User reviews

In too many ways, the Hollywood animation industry has ruined the market for everyone else. Disney and Pixar are leading a pack – DreamWorks, Fox, Sony – that have considerable resources at their disposal: they can easily afford to hire the best talents and bombard the entire world with adorable tie-in merchandise, even if the films they're producing aren't particularly good. It's a real shame, because it means that smaller, semi-independent efforts like The House Of Magic – an utterly charming French co-production – might too easily fall by the wayside.

Abandoned by his owners, a cat sneaks into a mysterious mansion that the neighbourhood pets are convinced is haunted. In short order, our feline protagonist gains a new name (Thunder) and a new master – the genial, elderly Lawrence, a magician who lives happily in a magical world with his toys and mechanical gizmos. However, Thunder also gains a few enemies: Jack Rabbit and Maggie Mouse have no intention of allowing him to become part of Lawrence's act, even as Lawrence's nefarious nephew Danny plots to sell the house away.

Plot-wise, there isn't anything particularly special about The House Of Magic. The story marches along in largely predictable fashion – the schemes cooked up by Thunder and his buddies aren't enormously innovative and the ending of the film is never in doubt. It's also the kind of movie in which moral complexities are easier to ignore than include, so don't expect many shades of grey in the characters of Thunder, Lawrence or Danny. Even Jack Rabbit, who proves a worthy, grouchy secondary antagonist to Thunder, is quickly forgotten in the film's action-packed ending.

But it's all woven together to charming, sweet effect in the film, which benefits enormously from its excellent character design. It's easy to forgive the straightforward narrative when it's hurried along so effectively by the bouncy, adorable Thunder and his desire to be part of a family again. Lawrence's toys are also wonderfully realised: Edison, the most expressive walking lightbulb you'll ever see, is a standout, but the other supporting characters are lovingly developed too. Much of the joy in the film comes from watching them come together to thwart Danny's efforts.

Taken all together, The House Of Magic has the feel of a well-worn bedtime story: it may occasionally feel like something you've seen a thousand times before, but it's also powered by a comfortable, familiar spark of magic – the kind that makes you feel right at home, wherever you might be.

Every time that I sit down to watch an animated movie nowadays, I inevitably end up surprised by the visual quality of the animations, and this film was no exception. The visuals are stunning (I watched the motion picture in 2D, as i am no fan of 3D for the time being). You could see many of the effects are intended for 3D, but even as 2D they are uniformly excellent and very exciting to watch. The story itself is rather simplistic and intended mostly for children, as are the dialogs.

I watched it together with my wife and 8 year old daughter who found the movie to be excellent. My wife on the other hand thought it to be extremely boring. Myself, I am probably somewhere in-between the two extremes. I found this to be a very decent, professionally made animated movie mainly aimed at a younger audience, and in that it fulfills its purpose totally. Recommended.

Most European animations intended for the mass market are often very disappointing either in a lame script or bland animation. Usually it is Hollywood that rules the roost here, but The House of Magic was a pleasantly surprising film released (in the UK) in a summer already overcrowded with family fare.

Admittedly this film is aimed at a much younger market than say, the Marvel Films but nonetheless it is still doing the rounds where other animation like The Nut Job, How to train your dragon 2 and Planes 2 are also on release. I am a little surprised the distributors put it out during the summer because it obviously won't have the same kind of publicity as those big American productions but nonetheless I am glad to see it has been reasonably well received because it is actually quite watchable and likable. Although I saw the film in 2D I could see the scenes designed for the 3D release and can quite understand those that think its is one of the better 3D releases.

