Sarah (7800 KP) rated Dolittle (2020) in Movies
Feb 26, 2020 (Updated Feb 26, 2020)
Right from the opening scene, its obvious this film has been made solely for children. The plot is basic and predictable and a lot of the action and gags are very childish and puerile. Even Emma Thompson's narration made me feel like I was watching a kids educational show. I appreciate it's difficult to make a film suitable for kids and adults alike, but Disney and Pixar have proved it's possible without being infantile - sadly Dolittle doesn't. There are a few moments that I did have a small giggle at, but most of the gags I found either too obvious or childish to be funny. Weirdly enough I found Kevin the squirrel and his logs hilarious.
The cast themselves I found underused, or rather odd choices - some of the voice actors of the animals to me seemed a little out of place. That probably wasn't helped by how distractingly odd the animals looked when they were talking, and with the CGI ranging from pretty good to decidedly dodgy. Antonio Banderas was wasted as King Rassouli and Michael Sheen was hamming it up to the extremes, but it's Robert Downey Jnr that deserves a notable mention... for how terrible his accent is. I love RDJ, but his Welsh accent ranges from ok to downright horrendous. I couldn't even tell from the trailer what sort of accent he was doing it was that bad. And the problem with this is the accent took away all of the fun and charisma you'd expect from his performance.
The one benefit of this film is that it's fairly short, so it doesnt drag too much. Your kids will love it, but as an adult I wouldn't expect much.
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Merissa (14104 KP) rated Wired For Magic in Books
Apr 8, 2026
Those are the pure bones of the story, but there is so much more to it. I will admit, when I read that Celtic magic was involved, my mind immediately went to Ireland, which is where the majority of authors mean when they say 'Celtic'. Imagine my wonder and delight when it turned out to be Wales!!! The descriptions of Pentre Ifan were absolutely spot on, and the warmth of the Welsh personality was perfectly described and enacted, especially by Bron and Huw.
There is a slight romance element to the story, but it is secondary at best. Huw is definitely there as a supporting character, never taking the spotlight from Rowan.
The character arcs of all the main characters were brilliantly written, and the pacing was perfect. I was swept away in Rowan's struggles and determination. I loved sassy Aunt Maya and her outlook on life. Because I'm greedy, I would love to see more of this world, maybe from some of the secondary characters' points of view - Cat, I'm looking at you. And you too, Griff!
Anyway, I was completely absorbed by this story, from the first paragraph to the last. Definitely one of the best I've read, and I don't say that lightly. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 8, 2026