. Can Tom and Jerry put aside their eternal bickering and one-oneupmanship to get the baby (named Puffy, also voiced by Kelly Stables) safely to its mother before the angry mother torches the countryside looking for it, AND before Drizelda steals the dragons' fire to become a super- dragon herself, AND help Athena gain the village's acceptance?
"Lost Dragon" answers these burning (no pun intended) questions with a lively medieval plot that borrows from both "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" and "Dragonslayer" chock-full of thunderous action, suspenseful danger, and evil incantations. Of course, Tom and Jerry do what they do best, but they are not out of place in this energetic tale, and in their own reliable slap-sticky way try to help Athena, the village, Puffy, and his mother to their respective happy endings.
"Tom and Jerry" fans should get their quota (and more) of cat-and-mouse shenanigans and pratfalls (including the scene where Tom and Jerry are falling from a great height and Tom looks at his watch to see when they'll hit the ground), while medieval/Tolkien fans should get a pleasant homage and send-up of their obsessions. "Lost Dragon" is an eventful and ultimately satisfying animated journey.
P.S.: Despite the fire-and-brimstone aspects of the story, "Lost Dragon" shouldn't really disturb children, even sensitive ones, although what happens to baby Puffy and mama dragon after Drizelda steals their fire might be considered shocking. Otherwise, everybody should be able to enjoy this latest "Tom and Jerry" adventure without nightmares.
"Lost Dragon" actually begins in a medieval elf village where the Gandalf-like wizard Kaldorf (voice of the dependable Jim Cummings) bans the sinister, threatening witch Drizelda (voice of Vicki Lewis) from the town. Drizelda tries to entice her niece Athena (voice of Kelly Stables) to follow her into exile, but the tender-hearted girl prefers to stay with Kaldorf and the elves. Of course, Drizelda vows revenge.
In spite of her good nature and love of animals (including Tom and Jerry), the elf citizens, especially the vain, shrewish Elf Elder's wife (voice of Lauraine Newman), who loves hideous hats, prejudicially distrust Athena. Therefore, with Tom and Jerry (mostly Jerry) as assistants, Athena retires to the woods and runs a sort of animal menagerie hospital/refuge. Athena tries her best to win over the townspeople, and is on the verge of doing so, but you-know-who (plus a manic warthog) keep messing things up.
Meanwhile, Drizelda has sent her henchmen (henchcats) Tin (voice of Greg Ellis), Pan (voice of Jess Harnell), and Alley (Richard McGonagle) to steal the pearl/egg from the forbidden, treasure-filled mountain lair of a fire-breathing dragon. She seeks the pearl-egg to increase her magic power. They succeed but the mother dragon gives chase and makes them lose the pearl-egg, where Tom and Jerry find it floating down the river.
So as I said before, taking care of a mischievous, flying, fire-breathing dragon that thinks the lazy, kinda-chicken Tom is his mother is just the beginning of the duo's adventures. Can Tom and Jerry put aside their eternal bickering and one-oneupmanship to get the baby (named Puffy, also voiced by Kelly Stables) safely to its mother before the angry mother torches the countryside looking for it, AND before Drizelda steals the dragons' fire to become a super- dragon herself, AND help Athena gain the village's acceptance?
"Lost Dragon" answers these burning (no pun intended) questions with a lively medieval plot that borrows from both "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" and "Dragonslayer" chock-full of thunderous action, suspenseful danger, and evil incantations. Of course, Tom and Jerry do what they do best, but they are not out of place in this energetic tale, and in their own reliable slap-sticky way try to help Athena, the village, Puffy, and his mother to their respective happy endings.
"Tom and Jerry" fans should get their quota (and more) of cat-and-mouse shenanigans and pratfalls (including the scene where Tom and Jerry are falling from a great height and Tom looks at his watch to see when they'll hit the ground), while medieval/Tolkien fans should get a pleasant homage and send-up of their obsessions. "Lost Dragon" is an eventful and ultimately satisfying animated journey.
P.S.: Despite the fire-and-brimstone aspects of the story, "Lost Dragon" shouldn't really disturb children, even sensitive ones, although what happens to baby Puffy and mama dragon after Drizelda steals their fire might be considered shocking. Otherwise, everybody should be able to enjoy this latest "Tom and Jerry" adventure without nightmares.