The story is not terribly sophisticated, an abandoned little ginger kitten wanders into a spooky house and ends up fighting a greedy real estate agent who is trying to sell it behind his elderly magician uncle's back. After a sub plot involving the Rabbit and a mouse trying to get rid of the kitten the kitten ultimately ends up teaming up with the other inhabitants of the house (Rabbit, mouse, two lovebirds and various sentient inventions) plus two sick children to thwart him. The film does drag in a few places and is quite predictable but is extremely well animated, has fun with it's music cues (watch out for some classic British pop music from the 1980s) and will ultimately leave children and adults with a big grin on their face as the end credits roll. The script could have done with a few more laughs but anybody who has ever owned a cat will recognize how well translated the mannerisms of 'Thunder' the kitten have been done.

Ultimately I found this to be an undemanding, very well animated and perfectly serviceable little film that has no offensive elements (although I agree with a previous reviewer who found the callous way the kitten is abandoned by its original owner to be a little bit upsetting). Nonetheless the film moves on quickly from that start and the reasons why he was abandoned are briefly addressed in the story (economic recession).

I was going to give this film a 6 but 'Thunder' is such a cute creation and probably the most lovable cat in a film since Puss in Boots from Shrek that I gave it a 7.

Not perfect and could have been better, but it's a good, colourful and fun film and one of nWaves' better efforts.

Story-wise, The House of Magic is somewhat standard fare and a few parts feel over-familiar and well-worn. It also slightly runs out of gas towards the end, becoming a little over the top and not as crisp pacing-wise as the rest of the film. Some people may also be disappointed by the lack of emotional resonance and depth.

The animation however is wonderful (in 2D and 3D), the colours are vibrant and rich, there is so much detail and inventiveness in the backgrounds and the characters are well-modelled, cute but not overly-so. The magic scenes are very imaginatively animated too and the gizmos are cool. The House of Magic also boasts a catchy and whimsical soundtrack that compliments the film's mood ideally, and the pacing mostly is very lively in a film that can hardly be classed as 'boring'. The polished script is very high in zany wit, fun and charm, with some occasional dark weirdness that doesn't get in the way of the overall tone of the film and a whimsical quaint charm.

While the story may not be exceptional, it is a long way from a disaster either, livened by some set pieces that are both fun and scary and some eye-popping spectacle for the magic and gizmos. The message is well-intended and sweet, and delivered in a way that doesn't preach. The characters are all cute and engaging, their likable personalities and the charming and entertaining interaction between them more than compensating for the lack of depth. The voice acting is strong.

All in all, has some imperfections in the story but is mostly a very entertaining bag of tricks with a lot of great merits. 7/10 Bethany Cox

The story of the abandoned cat whose cruel owner dumps him when they move house.

Alone and unprotected the lovely cat faces a difficult challenge for survival and as he wanders the streets manages to enter a house that had already other animals in it as well as various gadgets. The owner embraces him instantly but some of the other guests are reluctant to accept him and so he has to earn their trust.

The opportunity to do so will come as a wicked nephew wants to sell the house.

An appealing story combined with high quality visuals, giving us an angle of the world from the point of view of a small animal. Various themes are involved such as abandonment, new beginnings, fitting in and proving oneself.

When it comes to protecting our home, one better not underestimate the determination of even the smallest of opponents.

It will surely delight children without leaving the adults unimpressed either.

25 August 2014 Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester on this rainy bank holiday afternoon - House of Magic. Adults were definitely in the minority in the cinema this afternoon to see this lovely animated tale of an abandoned kitten doing everything he can to save his new home. Originally released in France on Christmas Day last year, it has eventually hit our screens amid some fierce competition for the school holidays. This film has some very cute characters and is engaging from the opening scene when Thunder the cat is abandoned by his family. In true animation fashion the story leads us through good times and bad times but always ends with a happy ending. Not one for the DVD collection but a rainy afternoon viewing on the TV would be a must.

What a fun and charming movie to watch! Great for children and adults. Colorful, great characters, a flowing plot, and plenty of smiles and laughs.

The voice overs are done to perfection, the goofy gadgets are highly imagined and brought to life, and the evil real estate nephew and evil bunny top off the story.

