The Return of Captain Sinbad

With the current wave of computer animation movies garnering all the attention these days, it's something of a quaint treat to revisit good old stop-motion puppet animation. As a kid, I loved the crude look of this style (for example, the Christmas classic Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer), which has a real storybookworld-come-alive feel to it. In this 1993 production, an orphan boy named Hajii enlists the aid of the retired old hermit Captain Sinbad, after an evil pirate named Blowhole steals his dog Raffy. In pursuit, Hajii and Sinbad sail off to the Isle of Kashapar where they must contend with flying monsters, a two headed giant, and more. The difference between Sinbad and Rudolph, however, is that the former lacks the snappy dialogue and colorful vocal characterizations which made the latter such a treat. Thankfully, Roddy McDowall's narration helps compensate for the weak sounding characters. Kids will enjoy the solid story and the monsters are truly spooky! Recommended, with some reservations. (K. Allison)