While all the Dot films up to this point were well worth watching, ranging from good to very good and good representations of Australian animation, to me the best films in the series are 'Dot and the Whale' and this, 'Dot and the Smugglers'.
Despite all of the Dot films being well worth watching, 'Dot and the Smugglers' is one of the few that has very little wrong with it. Maybe occasionally it goes a touch too heavy on the sentiment, making a couple of the cutesier, sentimental scenes a touch cloying. That is a very big emphasis on the word occasionally however, and trust me it has been done far worse in animation and films of all genres before and since.
The animation shows great technical improvement over when the series first started with 'Dot and the Kangaroo', and generally 'Dot and the Smugglers' alongside 'Dot and the Whale' is one of the better-looking Dot films. Character designs are less rough, the colours are more vibrant and, while the backgrounds and incorporation of live-action/anthropomorphic have always looked good, the backgrounds are particularly meticulous in their detail.
It is agreed too that 'Dot and the Smugglers' has one of the best soundtracks of all the Dot films. Most of them are good anyway, but along with 'Dot and the Whale' this is a case of all the songs working rather than having a song or two that you're not sure about. "Are You Going to the Circus?" and "Our Submarine" fare especially well.
The script is chuckle-worthy-at-least funny, heart-breakingly poignant and affectionately heart-warming. The story is incredibly charming, with parts that make one feel good and others that may induce tears. Also there is a real sense of threat, done in a suspenseful way even when one knows how it will all end. The conservation message is strong and really rings true without being heavy-handed (an oft danger with films with messages).
Characters are great. Dot is endearing, the animals are adorable and the villain is both fun and threatening. The voice acting is good, one of the better-voiced Dot films from personal opinion.
Summarising, of an enjoyable series of films 'Dot and the Smugglers' is one of the best. 9/10 Bethany Cox