Some may say the kitten, Thunder, is too cute but that's not so. He's young and full of himself and wants a home. Each of the perspective buyers the nephew brings by to see the house is original and funny. Then the two construction workers met their match inside the house - it's hilarious!

Fun and sweet for all ages .. you will enjoy!

When a small kitten is thrown away by its owners in the middle of the street, it sets right away to find shelter and if possible, a new home. It ends up in an apparently creepy house, full of magical creatures which entertain an old man. It gets accepted right away by him but some old pets of his plan to get rid of the intruder. We witness the adventures of this cat which must fight to remain in the house and at the same time, help the old man keep his property from a greedy and self-centered nephew.

Although it might seem interesting, it soon proves to be too childish, boring and not very well made. Although it looks gorgeous with some well-designed models, the animation is choppy and not polished enough. The same can be said about the voice acting which could definitely use some more work. Unfortunately, the plot isn't able to raise the quality, even by a small amount, letting you down with almost every occasion it had to bring something new, something that might up the interest of the viewer. Instead, it falls miserably into ordinary and predictable, even exaggerating way too much some aspects which should have been left alone. It's supposed to be a movie for children, but the movie apparently isn't aware of this aspect. It describes an extraordinary hatred coming from multiple sides which affects more or less the final outcome. I don't want to give spoilers but I really don't understand the decisions taken when it comes to the negative characters, fact which is often reflected in their attitude. The movie's finale is unfortunately on the same note with the rest of the movie, being very predictable and unsatisfying. Don't get me wrong, it's not a very bad movie, but it is below average in every single aspect and doesn't do anything to stand out from the crowd. You can easily live without seeing this one.

The film is a mediocre storyline of an abandoned cat that ends up being adopted by a magician. Typical children's story.

However, the villain has a propensity to shout "Damn Cat!" anytime he involved with the cat. This was rated G, wasn't it? The animation is good, and seems to play off some sort of 3d effects throughout. Not the same level of animation as Pixar or Dreamworks, but still pretty good quality.

Watch it if you are bored and need a cheap film to entertain the kids for an hour and a half.

I would give the film the following ratings:

Story- 3/5 Characters- 2.5/5 Animation- 4.5/5 Cheesy reference to the film "Big" - 7.5/5

First off Im a 53 year old retired police officer who almost never watches an animated film but this was free on Shout TV channel and I thought the title looked cool so what the heck!

Of course the story is a bit juvenile but it is after all an animated film, but never the less I found it very charming and actually laughed out loud a few times. The animation was well done and the cat, Thunder carries the lead role well.

It does get a bit cliche with the villain, but then I guess we have to expect that. The magician and his magical home are fun for all ages. Unique is Einstein the sort of robotic light bulb who steals the show a bit. Its a pleasant and fun way to pass an hour and 20 minutes. (pssst, I might even buy it on DVD but don't tell anyone)

This movie is surprisingly good for its B movie animation, but the movie itself is geared for younger kids with no sensitives or older kids who like youngish movies. My best guess for age range is 6-10. For kids who are sensitive to being abandoned, rejected, betrayed and unwanted, or who are sensitive to animated violence and halloween-type moments this would not be a good movie. Also, since when is DAMN an appropriate G-rated movie word? Its repeated many times throughout the movie. I thought I was hearing it wrong, but no. That said, if your child is interested in magic, friendship, courage and adventure and is not sensitive to any of the above then this is a likely winner. Overall interesting story with plenty of urgent problems to be solved.

First off, the movie is loaded with the word "damn". Even the song in credits has it. Lol

There is some "violence". I missed the part where the kitten was tossed from the vehicle in the opening scene, so I can't speak to that. However, the cat has several enemies that want to harm him. My five year old daughter likes scary movies. She even requests them. (I only show her kids ones.) I didn't really expect the shotgun scene to bother her. She didn't get worked up, but when it started she turned to me and said, "this is a scary movie, right?" She may not have been to bothered by it, but she certainly recognized it.

