Tom and Jerry: The Lost Dragon (2014)

 I admit to having a fondness for the Tom and Jerry direct to video movies. Though I understand why many Tom and Jerry purists may not feel the same way, I find a lot to enjoy in these movies. They in many ways remind me of the later Marx Brothers films for MGM. Those movies added romance and musical numbers as well as more serious subplots to the Marx Brothers universe, however the Marx Brothers were still very funny in those movies. Likewise these movies put Tom and Jerry in more serious stories, but Tom and Jerry themselves are still quite funny despite this.

Athena the niece of an evil witch, who was banished from the small town she lives in. As such the villagers ostracize her assuming she is just as evil as her aunt. As much as this hurts her she takes joy in her home for unwanted animals (that include a cat named Tom and a mouse named Jerry). When Athena and Tom and Jerry find a dragon egg, the also find that Athena's aunt is back and after the baby dragon inside. It is up to Athena and Tom and Jerry to stop her evil plan.

Despite this story sounding far from a classic Tom and Jerry story, the filmmakers find many ways to put Tom and Jerry slapstick into this film. Tom and Jerry having to help Athena with chores is often interrupted with the two fighting in a very slapstick manner. This fighting is handled very well. While it may not be quite up there with the classic shorts of the 1940's and 50's, it is still quite funny and very much in the same vein. I will gladly admit that much of it made me laugh. Yet much of it is still tied into this story very well. For instance one of my favorite scenes involves Tom having to sit on the dragon egg to hatch it. When Athena tells Tom that he can not move from this spot, Jerry sees this as an opportunity to enact as much slapstick harm on poor Tom as possible without worrying about retaliation. There is also some darn good slapstick involving Tom and Jerry trying to catch the baby dragon once it hatches. This is honestly as pure Tom and Jerry as has been done since the classic theatrical shorts. The timing of this slapstick is fantastic giving the film the pure energy one wants out of a chase cartoon.

The story itself is pretty good. Sure it is familiar and a bit rushed, but there is a real likability to it. Athena is a very likable heroine that I couldn't help but root for, and her aunt is a very fun villain. There is a genuine heart to Athena's plight to not be seen in the same way as her aunt. With this the movie tends make us truly care about what is happening, without ever going into phony sentimentality. The song numbers could have easily been left out though, but that can be said for many of these Tom and Jerry features.

This is no classic, but you know what, it is quite a bit of fun.

-Michael J. Ruhland