Back to the language... I was really surprised at how often "damn" was used. It just wasn't necessary. It seems silly that it's needed in a kids movie. The phrase that got me though was "consider this a one-night stand". I even went back to make sure I heard right. Once again, not needed. They could have easily thought of something else to say.

The storyline was fine, the graphics were good, but the "cruelty" and language were not necessary. We would rewatch it if it weren't for those things.

Animation wise do not expect this to be of the highest order - this is fine enough I reckon for the time it was made. Also this never reaches a standard that was set by Pixar (and others for that matter) - it is just family fun! Although to be fair that is not meant to be a bad thing.

Not every movie can reinvent the wheel - and in this case if you want a movie about pets who are into adventures, you could do worse. Also a bunny that is jealous and sort of bad behaving? It might have been done similarly before, but I do not remember an instance to be honest. So there are some unique parts even if that doesn't mean that the movie will surprise you much. But it is not about the predictability, but the fun you can have ... and you can have a lot of fun, if you let your guard down and just suspend your disbelief.

Kitten is abandoned, finds its way to a magicians house with other wacky characters, fights against evil man etc. and that's it. This is a movie with standard script without real surprises. Animation quality is good and on par with DreamWorks. But the problem? The movie is boring. Graphics are good but the characters are unforgettable. And the humor is so politically correct that it fails to amuse anyone. I watched the flick with 5 and 9 year old kids and neither laughed a single time. I myself started reading a book after the first 45 minutes.

It's a shame that obviously there's a lot of effort used for the movie, but once again the script would have to be re-done. And next time hire someone who can actually write funny dialogue. And since the movie is European, then please bravely use the an European angle and the Belgium twists for visuals and gags. Now it's just watered down Dreamworks copy.

I was so happy to see a movie I can watch and enjoy with my 2 year old. The animation is beautiful and it's a good story with a good message. .I can't believe I never heard of this , yet stumbled upon it accidentally via Netflix. This movie is great and colorful and it has old school animated toys and a nice soundtrack. Not to mention how adorable the main character, Thunder is. This movie is just as good as Zootopia, in my opinion. Great for both young children and adults .

I thought this was a cute movie, however I do not think a G rating is appropriate. It fits more in line with PG. as other reviewers have mentioned, the word damn is used a few different times in the movie, as well as certain name calling tactics such as loser and weirdo. We enjoyed the storyline, but won't be watching again with our young child.

Coming from The Queen's Corgi, I was expecting similar quality with Thunder & The House of Magic. What I got was what I expected. I've seen the Haunted House theme many times before in more mature rated entertainment, but it was great and refreshing to see it in a family friendly pet movie.

A great opening scene and an amusing end scene aside, 'The House of Magic' isn't anything I'll remember with that much fondness.

I will say the animation is much better than I had anticipated, it's nothing near a high level but it is absolutely fine; nothing bad about it in truth. The cast are serviceable if forgettable, I wouldn't say any of them are better or worse than their colleagues - which I suppose is a minor positive, given no-one grates with their voice performance.

I found that the mesh of plots didn't work as good as it possibly could have, granted it isn't terrible but we don't really get enough of either in my opinion. A bit of magic and a bit about the cat's story, it ends up just becoming a standard lacklustre and predictable villain-centric plot.

It seemed as if the primary emphasis of this movie was to demonstrate the 3-D aspects. There were objects, cats, rabbits and other characters constantly plummeting into the audience's faces. The storyline was simplistic and the characterizations even more so. While the artwork was overall professional, it suffered from its being made subservient to the aforementioned third dimension chaos. Even though it was set in Massachusetts, it was made in Europe, Belgium to be specific, and perhaps because of the euro orientation of its creators, it contains certain elements that some Americans might find offensive, i.e. cultural stereotypes. As I said, it's a child's movie, although I hate to think of anyone intentionally making a stupid movie for a child.